Latest news with #SouthPortlandPolice
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Family of high schooler 'mistakenly' detained by police say he was racially profiled
May 13—A Deering High School student was mistakenly apprehended by South Portland Police during lunch period late Tuesday morning, officials said. His family contends that he was racially profiled. Portland resident Amber Miller said her 16-year-old son was handcuffed, placed on the ground and had guns pointed at him by police officers while he and a group of friends attempted to drive to McDonald's for lunch — as they do almost every day. Miller said her son is multiracial and "identifies as a light-skinned Black male," but otherwise bears no resemblance to the suspect police later apprehended. "We got a phone call from one of his best friends, who watched it," Miller said. "It was based 100% on the color of his skin. That is the only reason that they believe my son is the person who did it." Miller said Tuesday has been "one of the worst days for our family." South Portland Police acknowledged that they detained two individuals near the high school at around 11:30 the home of their intended target, city spokesperson Shara Dee said in a written statement. They were detained for less than five minutes. She did not provide details on why or how police approached the teenager. Neither Dee nor police Chief Daniel Ahern returned calls or emailed messages requesting details on the incident, including officers' motivation, and requesting a response to Miller's allegations of racial bias. Police officers were in the area of Orkney Street, across from the campus, to execute a search warrant and arrest a burglary suspect, Dee said. They later arrested the man, a 19-year-old from South Portland, at his workplace in Cape Elizabeth. "I still do not understand how they came to the conclusion that my son was the suspect," Miller said. NO ID Miller said that her son had just turned 16 and does not yet have a driver's license, so he was unable to provide identification to the officers. She added that Black youths are often mistaken for being older. "They were yelling another kid's name," she recalled her son saying in the principal's office. "There are so many steps that they could have taken to make sure that they had the right person." Miller said she called the police department demanding answers but was told that no one was on duty to discuss the incident. "They haven't called me," Miller said at around 6:30 p.m. — about an hour after the city released its statement acknowledging the incident. "Can you imagine if this was your child, and this happened, and nobody called you?" Without hearing anything from the police, Miller is relying on her son's word, videos captured after he had already been put on the ground, and limited information from school officials. Though he was released within a few minutes, "the incident was upsetting to the student involved and to other Deering students who witnessed it," Principal Jake Giessman wrote in a letter to families. Miller said the incident was emotionally scarring for her son and those he was with, all of whom were Black. She was not sure what her next steps will be, but said there was no way that the department could undo that harm. "I think we're all still in shock," Miller said. "He's a resilient kid, but I just don't know. I don't know how we move on from here. I don't know what the next step is." Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion. You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs. Show less
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Yahoo
Maine Mall shooting: Police search for suspect, mall fully evacuated
Feb. 5—SOUTH PORTLAND — Police are searching for a person who shot someone inside the Maine Mall on Wednesday afternoon. First responders brought the victim to Maine Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the leg. The incident triggered an hourslong lockdown of the mall, during which shoppers and employees sheltered in stores and supply closets. But by the time police arrived, the shooter might have already left the scene, South Portland Police Chief Dan Ahern said in a written statement around 8:30 p.m. "I would like to thank those officers for their response to what they only knew to be an active shooter at the largest mall in Maine," Ahern said. "It was not until first units arrived that we determined this to be an isolated incident between two individuals and that the shooter may have already exited the mall." After a "methodical search," all law enforcement units had cleared the mall several hours after the lockdown, he said. Surveillance video shows that the suspect left through the food court exit at around 3:45 p.m., city spokesperson Shara Dee said around 9:40 p.m. in an email response to questions about the sequence of events. Police first announced the incident and lockdown on Facebook shortly after 4 p.m. South Portland Police said the public should continue avoiding the area Wednesday night. The shooting appears to be an "isolated incident" and police do not believe the public is at risk, according to a city announcement. The department shared photos of the suspect and said anyone who sees them should call 911 and not approach the person. Dee said the department only saw the suspect on camera footage and did not not know their identity Wednesday night. The victim was in surgery and "expected to survive," Ahern said. Police first issued an alert shortly after 4 p.m., urging locals to avoid the mall. Within the hour, Gov. Janet Mills posted on X that Mainers should "follow the instructions of law enforcement and to avoid the area until otherwise instructed." All South Portland Police units descended on the mall, where they were assisted by officers from 10 other agencies, including the Maine State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ahern said. HEAVY POLICE PRESENCE A South Portland Police Department forensics truck pulled up near the JC Penney entrance around 5 p.m., joining dozens of law enforcement vehicles that were scattered throughout the parking lot by the food court and blocked the roads in and out of the lot. A few minutes later, near the food court entrance on the other side of the mall, police officers wearing tactical gear and carrying long guns stepped into the building. A handful of people walked out of the food court doors, as those told to shelter were released in small groups. A pair of German foreign exchange students stepped out of the food court entrance at around 5:30 p.m. They ducked under the police line, then stepped back to take a photo from behind the yellow tape. One of them, Niklas Germann, a student at Bonny Eagle High School, said they were in a changing room when the mall went into lockdown. He said they "saw nothing." "You hear stories from America of shootings, school shootings," he said. "But only hearing it from TV or stories. And now I'm in (it) — that's crazy." Stacie Estrella, a traveling nurse from Texas who is currently working at Maine Medical Center, said in Facebook messages to a reporter that she was sheltering in place inside the Old Navy and was let out around 6:30 p.m. She said she had been able to hear the department's K-9 dogs barking while inside. Outside the mall, several people filmed the police presence from their parked cars. A group of teenage boys put out messages on social media, encouraging friends to come see the scene in person. Though police had appeared to block the exits to the parking lot, vehicles continued to pour in during the lockdown. Would-be-shoppers and app-based delivery drivers attempted to approach the mall, asking whether it was still open. There were at least two collisions between cars in the parking lot as people attempted to evacuate. 'SLOW CHECK' OF STORES Betty Tundel, of Windham, stepped out of the food court entrance around 6:15 p.m. carrying a bag from Soma. She spent much of the early evening waiting in the shop's back storage room, she said. "I just came over to do a quick errand," Tundel said. "We didn't know what was happening." She and a handful of others in the room joined in prayer. She said the situation could have turned out much worse. The storage room did not have locking doors or a way to peer outside, but a friend outside the mall fed her details over the phone, she said. As she evacuated the building, Tundel said she saw food scattered through the food court and thought "it must have been very frightening, because that was nearby what was happening." Officers were still inside the building more than two hours after their initial response, along with some shoppers who sheltered inside. Around 6:45 p.m., Dee said police transitioned from a "slow check" of each store to an evacuation. The mall made an announcement to all stores that the employees could leave through the food court entrance, she said. No other information about the incident has been released. A spokesperson for the mall said they could not comment. South Portland police asks anyone with information about the suspect or this shooting to contact Detective Lt. Christopher Todd at 207-799-5511 Ext. 7448 or christo@ or leave an anonymous tip at 207-347-4100. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Yahoo
‘Do not approach': Police release photographs of suspect in Maine Mall shooting
Authorities have released photographs of a suspect in a brazen daytime shooting inside the Maine Mall that sent one person to a local hospital on Wednesday, police said. Investigators are asking the public to not approach the suspect if you see them. 'Anyone who sees this individual call 911. Do not approach or engage the suspect,' police said in a Facebook post at 5:44 p.m. Wednesday. People should also avoid the Maine Mall as investigators continue to search for the suspected shooter, police said. Photographs released late Wednesday afternoon show a person wearing a gray and black or navy ski jacket, black pants, and a crossbody bag across the chest. The suspect was seen leaving the Maine Mall through the Food Court entrance/exit, police said. Authorities closed the mall following the daytime shooting on Wednesday, police said in an earlier Facebook post. 'The South Portland Police are currently searching the Maine Mall for an individual suspected of shooting another individual this afternoon inside the Maine Mall,' police said in a separate post minutes later, at 4:26 p.m. A preliminary investigation suggests that the shooting is 'an isolated incident,' police said. 'Police do not believe the public is at risk, but they ask members of the public to avoid the area while they conduct the search,' police said. One victim was taken by ambulance to Maine Medical Center, police said. The victim's condition is unknown at this time. Anyone with information about the suspect or the mall shooting is urged to contact Detective Lt. Christopher Todd at 207-799-5511, ext. 7448 or email christo@ You can also leave an anonymous tip for investigators by calling 207-347-4100. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Yahoo
‘Avoid the area': 1 person shot at Maine Mall, police searching for suspected shooter
Police are asking the public to avoid the Maine Mall as they search for a suspected shooter who shot and injured one person at the mall on Wednesday. Authorities closed the mall following the daytime shooting, police said in a Facebook post at 4:10 p.m. Wednesday. 'The South Portland Police are currently searching the Maine Mall for an individual suspected of shooting another individual this afternoon inside the Maine Mall,' police said in a separate post minutes later, at 4:26 p.m. A preliminary investigation suggests that the shooting is 'an isolated incident,' police said. 'Police do not believe the public is at risk, but they ask members of the public to avoid the area while they conduct the search,' police said. One person was taken by ambulance to Maine Medical Center, police said. The person's condition is unknown at this time. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
