Four people were fatally shot at a house in Bowdoin, Maine, on Tuesday shortly before gunfire wounded three others on a busy highway in Yarmouth, in a pair of crimes that are linked, authorities said. Hours later, a man was charged with murder.
Police closed a portion of the interstate highway and residents and businesses in the area were ordered to shelter in place for about 90 minutes before authorities determined there was no threat to the general public.
Joseph Eaton, 34, of Bowdoin, was charged with four counts of murder Tuesday evening but authorities have not discussed a possible motive for the shootings or identified the shooting victims. He was booked into Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset and is expected to appear in court later this week, police said.
Two crime scenes separated by 25 miles
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The crimes began in rural Bowdoin, where the bodies were found, and continued with gunfire 25 miles to the south on Interstate 295 in Yarmouth, police said. One of the three highway victims was critically wounded, police said.
Law enforcement officers, some carrying long rifles, could be seen canvassing areas near the highway after the shootings. At one point, heavily armed officers at an off-ramp peered inside the trunk of a car that had apparent bullet holes in the windshield. Police said a person of interest was detained, and witnesses saw one person in handcuffs.
In Bowdoin, a farming community with about 3,000 residents, yellow crime tape hung where the shootings took place, in a home flanked by woods at the end of a long, gravel driveway. About 10 marked and unmarked law enforcement vehicles and a crime scene van were parked outside, and investigators moved about the scene.
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At one point, a woman spoke to police outside the house before dropping to her knees and sobbing. Later, hearses were seen leaving from the driveway.
The town of Bowdoin has no affiliation with Bowdoin College, which is located about 10 miles away, in the town of Brunswick.
Gov. Janet Mills 'shocked and saddened' by shootings
Maine Gov. Janet Mills tweeted her concern for the “families, friends and loved ones of those impacted by this tragedy.” She said she was praying for the injured.
“Like people across Maine, I am shocked and deeply saddened. Acts of violence like we experienced today shake our state and our communities to the core,” she said. "My thoughts are with the families, friends and loved ones of those impacted by this tragedy, and I am praying for the quick recovery of those who are hospitalized."
"There is still much to learn," Mills added, "but I am grateful to the quick response of State, county, and local law enforcement to protect Maine people."
Democratic Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said on Twitter that she was "shocked and horrified" by the mass shooting, which she said was "among the deadliest in our state's history." She called it "yet another example of the out-of-control epidemic of gun violence in this country..."
Yarmouth Town Manager Nathaniel Tupper also released a statement Tuesday evening.
"We are all saddened and shaken by the event along the Interstate today; and our hearts go out to those who were injured or traumatized by this violent incident," he said. "We know that every community and every person everywhere is at risk every day of some act of horror, violence, crime, or tragedy. In such times as this we are reminded and grateful that we live in a place and in a community where people come together in caring, concern, and help for one another."
"We still have much to learn about what happened today and why it happened," he added. "We know that the investigation is far from over. But for now, we are thankful that the incident itself is over; and we have a deep appreciation for the law enforcement officers, other first responders, and all those who dealt with the crime, the victims with their injuries, and for those who helped secure the community with such professionalism, courage, and care."
Shootings on I-295 force businesses into lockdown
In Yarmouth, traffic backed up on the interstate as police shut down the southbound lanes. The highway reopened later Tuesday, with the exception of one exit where the police were inspecting the car.
Employees at Water Treatment Equipment Inc., a business near the highway, locked the doors and pulled down the shades after being alerted to the lockdown, which lasted about an hour and a half, manager Kim Snyder said. Workers saw cars backing up on the highway, along with police cars, ambulances and fire trucks.
“It definitely shifted the day, and the worry kicked in,” she said. “They hadn’t caught the active shooter. We didn’t know what was going on.”
InterMed, a healthcare provider in Maine, said shortly before noon that it had temporarily locked down its Yarmouth facility "as advised by authorities." Everyone in their building is safe, they said. The agency provided an update shortly after 1 p.m. saying that they had received the all clear from authorities.
Lenora Felker, who works near the highway at Rosemont Market and Bakery, said she sensed something was afoot when people started streaming in, saying the highway was closed, followed by dozens of law enforcement officers who descended on the area.
Officers went business to business asking if they had seen “anyone that was wet and muddy fleeing,” Felker said. But she knew all the customers and didn’t see anything unusual, she said.
Authorities are expected to hold a press conference at 3 p.m. Wednesday to release more details on the shootings. In the meantime, police are asking anyone with video that shows I-295 between exits 20 and 15 around the time of the Yarmouth incident to contact Maine State Police at 207-624-7076.
