A shooting in Augusta took place overnight at or near 15 Middle St., according to Augusta police Deputy Chief Kevin Lully. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal Buy this Photo
A Pittston man was shot Thursday night and Augusta police are looking for two vehicles that reportedly left the scene before officers arrived.
The incident “does not appear to be a random act of violence, and it is believed the parties involved knew each other in some capacity,” Deputy Chief Kevin Lully said in a news release Friday morning.
Authorities received multiple phone calls at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday about possible shots fired in the area of Middle and Cross streets, according to a Friday morning press release from Augusta police. Officers arriving on the scene received information that two vehicles, a gold sport utility vehicle and a silver sport utility vehicle, may have been involved in the incident and fled the scene before police arrived.
Martin Winn, 32, of Pittston, was treated for a gunshot wound at MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta, police said.
Sarah Webster, MaineGeneral Medical Center spokesperson, said Winn was in “good” condition on Friday at about 2:30 p.m.
John Bell talks Friday about the Thursday night shooting in the parking lot of his 15 Middle St. apartment in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal Buy this Photo
John Bell, who said he lives in an apartment at 15 Middle St., said three bullets were shot during the incident. He said he caught the incident on video last night, despite not being home during the incident because he was at a City Council meeting.
“We gave them the plate numbers of the car that drove off,” he said. “We don’t want anyone getting killed here.”
Lully said around 11 a.m. Friday that “several” shots were fired from “a handgun.” He said the exact number of shots is not known, but the highest number that police have heard from witnesses is three.
Bell said he put surveillance cameras up at the property to protect children living in the surrounding area. He said he has been threatened with being shot “15 times.”
“I’m in fear; I’m only sleeping four hours a day,” he said. “We have a kid in this building who can’t come outside and play.”
Bell said the property is a hotbed for drug transactions and Thursday’s incident was “a repercussion” after “dealers … ripped off another guy.”
“These are addicts and I feel for them,” he said. “The dealers that are coming up here, that’s a different story. They need to be dealt with.”
Lully said city police have received previous reports of criminal activity on or near the 15 Middle St. property. He added that police have not charged anyone or identified any suspects at this time.
Asked whether Winn would be facing any charges, Lully said that was “unknown at this time” and that the incident is still under investigation. Winn was not at the shooting scene when police arrived but was located later, Lully said.
According to the Augusta police call log, calls came in at 8:27 p.m. and 8:28 p.m. with reports deemed “suspicious activity” on Middle and Cross streets, respectively. There were later related calls, according to the log, at 2:05 and 2:07 a.m., deemed “general disturbance” on Middle and Bangor streets.
“There are believed to be multiple vehicles and participants involved in this incident,” Lully said in the news release. “We do not have all the exact details, but the incident is being investigated by the Augusta Police Department.”
Police have asked that anyone with information about the incident contact the Augusta Police Department at 207-626-2370, or use the free “Tip411, Augusta Maine Police” app online to send anonymous tips.
Kennebec Journal photographer Joe Phelan contributed to this report.
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