AUGUSTA — Two men were arrested Saturday on multiple charges after police say they shot a gun into the Kennebec River in downtown Augusta near several people who were fishing on the western bank.
Police also say in papers filed at the Capital Judicial Center that a woman who was frightened by the gunshots and “running for her life” fell and broke her leg.
Around 6:30 p.m., Augusta police received a number of 911 calls reporting a person or people shooting guns in the area of Water Street, according to the department.
Three people who were fishing told police that they were about 20 to 30 feet south of the train trestle when they heard two men yelling and saw them throwing beer cans into the river. One of the people fishing heard one shot and looked up to see one of the men shoot into the river about 20 feet in front of one of the fishermen.
Another, according to the police affidavit, said he heard the gunshots and saw two rounds go into the river about 20 feet in front of them. He saw the two men on the trestle continue to walk east across the river, stopping to fire another round. The witness told police that one of the men on the trestle yelled down to them: “I discharged it safely, I didn’t want to hurt the girl.”
The third person fishing told police that he heard someone say, “Go for it,” before the first two shots were fired.
In all, eight officers responded to Water Street in the area of the railroad trestle, with several officers crossing to the east side of the Kennebec after two men with a small caliber handgun were seen crossing the river via the railroad bridge.
Both men were arrested and taken to the Kennebec County jail.
On Tuesday, Peter Gabriel Jr., 30, of Pleasant Point, was charged with reckless conduct with a firearm.
Police say he was holding the gun at the time of his arrest.
Austin Saucier, 28, of West Enfield, was charged with reckless conduct with a firearm, discharging a firearm near a dwelling and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Nobody was struck by any of the shots that were fired, police say.
Details of the shots fired incident were not immediately available from the Augusta Police Department.
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