Police seek shooter in Canaan incident
10/9/09 | 18 comments
update

Police seek shooter in Canaan incident


By Christopher Cousins
BDN Staff
BANGOR DAILY NEWS PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER COUSINS
State troopers late Friday morning guarded the scene of a shooting that took place Thursday evening outside a clubhouse on Route 23 in Canaan, which is used by the Hell's Angels motorcycle club. Lt. Gary Wright said the incident occurred in the driveway, just outside the gate shown above.

CANAAN, Maine — Police are investigating multiple leads after a Madison man was shot Thursday evening outside a Hell's Angels motorcycle club on Route 23, which is known locally as Hinckley Road.

Gary Watson, 63, was taken by LifeFlight helicopter to Eastern Maine Medical Center, where he underwent surgery overnight, according to Lt. Gary Wright, who heads the criminal division for the Maine State Police. Wright said Watson was in "critical but stable condition" late Friday morning.

An Eastern Maine Medical Center spokeswoman said Friday afternoon that she has no information about Watson, which means either that he is not at the hospital or that he has not consented to information being released about him.

A neighbor of the motorcycle club called 911 at 5:36 p.m. to report shots fired, said Wright. That neighbor, who declined to be identified in the newspaper because she "doesn't want trouble" with anyone involved in the incident, told the Bangor Daily News Friday that she had just finished her supper when she heard "at least six shots."

The woman, who at first assumed the shots were fired by hunters or someone sighting in a gun, said she exited her home yelling to whomever could hear her that the shots were too close. That's when she heard tires squealing and saw Watson's truck parked across the center line of Hinckley Road. The woman said she knows Watson and recognized his black Dodge Dakota.

"No one was helping him so I drove my car up there," said the woman. "I asked him if there was a gun involved and he nodded yes. He couldn't talk. He didn't look good at all."

The woman said two motorists stopped to help and that she called police using her cell phone. She said she saw multiple holes, which appeared to be bullet holes, in the rear window and driver's side mirror of Watson's truck and that it appeared as if Watson had been shot in the neck.

The motorcycle club, which according to neighbors is a former butcher shop, is set back from the road behind a chain-link fence with a heavy gate blocking the driveway. On Friday, the dirt driveway just outside the gate was marked up with orange and white spray-painted lines which were apparently applied by investigators. A pair of spin-out marks caused by the tires of a vehicle could also be seen.

Wright said the shooting took place outside the gate that blocks the driveway and that Watson was in his truck when he was shot. Detectives believe the suspect or suspects fled the scene in a vehicle traveling south on Hinckley Road toward Hinckley.

"We have information from different people coming in that may have a bearing on the investigation," said Wright. "We certainly aren't overlooking the fact that it might be related to another rival motorcycle gang. That's something to consider based on the circumstances."

Wright said the involvement of another gang is one of several scenarios being investigated, but he declined to say whether there is evidence that establishes that link.

Lt. Wright urged anyone who was in the area of the shooting Thursday evening to contact a Maine State Police detective by calling 624-7076.

For more on this story, pick up tomorrow's Bangor Daily News or check online at bangordailynews.com

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Comments
18 comments on this item
On 10/9/09 at 6:22 PM, JillT1981 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

suddenly, my comment a month or so back (with the woman and the son found dead in the gravel pit, in the burnt out car), about a motorcycle club being involved isn't so absurd is it? IT COULD HAPPEN, hopefully in this case it was not, but you see, IT COULD HAPPEN.

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On 10/9/09 at 6:56 PM, tiredofitall wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Trust me when I say I’m not the debatable type – but I have to debate this last comment by saying that every crowd has it’s bad apples in the bunch. My mother always told me that when in a pinch on the highway the first people to stop and help are bikers ~ and it reigned true for me more then once. We can all look at the negatives here, but when doing so remember the positives. The biker clubs around here have raised allot of money doing ‘bike runs’ and such for good causes. Especially where kids are concerned. I’m not justifying the shooting by any means, but it only takes one incident to turn a good bunch into a bad bunch ~ I hope that doesn’t happen here.

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On 10/9/09 at 7:03 PM, waldocountyguy wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Ok I'm lost, what does this have to with the woman who killed her son and then herself and set their car on fire??? People have such a misconception of motorcycle clubs!! They don't go around killing women and children people!!! In fact they tend to be the first in line to help the children in this state. If you doubt me I ask you to attend the Toy run that United Bikers of Maine puts on every year. You will see many members of the Hells Angels right there giving there time and money to those kids who may not have much of Christmas other wise!! Not saying they are all perfect, but then again how many people in this world are really perfect? Hope Gary gets better and has a full recovery. Love and respect to his family and his brothers in the club!

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On 10/9/09 at 7:26 PM, poormainiac wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I've seen alot of christian bikers at the toy run and other events but never seem to hear anything about them being possobly involved in violence !

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On 10/9/09 at 7:34 PM, tiredofitall wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I agree 100% ~ any encounters I have had with bikers have been good ones. I’m sure there are ones 'not so good', but there are teachers, priests, ministers, judges, lawyers, etc... that are shady folks as well. Let’s call a spade a spade here and recognize the good in something for a change. My thoughts are with the injured person, and hats off to the lady that had the compassion and bravery to help him!

God Bless....

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On 10/9/09 at 8:06 PM, SinCity wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

tiredofitall

you better listen to your mommy's advice!

For all you people that think motorcycle clubs are all nicey nicey, look up Outlaws MC on wikipedia, Bandidos MC, or Hells Angels MC.

Open your eyes people, just because you live in Maine doesn't give you permission to be uneducated.

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On 10/9/09 at 8:09 PM, SinCity wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Just and example.

New Hampshire

On June 27, 2006 Christopher Legere of Raymond, New Hampshire, an Outlaws member, was arrested in the murder of a man who was wearing a Hells Angels shirt [12]. The victim, John Denoncourt, 32, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was shot and killed outside the 3-Cousins Pizza and Lounge in Manchester on Sunday June 25, 2006 after he was spotted hugging the bartender, who was Legere's girlfriend. Denoncourt, according to friends and family, was not a Hells Angel member himself but had friends who were. Legere had been involved in another incident in Connecticut in early 2006 when he was charged with illegal possession of body armor by a convicted felon.

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On 10/9/09 at 8:10 PM, SinCity wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

If you ever pull up beside a MC on the highway and he has a 1% patch on his vest. You better look straight ahead.

They aren't all nicey nicey.

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On 10/9/09 at 8:16 PM, JillT1981 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

ok, hold on, before any of start running me through the wringer, I DID NOT SAY THEY WERE TO BLAME!!! My husband and I ARE bikers, and we have the utmost respect for the majority of bikers. HOWEVER, it is not out of the realm of possibility.

SinCity, thank you for validating my point.

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On 10/9/09 at 8:33 PM, SinCity wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

JillT

Most people in Maine have no idea what a 1% er is.

The one percenter MC's will defend their territory all around the world, no matter how big or how small the town.

The geographical location of Maine doesn't give them much of a chance, not to mention the 30 below temps in the winter. Fact is most Mainers that ride are your typical weekend bikers. Not out to do any harm.

But there are one percenters and clubs associated with them here in Maine. People should know that.

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On 10/9/09 at 9:08 PM, tiredofitall wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I am far from being an uneducated woman, thank you very much. I am merely signifying the point that we need not ‘judge’ one because they are associated with another. We are all in this life trying to make it through. And unfortunately there ARE the bad ones, but why speculate that the bad are always hanging with the bad?? This could be a situation of someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time; because this crime was committed near the club doesn’t mean it was a club member.

That’s all!

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On 10/9/09 at 9:24 PM, SinCity wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

tiredofitall

your first statement doesn't do much for your cause.

historically, the bad hang out with the bad.

the assumption here is warranted, in the end it will most likely be proven.

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On 10/9/09 at 9:48 PM, Tikitorch wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

SinCity I agree.. Every read Under and Alone by William Queen. He was an ATF Agent who went UC with an OMG the mongols in Tujunga Valley CA... The things these people are capable of is enough to keep one up at night!

-

There is a big difference between Biker Clubs like UBM and OMGangs like the Hells Angels, Mongols etc.. Hell the Exiles are that bad, but they ARE bad enough!

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On 10/9/09 at 9:50 PM, Tikitorch wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I meant EVER read

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On 10/9/09 at 10:04 PM, tysmom wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Where has it even stated that he was shot by another motorcycle gang member??? It may have been a regular person (non-group member) that knew he would be at the Club House at that specific time??? I have known several Hells Angels, Exiles, and Saracens and could not imagine any of them ever doing anything like this (not saying it could not happen but I can't see it happening with the ones that I know), I also am not saying the are all harmless but there are everyday people out there that are capable of this or worse. So to make judgements that ALL bikers are bad is wrong. Take a look around there are bad people everywhere , not just in motorcycle gangs!!!!!

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On 10/9/09 at 10:08 PM, Tikitorch wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

tysmom.. it probably wasn't another Hells Angel,but maybe someone in another gang or someone they crossed... H.A. Deals in Meth and Coke whoe knows what the shooting could have been over. If the man shot is like any other OMG member, he won't talk to the cops, he will keep his trap shut and let his people deal with the shooter.

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On 10/14/09 at 11:47 PM, Clownwatcher wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

USA hells angels defecating on Memories of real WW 2 Heroes

The USA Government should pluck those hells angel chicken heads and give the name back to the Military where it belongs.

No Hells angel Motorcycle club members was ever with the air hells angels in WW2 and no hells angel motorcycle member was a nurse in WW2.

so where do the cowards and punks of the hells angels MC get off using the names of War heroes and defecating on it with their cowardly and disgusting behavior

I have only found less then a handful of hells angels that were ever in the Military and I seen pictures of 2 of them with their recently convicted child porn president . That picture sure made it seen they had a lot in common.

Hells angels should stop trying to play the ex vet card and start owning up to the Horrible disgusting Percent of members they have that harm rape molest and murder innocent women and children Here in the USA.

It seems the hells angels being made of punks and cowards cannot police their own gang and therefore should just disband and put an end to this shameful gang.

here is about 15 disgusting news stories of hells angels in recent years . There are many more stories not in this link

http://www.topix.com/forum/city/bridgewater-nj/TEE9A849K3QUG7KR8

Hells angels show disrespect for all war heroes by using the name of the Military mixed with the hells angels name.

America fights for the freedoms of Americans and all people of all nations . It seems hells angels like to gang up and impede the Freedom and rights of all people .

I see no difference when Foreign terrorist use our air ways to attack and murder American women and children on our American soil Then Hells angels using our Highways and cities to attack and murder innocent American women and children and young men out to have a good time until hells angels get upset and jealous.

If a young man cannot go out in a bar and have fun without fear of a local gang jumping him HOW CAN AMERICA be A FREE LAND?

Bikers that support hells angels are all Coward that will go with the largest group and try to blend in regardless of what that group does or stands for., Men that date and Support hells angels prove that everyday when they attend hells angels events .

Its a SAD thing to see mid aged men in support clubs or individually following Hells angels believing they look cool to the outside Non Biker world or the Real Biker world that does not support hells angels.We see hells angels for what they are by what they do and these men look like cowards and freaks for supporting such sewage .

I have noticed real bikers are just as disgusted in the Actions of the hells angels as I am.

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On 10/14/09 at 11:53 PM, Clownwatcher wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Bikers that support hells angels are all Coward that will go with the largest groupin their location and try to blend in regardless of what that group does or stands for., Men that date and Support hells angels prove that everyday when they attend hells angels events .

Its a SAD thing to see mid aged men in support clubs or individually following Hells angels believing they look cool to the outside Non Biker world or the Real Biker world that does not support hells angels.We see hells angels for what they are by what they do and these men look like cowards and freaks for supporting such sewage .

I have noticed real bikers are just as disgusted in the Actions of the hells angels as I am.

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