Rumford Police are searching for a Lewiston man after reports of gunfire Wednesday morning led to a stand-off with an apartment their suspect had already left.
The incident started when the department got information over the weekend about suspected drug trafficking in an apartment on Waldo Street involving locals and people from out of town.
During the same time, police also heard from residents who said people associated with the apartment were armed and had been periodically shooting guns in the neighborhood, according to the department.
Before sunrise on Wednesday morning, officers responded to another report of gunfire in the area. They believed the people doing the shooting were inside the apartment and created a perimeter around the building while waiting for a search warrant.
Rumford police called in the Maine State Police Tactical Team to help secure the area and execute a search warrant, which was authorized by the court late Wednesday morning, the Rumford department said.
The department released a shelter-in-place notice on Wednesday, and the town’s public works department temporarily closed roads and detoured traffic in the surrounding area. Ambulance paramedics were staged nearby as a precaution, according to police.
Shortly before 1 p.m., the tactical team entered the apartment but found that the suspects were no longer inside. Investigators believe they fled several hours earlier, around the time police initially responded to the morning report of gunfire, Rumford police said.
Based on the investigation, Rumford Police are seeking Blake Lachance, 21, of Lewiston, who is wanted on multiple felony charges involving the use of a dangerous weapon.
The department said Lachance should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact law enforcement immediately.
The investigation remains active, and more people are expected to face criminal charges as investigators develop evidence and identify those involved, Rumford police said.
