The Lewiston Police Department announced on Wednesday that they arrested three individuals and seized multiple firearms in recent days as part of their ongoing effort to curb gun violence in the city.
[RELATED: Lewiston Police Launch Crime Suppression Initiative to Curb Rising Violence, Shootings…]
Police say that on Sunday, July 6, at about 5:20 a.m., officers responded to reports of a single gunshot near Pine Street and Webster Street.
Upon arrival, they encountered a confrontation involving several young adults in the roadway.
Following an investigation, police recovered two firearms and charged two individuals: Adein Issak, 19, of Syracuse, N.Y., and Ali Abdikadir, 18, of Lewiston.
Both were charged with carrying a concealed weapon. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing, police said.
[RELATED: Arrest Made in Fatal Lewiston Shooting of 17-Year-Old…]
In a separate incident on Monday, July 7, at approximately 1:40 a.m., Lewiston Police conducted a field interview on Howard Street after observing two vehicles blocking a full lane of traffic.
According to police, a group of males was casually gathered, seemingly unconcerned about the obstruction. During the interaction, officers discovered that 19-year-old Abdirashid Mohamed of Lewiston was in possession of a handgun.
Mohamed was subsequently charged with carrying a concealed weapon.
These arrests come as part of the Lewiston Police Department’s recently launched crime suppression enforcement detail, a multi-jurisdictional initiative aimed at addressing a recent uptick in violent crime in the city.
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The operation, conducted in collaboration with agencies such as Maine Probation and Parole, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), focuses police resources on neighborhoods with higher levels of violent crime.
Lewiston Police have stated that additional targeted patrols and operations will continue in the coming weeks to address ongoing violence in the city, with more arrests and seizures expected as investigations progress.
