Neighbors in an area of Auburn, Maine, were asked to shelter in place Monday as a crisis team tried to negotiate with a man whose online feud had escalated into a real-world confrontation, according to police.
Auburn police advised residents on Facebook Monday that they were at the scene of an armed incident on Gillander Avenue. Some neighbors were evacuated and others were told to shelter in place "until further notice."
In a Tuesday afternoon update, police said the situation started when they got a report that a driver had been shot at while traveling by a home on the street. The caller told police that he and the suspect, later identified as Daryan Saunders, 47, were engaged in an online feud and that it had escalated into threats. The caller alleged that Saunders shot at his car as he drove by the house.
A Maine State Police tactical team and crisis negotiators responded to the scene both to evacuate anyone in potential danger and to try to connect with Saunders, who police say did not want to cooperate. The standoff went on for 21 hours, during which time Saunders fired rounds at law enforcement, police said. According to police, Saunders surrendered around 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday.
He faces multiple charges, including elevated aggravated assault, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, aggravated reckless conduct, and other charges related to the standoff with police.
"The Auburn Police Department would like to thank the Maine State Police, New Hampshire State Police, the Auburn Fire Department, and the Auburn Public Works Department for their remarkable efforts and assistance. We would like to especially thank the residents who were directly impacted by this incident for their patience and understanding while we worked to bring the situation to a peaceful resolution," Auburn police wrote in a Facebook post.
