Massachusetts man gets 10 years for 2024 Saco drive-by shooting
A shooting that unfolded in downtown Maine in 2024 prompted authorities to order a shelter‑in‑place for residents and to place Thornton Academy on lockdown.
The incident, which took place in the city’s central business district, triggered an immediate response from police and emergency officials. Within minutes of the shooting, city officials issued a shelter‑in‑place directive to keep people inside their homes, businesses, and vehicles until the area was deemed safe. The order, which is standard procedure in situations involving firearms, aimed to prevent any additional harm and to give responders the necessary space to investigate the scene.
Thornton Academy, a local high school located just blocks from the downtown area, responded quickly to the news. School administrators activated the campus lockdown protocol, which involved securing all entrances and placing students and staff inside classrooms or other safe zones. The academy’s security team coordinated with law enforcement to ensure that the school remained secure while the investigation continued.
Officials from the Maine State Police confirmed that the shooting was a single, isolated event and that no injuries were reported outside the immediate scene. The police are still pursuing the shooter, who has not yet been identified. Investigators are combing through surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses to determine what happened and to bring the perpetrator to justice.
The shelter‑in‑place order remained in effect for several hours, with emergency responders working around the clock to clear the downtown area and restore normalcy to the neighborhood. Once the police established that the threat had been neutralized, the order was lifted, and residents were allowed to safely leave their homes.
Meanwhile, Thornton Academy’s lockdown was lifted once authorities confirmed that the threat had passed and the school’s safety systems were verified to be functional. Students returned to their classes under heightened security measures, and the school’s counseling staff remained on hand to support any students who felt shaken by the events.
The incident has raised concerns among residents and business owners about safety in the downtown core. City officials have pledged to review and strengthen emergency response protocols, and the Maine Department of Education has urged schools across the state to evaluate and update their lockdown procedures.
Maine News Now will continue to follow the investigation and provide updates as more information becomes available.
