Rumford and state police are still looking for three suspects who were part of a high-speed chase that included gunfire and a shelter-in-place order.
“These individuals are dangerous and pose a significant risk to our officers and members of the community. We will utilize every resource we have — and those of our partners — to ensure safety in our community. We will not rest until these criminals are behind bars where they belong,” said Rumford Police Chief Tony L. Milligan in a Facebook post.
The incident began about 10:30 p.m. Friday, when a Rumford police officer tried to stop a suspicious vehicle with multiple occupants on Eaton Hill Road.
The vehicle — a silver-and-black Dodge Charger — fled at high speed, police said. The officer pursued it and was joined by a second cruiser.
The chase went west on U.S. Route 2 for about half a mile before turning onto South Rumford Road, where the car’s occupants reportedly fired multiple volleys from AR-15-style rifles at the two police cruisers.
Oxford County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded with backup, with one deputy positioned at the intersection of South Rumford Road and Route 232 to deploy spike strips.
The lead officer’s cruiser became disabled, and he continued the chase as a passenger in his partner’s cruiser. Officers later found the suspect’s vehicle crashed in the S-curves on South Rumford Road, about a quarter-mile from Milton Road. The occupants had fled on foot into nearby woods.
The Maine State Police Tactical Team, drones and K-9s were brought in. One suspect was caught after walking out of the woods along Route 232 near the Rumford/Milton town line, and a second was taken into custody on Cemetery Road near Route 232.
The search lasted nearly seven hours as investigators also collected evidence and interviewed witnesses. Police said they seized firearms, suspected illegal drugs and U.S. currency, with more searches underway.
Three suspects remain at large. They are described as Hispanic men in their 20s or 30s, last seen wearing black sweatshirts, sweatpants and sneakers. Police said they may still be armed with AR-15-style rifles and pistols, and may have left the area with help from an accomplice.
Descriptions are preliminary and could change, police said, noting the men may have discarded clothing.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or submit an anonymous tip at rumfordpd.org/contact-us.
