The Portland Police Department says multiple people were shot on Forest Avenue on Tuesday night and four people were hospitalized.
Multiple witnesses in the area say they heard lots of loud bangs around 8:45 p.m. in the 1110 block of Forest Avenue. Two witnesses said they heard as many as seven gunshots.
In an update from Portland Police Via FB:
At 8:45 p.m. on July 30, 2024, Portland Police responded to the 1110 block of Forest Avenue for a report of a shooting. Four people were injured and transported from the scene to Maine Medical Center. One of the four individuals transported to Maine Medical Center has succumbed to their injuries. An autopsy was performed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and it was determined that 54-year-old Susan McHugh of Gray died from a gunshot wound, and her death has been ruled a homicide. We will not be releasing any further details on the other victims at this time.
Police will provide updates to the public as the case allows.
We are asking anyone who may have seen or heard anything possibly related to this incident, to please call investigators if you haven’t already spoken with someone. We can be reached at (207) 874-8575. You may also text keyword PPDME and your message to 847411.
In another update shared on FB, Thursday
We’ve received a lot of inquiries about the recent shooting on Forest Avenue. We hope this helps explain why you are seeing limited information.
“The Portland Police Department never releases details that could jeopardize an active investigation. In situations like this, information is very fluid and details are changing all the time. Please know that it is prudent and strategic to make sure all information is correct. In cases like this, with a homicide and a forthcoming prosecution, we are only allowed to release details that the Attorney General’s (AG) office says we can release. We hope that you inquire with the AGs office regarding their protocols.
Please remember that we have a responsibility to the victim(s) family(ies) to thoroughly investigate a case and bring closure and justice as well as to the public to ensure their safety. While we understand that people have questions and may be concerned for their own safety, the PD has a track record of communicating as quickly as possible as we can, and we are confident that the public expects us to relay information only when it does not jeopardize the outcome of the investigation.
We have almost a dozen detectives, evidence technicians, and detective supervisors that have been working exclusively on this case since Tuesday night.
We have collected 100’s of hours of video and interviewed dozens of witnesses. Our focus is on putting together an investigation that is thorough, fair and accurate. The premature release of information can irreversibly harm a criminal investigation and in some cases lead to a dismissal or suppression of evidence. It can also taint witnesses memories of the events which can further harm our investigation. We understand the desire to have more information but we will not compromise our investigation or impede any potential prosecution by prematurely or inaccurately releasing information.
Lastly, please note that the Intelligence and Investigative Record Information Act (16 M.R.S.A. § 801 et seq.) limits the public dissemination of intelligence and investigative record information if there is a likelihood that dissemination would interfere with ongoing criminal investigations or prosecutions.”
