WEST PARIS — A teenager who was shot by a Maine State Police trooper Saturday is recovering in a Lewiston hospital, police said.
James Reynolds, 18, was taken to Central Maine Maine Medical Center in Lewiston by LifeFlight air ambulance, according to Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety. Reynolds, who reportedly was shot in the head, underwent emergency surgery late Saturday night and is recovering at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, McCausland said Sunday.
State Trooper Jason Wing was investigating a report of a suspicious man on Roy Road in West Paris, McCausland said in a Sunday news release. At about 6:45 p.m., Saturday, Wing encountered Reynolds, who police say was armed with a hunting rifle.
McCausland said Sunday that the Maine Attorney General’s office was investigating at the scene.
Wing was placed on paid administrative leave, as is standard procedure in this type of incident.
Previously, Wing had been found justified in the use of deadly force when he fired upon then 51-year-old Lawrence LaPoint of Mexico.
According to a Sun Journal article from 2008, Wing opened fire on the vehicle when LaPoint tried to run over officers with his truck.
State police Lt. Walter Grzyb said of the incident, “He said he felt as though his life or the life of one of the other troopers was at risk, so a number of shots were fired that struck the vehicle (LaPoint) was in and he surrendered.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
