Police: Lee shopping plaza gunfire suspect had multiple weapons – News – seacoastonline.com

LEE — The suspect in a gunfire incident at a shopping plaza Saturday is a convicted felon and was in possession of multiple stolen firearms and a significant quantity of ammunition, according to police.

“I thank the powers that be that this did not turn out to be worse because it certainly could have,” Lee police Lt. Donald Laliberte said Sunday, expressing gratitude no one was hurt.

Laliberte said charges against Gordon Falt, 27, of Maine, who allegedly fired a handgun into the air multiple times on Saturday, are still being finalized.

He said Falt is expected to face multiple counts of felon in possession of deadly weapon, at least five counts of felony reckless conduct, a number of possession of stolen property (all firearms) and misdemeanor possession of stolen property charges (mostly for ammunition).

Laliberte said Falt is facing at least two felony charges out of Hancock County in Maine. He is expected to be arraigned Monday in Strafford County Superior Court, likely via video, Laliberte said.

The Lee Market Place plaza was busy with shoppers at the Market Basket grocery store and multiple other stores at the time of the Saturday incident, which lasted more than two hours at mid-day. Shoppers were locked down inside stores throughout the plaza as Falt allegedly fired his gun into the air multiple times.

Worried family members on Saturday gathered in parking lots nearby and called their spouses and children shopping and working inside stores during the lockdown. Shoppers described being moved to the back of stores and hiding behind displays.

Laliberte said Sunday authorities are still trying to piece together why Falt was in Lee. He was sent to Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Saturday for evaluation.

Laliberte said Falt would be either in the hospital or in Strafford County jail without bail until his arraignment. Falk is believed to be from the Bar Harbor area, according to police.

Laliberte said Lee police were assisted by the police departments of Barrington, Nottingham, Durham and Strafford, as well as the Strafford County’s Sheriff Department, N.H. Fish and Game, Strafford Tactical Unit and the Seacoast Emergency Response Team.