The Maine gunman accused of fatally capturing 4 individuals and wounding three others on Tuesday has a violent prison previous that will have prevented him from legally possessing a gun, in response to state data.
Joseph Eaton, 34, was charged over the previous decade with greater than a half-dozen crimes, data present. Prior convictions embrace aggravated assault, a felony that will stop him from legally having a firearm.
Eaton most just lately served an eight-month sentence for assault final yr.
In August 2021, Eaton assaulted a fellow inmate, 34-year-old Dustan James Bentley, who’s serving a 40-year sentence for the 2019 homicide of his roommate, the Bangor Every day Information reported.
MAINE STATE POLICE SAY 4 DEAD, 3 INJURED IN SHOOTINGS IN BOWDOIN, YARMOUTH
Eaton’s prior convictions in Maine additionally embrace assault on a baby underneath the age of 6, home violence assault and working underneath the affect of intoxicants, in response to the newspaper, together with a 2018 conviction in Florida for illegally possessing a gun.
The capturing started Tuesday morning at a residence in Bowdoin, a rural city about 30 miles northeast of Portland, the place 4 victims had been discovered shot to dying.
Authorities say the gunman then opened fireplace about 25 miles south of Bowdoin on Interstate-295, wounding three individuals, together with one critically.
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The names of the victims weren’t launched, and state police didn’t focus on any potential motive. The 4 our bodies had been taken to the state medical expert’s workplace in Augusta for constructive identification and autopsies.
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The origins and possession of the firearms utilized in Tuesday’s shootings had been unclear. State police declined to touch upon the weapon that was used.
Eaton is due in courtroom later this week.
FOX Information’ Paul Finest and The Related Press contributed to this report.