Portland, Maine Police threatened via email, arrest... someone

Source

As with any police arrest, the details aren't covered on how they decided this person was the culprit, but let's review what we've got.

Someone emailed the police with a threat- to shoot and kill as many officers as possible.
-They named the location they intended to go to shoot from, and claimed it was booby trapped (public parking garage)
-They named the exact model rifle they planned to use
-They said they were staying in a hotel here in the city (there aren't many, population ~66,000)

The arrest was announced just after 1:45 p.m. It was not immediately clear whether the person arrested was the person who made the threats.

So call me a cynic, but it sounds to me like this fellow was travelling and some punk stole their computer or phone, and decided to use it to escalate tensions. Searched email history and learned they owned that model firearm, and where they were planning to stay. (Or maybe got that information from text messages, hence not giving an exact address?)
Honestly, if someone was seriously planning an attack like this, they wouldn't give the police their itinerary beforehand.

As far as the parking garage in question, it's a terrible vantage point... but it happens to be right ON the police station down-town.

The police shut down and went through the whole parking garage a couple hours before an arrest was made- and as expected, found nothing.

So, what say you?
I'd expect anyone connected in any way to be questioned, certainly... but detained?
Without more information it's hard to say if he deserves to be detained, but this whole thing stinks of "suspect until proven guilty" to me.
If it wasn't immediately clear if this guy was the perp or not, chances are good this guy wasn't hanging out in a hotel room with a rifle, waiting for the cops to show up.

Curious to see if they release any further information.

a reply to: lordcomac

Your source appears to be in conflict with other sources, in that multiple others are reporting the email was sent to two staffers at the paper, not to police. The staffers contacted both the police and the email sender.

a reply to: lordcomac

Absolutely he needs to be detained and questioned. This is a serious threat, so even if the fella didn't make it, but it was from a device that he owns or in any way can come back to him, why wouldn't law enforcement detain him for questioning?

I fail to see the concern that you are expressing in this situation, although it does seem possible that the person detained may have been randomly "swatted." But you never know until you bring someone in and question them.

So call me a cynic, but it sounds to me like this fellow was travelling and some punk stole their computer or phone, and decided to use it to escalate tensions. Searched email history and learned they owned that model firearm, and where they were planning to stay. (Or maybe got that information from text messages, hence not giving an exact address?)

How exactly would that make him immune to detention and questioning?

I mean it sucks if he's being detained if he didn't do anything, but they are looking for someone who is perpetuating the strictly genocidal police shooting nonsense going on right now. You don't get to just walk if you're connected to that because there is "reasonable doubt".

a reply to: lordcomac

I live in Maine. This is not the kind of thing we Mainers are used to. It's a very peaceful state. Hopefully this is just a one off, but job and the Portland Police remain safe.