The owner of a Sanford food truck who shot a knife-wielding man on Friday evening had feared for his safety.
David Poto — who shared his side of the story with the Portland Press Herald this week — described the encounter as “pure insanity.”
Poto and his family operate the food truck Addy’s, which is named after one of his daughters, according to the Press Herald.
The shooting happened about 4:52 p.m. Friday in the parking lot outside a T-Mobile at the intersection of Main and Lebanon streets, where the man was allegedly walking in and out of the road, yelling at vehicles and waving a knife, Sanford police Maj. Matthew Gagne said last week.
Poto, who was armed with a handgun his family keeps in the food truck, told the Press Herald he approached the man in an attempt to deescalate the situation until police arrived. He and his family had observed the man waving the knife at passing vehicles and pedestrians, even allegedly trying to force his way into vehicles, according to the newspaper.
“I can tell you 100% this person was not interested in de-escalation or going about his day,” Poto told the Press Herald. “He was looking for somebody to target and hurt.”
When the man began to get too close to him, Poto told the Press Herald he aimed the gun toward the man’s legs and fired. The newspaper noted that police haven’t stated where the man was shot.
The man was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where he was initially listed in serious condition on Friday, according to Gagne. He remains hospitalized and his condition has been upgraded to stable, the Press Herald reported.
Neither Poto nor the man has been charged, according to the newspaper.
The investigation is ongoing, and Gagne said Friday that Poto is cooperating with police.