A man was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with police in Naples on Sunday night.
Eric Sweda, 36, was reportedly intoxicated when he called dispatchers to ask for help about 11:15 p.m. Sunday but disconnected the call. When a dispatcher called him back, Sweda made comments about needing help and fearing the government, becoming belligerent, according to Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce.
Deputies went to Sweda’s Horace Files Road home, where they made contact with him again over the phone. Sweda told them to leave, and while the deputies were leaving, Sweda allegedly shot at them, according to Joyce.
That prompted police to summon a tactical team.
During negotiations, Sweda kept emerging from his home and shooting toward police, Joyce said Monday morning. One member of the regional tactical team, York County sheriff’s Deputy Alex Markellos, returned fire, hitting Sweda, according to Joyce.
Sweda exited his home and was arrested. He was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where he was treated for injuries not considered life-threatening.
The Maine attorney general’s office will be investigating, as is standard procedure whenever any Maine law enforcement officer uses deadly force.
No additional information was immediately released.
