(RepublicanView.org) – Maine police officers shot and killed a man in Auburn on the morning of June 16 after a lengthy stand-off, during which he allegedly shot at officers and two homes reportedly burned to the ground. Fire officers said an unidentified charred body was uncovered in one of the buildings. Reminiscent of the Pine Tree State’s largest mass shooting last October, officials ordered the town’s residents to stay home and closed several streets.
Officers later told reporters that 43-year-old Leein Hinkley, the suspect who was killed, was released from jail days earlier, where he was detained for a probation violation. On the day of the incident, he allegedly attempted to enter a residence and fought with the male occupant. A female occupant called 911 and fled after hearing gunshots. Officers soon tracked her down, and she identified Hinkley as the assailant. Gunshots aimed at officers from inside prompted them to call for specialist tactical team backup as the building went up in flames.
A second house fire subsequently broke out, and police located Hinkley hiding on a rooftop close by, allegedly brandishing a handgun. Col. William Ross of the Maine State Police said tactical team officers shot and killed the suspect but did not offer further details.
Media reports indicate that a judge released Hinkley before the incident against the strong objections of the District Attorney’s office because he did not have sufficient legal representation. He was previously held at Androscoggin County Jail for a probation violation related to an aggravated assault conviction in 2012.
Hinkley was initially released from prison in early 2023 but arrested again in May for alleged domestic violence and aggravated assault on a second woman. The state, however, could not locate an attorney for the suspect, causing Judge Sarah Churchill to insist administrators had violated his Sixth Amendment rights.
The suspect’s sister, Noel Hinkley, said she had warned officials that her brother was too dangerous for release, and Androscoggin County District Attorney Neil McLean said the justice system had failed. He blamed a shortage of defense attorneys in the area.
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