This story was updated at 7 p.m. with the following:
South Portland police said the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting at the Maine Mall has surrendered.
In a statement released Thursday evening, police say they learned that Ahmed Basheer Awad wanted to turn himself in so there could be a “safe and peaceful resolution.”
They worked with a third party to accomplish this, and on Thursday afternoon, detectives say they met Awad outside the Cumberland County Jail and took him into custody without incident.
He’s charged with elevated aggravated assault, a reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon felony and a misdemeanor charge.
Awad is being held on 100-thousand-dollar cash bail pending his arraignment, which is scheduled for Friday afternoon. The firearm has not been recovered.
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Police are looking for 20-year-old Ahmed Basheer Awad, who they say is the suspect in Wednesday afternoon's shooting at the Maine Mall in South Portland.
South Portland police said Awad shot another man in the leg in the bathroom of the mall's food court.
Chief Dan Ahern said police arrived at the scene expecting the worst.
"Upon our arrival, we quickly determined that this was an isolated incident between two individuals and not a mass casualty incident, which we all suspected when we were arriving to the mall," he told reporters Thursday morning.
Law enforcement from at least different nearby municipalities arrived at the scene, along with sheriffs from Cumberland County, state police and officers from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Ahern said law enforcement helped to secure the mall's 15 different entrances.
Ahern said he doesn't believe the public is at risk even though the suspect is still at large.
"We don't think that anyone should be worried that he is roaming around here in the city of South Portland. However, he should be considered armed and dangerous if you do encounter him," Ahern said.
Police said they're not sure whether the Awad, who they believe had been living in Westbook, is still in Maine. They believe he may have left the mall in silver colored four-door sedan.
Ahern said the victim, who was suffered a gunshot wound to the upper leg, has told police that he does not know the suspect. The victim was treated on the scene and taken to Maine Medical Center for surgery, Ahern said.
Police are seeking charges of elevated aggravated assault.
