By Carol McCracken (Post # 1,536)
Chief Michael Saushuck warned the public about the release from custody into the community of 27 year old Carlos Reed, Portland this evening. Reed’s release into the community comes at 6:00 pm. and is pending another court date, January 8th, tonight. This information is being made available for public safety purposes the Chief said. Although the Chief could not divulge the confidential medical evaluation he has about Reed, his concerns were sufficient to warn the public of his presence in the community. The alert was based on medical information he could not divulge as well as Reed’s recent past arrest record. It came at a press conference this afternoon at Police Headquarters.
Reed, an Iraq war veteran, lives at 49 Falmouth Street, # 1B, near the USM campus. Because his bail conditions include no possession of firearms and ammunition, Portland police will search his apartment upon his release to be certain there are no such violations at that location. Another part of his bail includes a curfew from 11:00 pm to 6: am.
Police first encountered Reed on September 27th in the early morning when he was found walking on Forest Avenue, near Woodfords Corner. He was arrested for the Threatening Display of a Weapon, a class D crime. At the time, Reed was wearing a camouflaged bullet proof vest and was carrying an assault rifle with a 5x scope and laser site. He also had a total of four magazines for the assault rifle containing 120 rounds of ammunition and a handgun strapped to his ankle. Officers had been searching the area after receiving a 911 call from a concerned citizen. Officers initially released Reed pending review of the case, but the guns were seized.
Reed has repeatedly stated that he was exercising his constitutional rights to open carry and he intends to arm himself again and force confrontations with police. He stated that he was conducting a military training mission when he was stopped by Portland officers in September according to a press release issued by Assistant Police Chief Vern Malloch prior to the press conference.
Reed was arrested by the Maine State Police in Lebanon on Friday, October 4th. At the time of his arrest in York County he was also issued criminal summons charging the class D crime of Illegal Possession of Hypodermic Apparatus and the Class E of Possession of Schedule Z Drugs. A search of Reed’s vehicle at the time of his arrest also revealed a .22 caliber handgun and a bullet proof vest.
Reed has undergone a psychiatric evaluation at Togus in Augusta, the contents of which can’t be divulged. If anyone encounters Reed walking armed in the City, do not approach him and please call 911.