PORTLAND — A Portland man was taken into custody Wednesday after police say he made harrassing statements and threatened to shoot a group of elementary school children on a Portland public-school playground.

Commander Gary Rogers said 32-year-old Derek Weeks was arrested at a home on High Street after the incident took place around 3 p.m. at the Reiche School at 166 Brackett St.

Portland police said Weeks was with his own child and was participating in an after-school event when Weeks made derogatory racial statements that he directed toward another group of school children. Police said those children are in grades three through five.

During the incident, witnesses said that Weeks made a gesture with his hand – replicating a firearm – and threatened to shoot the children, according to a statement issued by Portland police. No actual weapon was displayed or located during the investigation.

Weeks was charged with seven counts of criminal threatening and with one count of interference with Constitutional and Civil Rights. He is being held at the Cumberland County Jail on $250,000 cash bail.

 

 


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