Portland and South Portland police are working together to investigate an overnight shooting near Reiche Community School in the West End.
Investigators believe a shooting may have happened in Portland near the school, but have released few details about the incident.
Portland police received an anonymous text message reporting gunshots near the school on Brackett Street around 11:15 p.m. Thursday. In South Portland, police responded to a report of a person who had been shot.
“This case is still under investigation,” South Portland interim Police Chief James DiGianvittorio said in an email responding to an interview request. “The detectives are working a few leads. It appears that the actual shooting didn’t happen in South Portland.”
DiGianvittorio did not respond to follow-up questions.
Officers obtained information that led them to believe the shooting happened in Portland, and the area around Reiche was searched Friday morning by officers from both departments, according to Portland police.
Police did not release any information about a victim of the shooting, but did say there was no active threat.
Reiche administrators closed the playground area of the school Friday morning at the request of police investigating the incident. The incident did not involved students or staff, and students were never considered at risk, according to a spokesperson for Portland Public Schools.
Police were conducting a search of school grounds as students arrived. School staff had students enter through the Clark Street entrance to allow police to complete their work. Investigators finished at the scene shortly before 9 a.m.
Police were expected to release more information about the incident later Friday, but had not done so by press time.
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