Portland police recovered a stolen gun while arresting a man early Sunday.
Police were called to Rick’s Cabaret at 200 Riverside St. at 2:30 a.m. for a report of a patron threatening staff with a firearm, according to Portland Police Maj. Robert Martin.
When officers arrived, Griffin Dirocco, 24, of Portland, was standing in the parking lot and staff identified him as the person with the gun.
Dirocco was taken into custody after a short foot chase. During the arrest, an officer suffered injuries and Dirocco tried to discard a loaded, semi-automatic handgun and a 32-round drum magazine, police said. The firearm had been reported stolen in Biddeford.
Dirocco is charged with theft by receiving stolen property, criminal threatening with a firearm, assault on a police officer, assault and failure to submit to arrest.
The incident comes just days after Portland Police Chief Heath Gorham said his officers are dealing with armed individuals “at an alarming rate.”
Police last month announced that they were increasing patrols in response to a spate of violent crimes in the city. As of Sept. 9, 42 shootings had been reported in the city, more than double the number at the same time last year. The 17 stabbings reported represent a 31% increase over the same period, police said.
Investigators urge anyone with information on the Riverside Street case to call 207-874-8575.
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