Portland police arrested a Portland man after answering a call of suspicious activity on Woodford Street.

Police discovered Tyson Dyer, 35, sitting in his vehicle, and observed a firearm magazine near his waistband. Dyer cannot legally possess a firearm because he is a felon, police said.

Upon a search of his vehicle, police recovered a 9mm handgun and six loaded firearm magazines, two of the magazines held 21 rounds each. Cocaine and drug paraphernalia were also discovered in Dyer’s vehicle, police said.

Dyer, a previously convicted felon, has been charged with unlawful possession of schedule drugs and illegal possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

“We are fortunate that this gun was taken out of the hands of a person that was not allowed to possess it,” Interim Police Chief Heath Gorham said in a prepared statement. “My officers don’t carry 106 rounds of ammunition, and I’m afraid to think what could have happened if he wasn’t taken off the street,” Gorham said.

The chief added that Portland has had more than 50 incidents of gun violence in the last year.

“Thanks to efforts like this, we are hoping to lessen that number in 2023,” he said.

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