MACHIAS, Maine — Maine State Police say 63-year-old Thomas Bonfanti of Northfield has been charged with murder after he shot four people, killing three of them, at the American Legion hall in Machias on Monday.
Bonfanti is expected to appear in Calais District Court at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
Police have confirmed that Shawn Currey, 57, Samuel Powers, 33, and Jennifer Bryant Flynn, 49 are deceased. Another adult woman was also shot and is being treated for her injuries at a nearby hospital.
Police said Bonfanti knew all the victims, but could not confirm that the victims knew each other.
AOS 96 Superintendent Scott Porter said schools in the Machias school district including Rose M. Gaffney Elementary School and Machias Memorial High School went into a hard lockdown after the Washington County Sheriff's Office alerted them to the shootings.
Parents in the Machias school district received alerts that due to the shootings, the schools went into hard lockdown, meaning all students were to remain inside until further notice.
The lockdowns were lifted at around 12:05 p.m.
