CORNISH, Maine — Maine State Police responded Tuesday afternoon to a shooting incident outside a Cornish restaurant.
At about 2:30 p.m., state troopers responded to a report about a man who had been shot in the parking lot at the Fairgrounds Pizza and Pub restaurant, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss said in a news release.
The owner of the restaurant told NEWS CENTER Maine at the scene that it appeared the incident began over a dispute between two people in the parking lot during a child drop-off and that the injured person was reportedly shot.
Emergency officials arrived at the scene where they discovered that 44-year-old Eric Letendre of West Baldwin had been shot twice, but his injuries were not considered life-threatening, according to state officials.
Troopers at the scene rendered aid by applying a tourniquet to Letendre while waiting for rescue crews to arrive. He was then flown by LifeFlight helicopter to Maine Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.
A New Hampshire man identified as 40-year-old Sean Ambrose of Canterbury was charged at the scene with reckless conduct with a firearm and was brought to the York County Jail, according to Moss.
"Letendre and Ambrose were known to each other," Moss said.
State officials added there was no danger to the public, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The restaurant issued a statement on their social media page the evening of the incident.
"They were not patrons of the restaurant," the Facebook post said. "Our customers and employees followed all the correct protocols to keep everyone inside safe."
One person who was at the restaurant gave the business high praise for their quick actions to keep everyone there safe.
Dave Angelli said he was at the restaurant when the shooting happened and said the staff quickly jumped into action to secure the area.
"All staff ran to doors and locked [them] then told us where to go as we had no idea [what was happening] other than a shooting," Angelli said.
He expressed thanks to the staff and workers there for their quick work.
"I am a teacher ... and we train for this. Never expected the professionalism that I witnessed," Angelli told NEWS CENTER Maine.