
LEWISTON — A local woman was accidentally shot in the buttocks Tuesday night while being escorted out of the police station on Park Street.
Police said the woman began to fight with the officers as she was being led to a Windham police officer’s car at about 10 p.m. During the scuffle, the handcuffed woman grabbed for the Windham police officer’s gun, still in its holster, and as a result, a round was fired. She was struck in the buttocks by the round.
Police officers at the scene treated the woman until an ambulance arrived. She was later identified as Tameika Girardin, 24, of Lewiston.
Girardin, who was being arrested on a burglary charge, was taken to a hospital and released a few hours later.
In the aftermath, according to witnesses, several people ran to the police compound from Kennedy Park and began to record the action as police began an investigation.
Police said the Windham police officer had come to Lewiston to pick up the woman in relation to a burglary charge there. As he was walking her out of the police station, the woman became unruly.
“She was very uncooperative and fighting,” said Lewiston police Lt. Derrick St. Laurent.
The woman managed to get her hands on the officer’s gun while it was still in its holster. After she got her finger on the trigger, a round was fired. The bullet, after striking the woman, ricocheted off the pavement, police said, but no one else was struck.
According to a review of the incident, police determined that the gun never left the holster as it was fired.
Windham police officials came to Lewiston to join the investigation.
Lewiston police had picked up Girardin earlier in the night at the request of police in Windham, where she was accused of breaking into a home in that city and assaulting the homeowner.
Girardin on Thursday was being held at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland on charges of assault, criminal mischief, burglary and violations of release conditions.
Windham police Chief Kevin L. Schofield said district attorneys in both Androscoggin and Cumberland counties will review the matter for potential further charges.
Lewiston police Chief David St. Pierre said he and his counterparts from Windham were reviewing video footage of the incident as their investigation continues.
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