What did Joseph Eaton do? Police identify suspect in Bowdoin Maine fatal shooting of 4 people

Joseph Eaton, 34, was arrested on Tuesday, April 18, for fatally shooting four people and injuring three others. According to Maine authorities, the suspect fatally shot the four individuals at a residence earlier that day, before wounding the three others in a separate incident. Officials have not released a potential motive behind the mass shooting.

Joseph Eaton, who was detained and transported to the Two Bridges Regional Jail, has been charged with the murders of all four victims.

In the aftermath of the shooting, hearses were seen transporting the bodies of the deceased from the home.

Trigger warning: This article concerns mentions of gun violence, reader discretion is advised.

---

Details of the shooting incident allegedly perpetrated by Joseph Eaton

According to WMTW, the residence where the first set of events took place belonged to a married couple. While their names have not been disclosed, the husband reportedly owns a concrete company.

In the morning of April 18, for reasons unknown, Joseph Eaton gunned down four victims. They have not been identified, and police have not confirmed whether or not the homeowners were among those killed.

Fox reported that shortly after the Bowdoin killings, Joseph Eaton went south along Interstate 295, where he opened fire on several vehicles and injured three others. After Eaton's arrest, authorities announced that he would be held without bail.

Cassidy Voisine, who witnessed the shooting along the interstate, told CBS reporters her account of the incident:

"We just saw a bunch of smoke. And my friend in the truck was like, 'I think that's gunpowder, like gunsmoke."

She continued:

"So weird to think that we were right behind them when this happened."

In response to the recent Maine shooting, Maine Governor Janet Mills thanked the authorities for stepping in quickly to detain the suspect, adding:

"Like people across Maine, I am shocked and deeply saddened – acts of violence like we experienced today shake our state and our communities to the core."

As per Bangor Daily News, Joseph Eaton has had a long criminal history, with a record dating back to 2013. He was charged with 15 different crimes, including aggravated assault, simple assault, and probation violations. The felony convictions made him ineligible to legally own a firearm. His last prison term was an eight-month sentence in March 2022, after he was convicted of felony assault in Knox County.