At about 5:30 a.m., nearly two hours before sunrise in Garland, Maine, a suspect stole a Komatsu front end loader from a nearby gravel pit. The suspect then used the front end loader to attack a nearby home with people inside. The machine caused significant damage to vehicles parked in the driveway in an apparent attempt to force entry into the house. The sheriff’s officer reports residents exited the house and fired shots at the driver, wounding him and forcing his retreat.
Here is the report from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office:
Gunshots were fired during an incident involving a stolen front-end loader in Garland.
On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at approximately 5:30 a.m., the Penobscot Regional Communications Center received a report of individuals who appeared to be stealing a large front-end loader from a gravel pit near their residence. The incident was reported to be occurring on Upper Notch Road in Garland.
Shortly after receiving the initial call, the complainant reported that the front-end loader was now in their driveway, attempting to run through their house. The complainant also mentioned that the machine was destroying vehicles in the driveway.The initial investigation suggests that individuals exited the home and fired several rounds at the front-end loader. The machine then reversed out of the driveway and fled the scene. It crossed a large field and went down a woods road.
At approximately 6:10 a.m. PRCC received another report that a large front-end loader was driving on the roadway, it was eventually located by law enforcement on the Center Road in Charleston. The lone occupant surrendered to law enforcement without incident and told them, he had been shot. Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported the man to a local hospital. Upon his release, he was arrested and transported to the Penobscot County Jail.
The operator of the front-end loader was identified as Michael Thompson (37) of Corinna. This investigation remains active and additional charges may be pending.
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Maine State Police.
The attack is remarkably similar to the mass murder by front end loader and gunfire which occurred five months ago, about 30 miles from Honolulu, Hawaii. That attack also started with ramming cars. It ended with the suspect shot and killed by one of the residents. In this instance, the perpetrator did not use a firearm and was wounded instead of killed. This may be a case of media contagion, where a suspect learns of an action by another criminal and is inspired to use a similar method. Many mass public murders with firearms are known to have been inspired by media contagion.
Large front end loaders such as the Komatsu used in these attacks are very tough machines. The steel bucket can act as a shield against gunfire. The tires are big and tough and difficult to deflate quickly with gunfire. For quick action, the most vulnerable target is the driver. In the pictures taken by the Penobscot Sherriff’s office, you can see several bullet holes in the windshield of the front end loader.
No one in the residence was reported to be injured.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
