Joseph Eaton Bowdoin shooting suspect long criminal history dating back to 2013, with gunman released from jail only 4 days before Tuesday’s carnage. Was forbidden from owning weapons. Posted video on Facebook prior to Bowdoin and Yarmouth shootings.
The individual arrested for the Bowdoin shooting that led to the shooting deaths of four individuals at an Augusta Rd residence had a long criminal history and had only been released from jail, four days before Tuesday’s carnage.
Joseph Eaton, 34, of Bowdoin, Maine, who now faces four murder charges for those deaths is also linked to the eruption of gunfire hours later along the I-295 in Yarmouth, which led to the injuring of three drivers, one critically. Though the two investigations are linked, police have not charged Eaton in the interstate shooting.
Of note Eaton had an extensive criminal background and was forbidden of owning weapons. Of disconcert, the gunman had been released from jail just four days before from Maine Correctional Center last Friday.
Reports Bangor Daily News: Eaton’s criminal record dates back to 2013. He has been charged with 15 different crimes before Tuesday’s shootings, according to a state police background check document. Those crimes include felonies that bar people from possessing guns under state and federal law.
He was just coming off an eight-month sentence in March 2022 after a felony assault conviction in Knox County. He has also been convicted of aggravated assault, simple assault and several probation violations.
Joseph Eaton Bowdoin shooting suspect FB video apology 🚨 I was able to find more info about the shooting here in #Maine. Not from OUR media of course bc it doesn’t fit the narrative. He’s not from Maine and has no legal right to own a firearm. https://t.co/qrcCAqpgmi
— Maine American Girl (@MaineGirl1717) April 19, 2023
Long criminal rap sheet
Eaton’s criminal history dates back to 2008, in Kansas. His case files note he had been charged for the burglary of a home in 2008, sentenced in 2009, then released in 2010 according to WMTV.
In May 2018, the 34-year-old from Bowdoin was sentenced to three years in jail on three counts of aggravated assault on a first responder in Nassau County, Florida.
He would later be released on Feb. 15, 2021.
Less than a month later, Eaton was sentenced for an assault in Maine. That sentencing took place on March 1, 2021.
The Maine Wire has discovered an emotional video Bowdoin shooting suspect Joseph Eaton posted to Facebook less than 24 hours before he allegedly shot and killed four people. pic.twitter.com/1sBuolOoIR
— The Maine Wire (@TheMaineWire) April 19, 2023
Emotional Facebook video rant day before shootings
He was released from the Maine Correctional Center on April 14 of this year, four days before bodies were discovered in a home in Bowdoin.
The gunman’s shootings came less than a day after posting an emotional video on Facebook in which he lamented about being molested and seeking forgiveness.
Ranted Eaton in part: ‘Life as a whole is suffering. You work for the duration, you get sick, people you love die, and your guaranteed to have “bad days.” You die and lose everything you spent your life obtaining. There is more to it than meets the eye. Life is a trial for what is to come.’
And on April 13, ‘It’s finally over. There are so many people I can’t wait to see. I’ll be back in Wichita soon.’
State Police are scheduled to hold a news conference Wednesday at 3 p.m. in Augusta to provide more details about Tuesday’s shootings in Bowdoin and Yarmouth.
