Sunday, April 22, 2007
A Lewiston man who stirred racial and religious tensions when he rolled a pig's head into a local mosque shot and killed himself Saturday in a parking lot, authorities said.
Brent Matthews, 34, committed suicide after police spent about 15 minutes trying to convince him to put down a semi-automatic handgun, Lewiston Sgt. Michael Whalen said.
The shooting occurred around 8:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Marden's store on Main Street, before the store was open for business.
Matthews did not say anything or make any threatening gestures during the incident, police said. One officer tried to negotiate with Matthews while other police had rifles pointed at him, authorities said.
Matthews started a high-profile controversy in July 2006 when he rolled a frozen pig's head into the Lewiston-Auburn Islamic Center on Lisbon Street.
Muslims are forbidden from eating pork, and the incident stunned Somali Muslims who attend the mosque.
Matthews was charged with a misdemeanor count of desecrating a place of worship. He pleaded not guilty, acknowledging that he had rolled the pig's head but insisting that he had done it as a joke.
State prosecutors also accused Matthews of violating the Maine Civil Rights Act and won a court order to keep him away from the mosque.
As the number of Somali Muslims in Lewiston has increased, tension with residents also has intensified.
The pig's head incident followed a controversial 2002 open letter by then-mayor Larry Raymond, in which he asked Somalis to discourage friends and relatives from moving to the area because city services were being strained.
Staff Writer Kevin Wack can be contacted at 791-6365 or at: kwack@pressherald.com
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My deepest condolences.report abuse
BanIslam, get a reality check yourself. All you see when you saw this, was a chance to blast your views of immagration, and you honestly don't care about Brent Matthews. Infact, how dare you say "May he rest in peace", when you are just saying that after your own rant?
I am sick of seeing my uncle's death as nothing but a chance for you people to further argue your beliefs. If you want to go around being some anti-immagrant, go ahead, it's your life. If you want to welcome the whole world into your arms, you have the right to do so. But, do NOT use the death of someone, no matter the case, to use as your political backing.report abuse
Lewiston is just one town plagued by the sad failure of our system that is FORCING more and more third-world immigrants on a society with its own troubles!!!
It won't be long until NONE OF US are safe!!!
May Brent Matthews rest in peace!
www.whitespeech.blogspot.comreport abuse
I know it's easy and fun to argue religious and political viewpoints with one another... but using what happened to Brent as a catalyst to launch your vendetta for or against this group or that group is wrong... he was a man, a human being. And I have to agree, I'm sickened by the headlines I've seen on this. I have no idea what did drive Brent to do this, but I can only imagine the repent and regret he felt for the now-famous "pig's head" incident.
I only wish our media could have found enough class to simply remember a man who lost his life, and not some mistake made by him during that life.
Religiouis, political, and other such viewpoints are important and significant... but now when they distract from the truly significant matter... the loss of a loved one.
My wishes and thoughts are with Brent's familyreport abuse
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