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
Reader comments
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Somali Muslims come to the USA and expect the US citizen to honor thir beliefs, but depend on the taxpayer entitlements ...THIS MUST CHANGE. When people come to the USA they should adapt to our culture and leave theirs where they came from.
Happy Now, members of Lewiston-Auburn Islamic Center?report abuse
your ignorance is showing. report abuse
Tess says: "When people come to the USA they should adapt to our culture and leave theirs where they came from."
I am looking forward to her indignant protests attached to stories about St Patrick's day Irish festivals & parades and ALL of the Franco-American celebrations in Maine!
Oh yeah - we need to protest all Christian and Jewish religious involvement as well. Native American religions are the ONLY valid ones by her own logic.
A crazy sad man killed himself. He already proved he had serious issues by deliberately and very publicly insulting one of the largest and oldest religions on earth. His problems were not caused or changed by the thoughtful and respectful protests against his actions that were made by religious leaders of ALL faiths.
Tess should spend a little time researching the enormous contributuons to our economy and our culture that the many and various groups of immigrants have made for all of the years our great country has existed. Then maybe she could comment in a less ignorant fashion.report abuse
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