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GARDINER

September 5, 2010

Boyfriend arrested in shooting

Police fetch weapon from home; victim recovering after surgery

By Keith Edwards kedwards@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

GARDINER -- A local man has been arrested for allegedly shooting his live-in girlfriend in the stomach.

click image to enlarge

Gardiner police arrested Kenneth L. Sirmans, 40, Friday night and charged him with aggravated assault and aggravated reckless conduct, both felonies.

Kennebec County Correctional Facility photo

Gardiner police arrested Kenneth L. Sirmans, 40, Friday night and charged him with aggravated assault and aggravated reckless conduct, both felonies.

Police, according to Chief James Toman, received a 911 call from Sirmans around 2:30 p.m. Friday. Police responded within a minute and found Allison Wainwright, 40, had been shot once in the stomach area, with a handgun. The handgun was recovered at the scene.

The shooting occurred in the upstairs living room of the 25 Washington Ave. apartment Sirmans and Wainwright shared, at the corner of Washington Avenue and Beech Street.

Sirmans was still on the phone with a dispatcher when police arrived.

"He was told to exit the apartment with his hands up, which he did, and he was taken into custody," Toman said. "Other officers went up into the apartment and found the victim. She was shot once in the stomach area."

Wainwright was taken by Lifeflight helicopter to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. She underwent surgery Friday.

Toman said a detective visited Wainwright on Saturday morning and said she was resting and recovering.

Sirmans was taken to the Kennebec County jail, with bail set at $500,000. Jail officials said Saturday afternoon he was still there.

Toman said the two had a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, and that they were the only two present at the time of the shooting. He declined to discuss a motive for the crime.

Toman said children believed to live at the apartment are staying with a family member.

Gardiner and Maine State Police are investigating.

Toman said the investigation is "85 percent" complete, with some evidence remaining to be collected and a few interviews left to conduct.

Toman said he was not aware of any protection orders taken out by Wainwright.

The district attorney's office recommended the charges agaist Sirmans but may file additional or different charges when the investigation is complete, Toman said.

The apartment is in a three-unit building. The building appeared quiet Saturday morning. Police tape marking the location Friday had been removed.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

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