Man who allegedly wounded Waterville police officer charged with attempted murder

The Harmony man who allegedly shot at police and wounded a Waterville officer during a multitown pursuit two weeks ago has been charged with aggravated attempted murder.

Richard Murray-Burns, 29, has been hospitalized at Eastern Maine Medical Center for gunshot wounds since the Dec. 22 shootout. He was arrested this afternoon as he was released from the hospital and transported to the Somerset County Jail, according to a press release from Maine State Police spokesperson Stephen McCausland.

During the Dec. 22 incident, Murray-Burns allegedly shot Waterville Police Officer Timothy Hinton in both arms during a traffic stop. Hinton was treated and released from Maine General Medical Center that day. 

The shootout began after Hinton stopped a car along Route 201 in response to a shoplifting complaint from the Waterville Walmart. Hinton was allegedly shot while he was in his cruiser, and he began pursuing the gunman’s car as it fled the scene.

Police say that Murray-Burns was in the car and armed with an assault-style weapon.

Officers from other agencies joined the chase, which continued along Route 201 and Route 23 before ending on Route 2 in Canaan, where officers shot and wounded Murray-Burns.

The Maine attorney general’s office is investigating the incident, as is standard procedure in police-involved shootings. The eight police officers who shot at Murray-Burns have been placed on administrative leave with pay, as is standard procedure.

According to the attorney general’s office, this was the seventh officer involved shooting in Maine in 2019.

Murray-Burns will likely make his initial court appearance Thursday or Friday, according to McCausland.