Nov. 20 – Portland police have arrested five men and are seeking another on a series of assault charges following a fatal shooting this summer that prosecutors say stemmed from a dispute between two motorcycle clubs.
The latest arrests come months after Aaron Karp was charged with murder in the death of 54-year-old Susan McHugh of Gray. He has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail in Cumberland County Jai.
The five men charged this week with aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit assault are: Kaleb Cidre, 22, of Windham; Jason Keenan, 45, from Bath; James Moody, 30, of Bowdoin; Caleb Pelkey, 33, of Portland; and Nathan Walsh, 48, of Lewiston.
Police are still trying to find a sixth man, 45-year-old Kristofer Haken of Londonderry, New Hampshire. Portland police spokesman Brad Nadeau said Haken is considered “dangerous and may be armed” and they believe he has ties to the Outlaws Motorcycle Club.
Karp, who was arrested in August, also has ties to the motorcycle club, according to investigators. During previous court hearings, a state prosecutor said the entire incident stemmed from a rivalry between the Outlaws and another club.
At a bail hearing in September, a Portland police detective testified that he saw surveillance camera footage of Karp firing the gun at McHugh the night of July 30.
Hours earlier, McHugh’s son, her husband and their friend (all members of rival motorcycle club FSU) got into an altercation at a Westbrook restaurant with members of Higher Calling, which is affiliated with the Outlaws. The argument was captured on the restaurant’s surveillance camera, the detective said.
As the FSU members left the restaurant, the detective said, the Higher Calling men appeared to make several phone calls.
Around 8:45 that evening, the McHughs were parked in a parking lot near Samuel’s Bar & Grill. When Karp and others arrived, the group began attacking the McHughs with two-pound mini sledgehammers and a wrench, the detective said.
Susan McHugh crouched behind their car and fired her husband’s gun at Karp’s group. As Karp and his members fled, he stumbled, and police said the video showed him firing nine bullets in the direction of Susan McHugh.
Troy McHugh and Holmes were taken to the hospital with fractured skulls.
It is unclear what roles police believe the five new men played that evening. Nadeau declined to provide information on whether police believe the men are affiliated with either motorcycle club.
Their first court appearance had not yet been scheduled as of Wednesday morning.
This story will be updated.
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