Maine madman fired at Jewish summer camp basketball court: docs

Shooting at Camp Modin Leads to Felony Charges

A Maine man is facing felony charges after allegedly firing a rifle near a Jewish summer camp in Belgrade, Maine, on August 7, an incident that sent hundreds of children and staff into lockdown. Nathan R. Hewett, 36, was arrested following the shooting and has since been released on bail, according to court documents reviewed by the New York Post and the Jerusalem Post.

The confrontation began with a verbal dispute over a damaged tractor, which escalated into gunfire. Reports from both outlets indicate that roughly 20 rounds from a semi-automatic rifle were discharged in various directions, including toward a basketball court at the back of the camp. The Jerusalem Post reported that the shooting forced hundreds of children and staff to shelter, while the New York Post noted that children as young as 7 were involved in the lockdown and that security guards put on ballistic vests in response.

Escalating Neighbor Dispute

According to statements submitted by Joshua Ewing, an armed security guard and former law enforcement officer at the camp, Hewett blamed the camp for damaging his tractor lawn mower after it hit an obstacle. Ewing recounted that Hewett lost his temper, hurling insults and profanities while acting "extremely enraged and irrational." Another security guard, Timothy Black, described a pattern of harassment, writing in a letter that Hewett "harasses us by coming to the property line and screaming at us," especially when intoxicated.

Camp owner and executive director Pascal Cohen stated in a request for a protection order that Hewett deliberately disrupts the grounds by shining vehicle high beams, launching late-night fireworks, and discharging firearms nearby, causing distress to campers. Court records also indicate that Hewett's father, Raymond, was present during the initial confrontation and was alleged to have harassed staff, though reports differ on the extent of his involvement.

Legal Proceedings and Bail Conditions

After the shooting, Kennebec County Sheriff's deputies seized 23 firearms from Hewett's property, many of them semi-automatic, according to both outlets. Shell casings were found near the back of the camp, suggesting that shots were aimed at the basketball courts.

Hewett faces felony counts of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, and terrorizing, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. The New York Post also listed charges of recklessly discharging a firearm and discharging near a dwelling. Both outlets noted that Hewett was suspected of being intoxicated and of holding antisemitic bias, though the Jerusalem Post framed the shooting as stemming from a neighborly dispute over the tractor.

Hewett was initially held on $50,000 bail but has since been released, according to the Jerusalem Post. His bail conditions include being barred from within 1,000 feet of the camp, as well as restrictions on weapons and alcohol, as reported by the New York Post. Camp Modin has filed for an emergency protection order that would temporarily block Hewett from camp premises and contact with personnel.

A hearing for the protection order is scheduled for Monday at the Capital Judicial Center, and the criminal case is set for its next court date on November 10.