A Maine man was taken into protective custody by law enforcement after witnesses reported that he had emerged naked from a wooded area in between Bridgton and Sweden while carrying a rifle.

On Monday, April 7, the Oxford County Regional Communications Center received a report of a naked male subject who was seen by witnesses coming out of the woods carrying a rifle along Knights Hill Road.

Witnesses told Oxford County Sheriff’s deputies that the man was covered in mud and other debris and interacted with several contractors working at a nearby jobsite.

The male subject reportedly emerged from the woods alone and stated that his friend had been shot and that he needed assistance, before walking back into the woods and disappearing out of sight of the witnesses.

Deputies from the Oxford and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Offices, as well as the Maine State Police, Bridgton Police and Sweden Fire Department responded to the area.

A more than two-mile stretch of road between Black Mountain Road in Sweden and North High Street in Bridgton was shut down while law enforcement attempted to locate the man, and residents in the immediate vicinity of the area were asked to shelter in place.

Law enforcement responding to the scene made use of drone, K-9 and armored vehicle resources during the search.

Authorities found the male subject, formerly of Cambridge, Maine, at a nearby residence at about 7:30 p.m. and took him into protective custody.

The man was treated on scene for minor injuries to his feet and was taken to the Bridgton Hospital for a mental health evaluation.

Numerous items of clothing, other personal property and footprints in the snow were found by a K-9 team, and a high-powered pellet rifle was located and seized at the residence where he was taken into custody, according to the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office said on Tuesday that their investigation into the incident is ongoing, and at this time there are no criminal charges pending.

“We do not believe and have not discovered any credible information that others were involved or injured in the woods,” Oxford County Sheriff’s Office Major Dana Thompson stated. “We do not believe there is any danger to the public and that this male acted alone.”