It happened fast. One minute, it’s a standard afternoon in a quiet Maine town, and the next, there’s lead flying toward a cruiser. When people search for the time a Maine woman shoots at officer during that specific 2012 to 2016 window, they are almost always looking for the chaotic story of Khadijah Ahmed.
This wasn't some minor scuffle. It was a high-intensity confrontation in Skowhegan that left the local community reeling and law enforcement questioning how a routine check-in turned into a near-fatal shootout.
If you’re from the area, you probably remember the sirens. Honestly, it’s the kind of event that sticks in the collective memory of a rural state where police-involved shootings aren't exactly daily headlines.
The Afternoon Everything Went Wrong
May 2013. That's the date to remember.
Officer David Larsson of the Skowhegan Police Department was just doing his job. He was looking for Khadijah Ahmed, who was 46 at the time. There was a warrant out for her arrest—something related to a failure to appear in court for a previous charge of specialized criminal trespass and some administrative issues.
Routine. Boring, even. Until it wasn't.
Larsson spotted her driving on Elm Street. He pulled her over near the intersection of Elm and Pleasant. Most people pull over, argue a bit, and get in the back of the car. Ahmed had a different plan. According to the official reports from the Maine Attorney General’s office, as Larsson approached the vehicle, Ahmed didn't reach for her ID. She reached for a .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun.
She fired.
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She didn't just fire once. She unleashed multiple rounds directly at the officer. One bullet smashed through the windshield of Larsson’s cruiser. Another hit the driver's side door. It’s a miracle Larsson wasn't killed instantly. He had to dive for cover, scrambling to find a position where he could return fire while being actively hunted from inside a stationary sedan.
The Response and the Aftermath
Think about the adrenaline.
Larsson returned fire. He shot back through the windows of her car, hitting Ahmed multiple times. The sound of gunfire echoed through the residential neighborhood, sending neighbors diving for the floor. It’s wild how quickly a "paperwork arrest" turns into a life-or-death struggle.
Ahmed was struck in the hand and the chest. She survived, but the legal battle that followed was almost as intense as the shooting itself. This wasn't a case of a "misunderstanding." The state was looking at this as a clear attempt to murder a law enforcement official.
Why the 2013 Case Stays Relevant
When we talk about a Maine woman shoots at officer, this case serves as a benchmark for Maine's judicial system regarding mental health and criminal responsibility. During the proceedings, Ahmed’s mental state became a focal point. Her defense team argued that she wasn't in her right mind. They pointed to a history of delusional thinking.
The court had to decide: was she a cold-blooded attempted murderer, or was she someone suffering a profound break from reality?
In 2014, a judge found her "not criminally responsible" due to mental illness. This is a huge distinction in the Maine legal system. It meant that instead of heading to a maximum-security prison for decades, she was committed to the Riverview Psychiatric Center in Augusta.
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The Reality of Police Safety in Maine
Maine is usually ranked as one of the safest states in the country. We have low violent crime rates. We have tight-knit communities. But cases like the Skowhegan shooting highlight the inherent unpredictability of the job.
Basically, there is no such thing as a "routine" stop.
Officer Larsson was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing. The Attorney General’s investigation—which is standard for any officer-involved shooting—concluded that his use of deadly force was a "reasonable and necessary" response to being shot at. You can't really argue with that. If someone is putting holes in your windshield, you have a right to stop them.
What People Get Wrong About This Story
There are a few misconceptions that float around online forums and local gossip circles regarding this incident:
- The "Sniper" Myth: Some early rumors suggested she was waiting in ambush. Not true. It was a traffic stop that escalated in seconds.
- The Injury Reports: People often think Officer Larsson was hit. He wasn't. He was showered with glass and came inches from a bullet, but he walked away physically unhurt. The psychological toll, however, is another story entirely.
- The Legal Outcome: Many think she "got off" because she went to a hospital. In reality, being committed to a state psychiatric facility in Maine often involves a much longer, more restrictive period of supervision than a standard prison sentence might have offered for lesser charges.
Looking Back from 2026
It has been over a decade since that afternoon in Skowhegan. Looking back, this event triggered a lot of conversations in the Maine State House about how we handle mental health crises and police training.
The 2012–2016 era was a pivotal time for Maine law enforcement. We saw a shift toward "Crisis Intervention Training" (CIT) for officers. The goal was to help them recognize when a suspect isn't just being defiant, but is actually experiencing a psychotic episode. Would CIT have changed the outcome for Ahmed? Probably not. Once the gun is out, the training changes from "de-escalation" to "survival."
But it did change how the state approaches the next Khadijah Ahmed before the gun is ever drawn.
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Lessons Learned and Actionable Insights
If you are researching this case for legal, academic, or personal safety reasons, there are a few concrete takeaways that remain true today.
1. Understand the "Not Criminally Responsible" (NCR) Plea
In Maine, the NCR plea isn't a "get out of jail free" card. It requires extensive psychiatric evaluation. If you're looking into Maine criminal law, study the Ahmed case alongside the 17-A M.R.S. § 39 statute. It explains how the state balances public safety with mental health needs.
2. Public Records Access
If you want the granular details—the ballistics, the exact transcripts—you can request the "Attorney General’s Report on the Use of Deadly Force" for the 2013 Skowhegan incident. These are public documents. They provide a sobering, frame-by-frame look at how quickly these situations move.
3. Support Systems for First Responders
This case led to increased awareness of PTSD in Maine’s rural departments. If you work in or support law enforcement, look into the peer support programs that were bolstered in the years following 2013. The Maine State Police and local unions now have much more robust mental health frameworks than they did back then.
4. Situational Awareness for Civilians
For the average citizen, the Skowhegan shooting is a reminder that "it can happen anywhere." If you ever find yourself near an active police scene, the best move is immediate evacuation or "shelter in place" away from windows. In the Ahmed case, the projectiles traveled through a residential zone; luck played a huge role in no bystanders getting hit.
The story of the Maine woman shoots at officer in Skowhegan isn't just a "true crime" tidbit. It’s a piece of Maine history that redefined how the state views the intersection of crime, mental health, and the safety of those who wear the badge. It reminds us that even in the quietest corners of New England, things can turn sideways in a heartbeat.
Stay informed on local history, and always verify the legal outcomes of these cases through official state repositories like the Maine State Library digital archives or the AG's office. Knowledge of the past is the best way to navigate the complexities of the present.