Armed Residents Cut Down Tree, Block Driveway To Forcefully Quarantine Out Of Town Neighbors

A group of armed residents in Maine forcibly quarantined their neighbors by cutting down a tree and blocking their driveway out of fear that they may have the coronavirus.

Police are investigating the incident where the man, who lived on Cripple Creek Road in Vinalhaven on an island off Maine, was threatened by gun-toting neighbors after he left his residence to check a disrupted cable service. He told the police that he discovered the tree blocking his driveway when he left the house. When he got out of the car to inspect the tree a group of neighbors, some with guns yelled at him.

The man thought that the people were there to attack him and so, ran inside his residence. He and his roommates then used a VHF radio, which was the only means of communication available, to contact authorities, NBC News reported. They also used their drone to keep an eye on the group of people outside until the authorities arrived.

When authorities came to the scene, they found the felled tree blocking the exit of the driveway.

“It was apparent that the tree had been cut down and dragged into the roadway to block it,” the sheriff’s office said in their statement. “Whether someone is a Maine resident or not, they have the right to free movement and anyone who infringes upon that free movement is potentially violating the law.”

On investigating further, authorities found that a group of residents on the island believed that the three roommates, who had arrived from out of state, may have been infected with the coronavirus and were supposed to be quarantined.

According to the Sheriff’s office, the roommates, however, have been in the house for the past month, which was well beyond the 14 days incubation period of the virus and have not shown any signs of being infected.

"We are concerned that some believe that anyone from out of the state is potentially infected and needs to be quarantined," NBC News quoted the Sheriff’s office as saying.

"We want to bring to the public's attention the matter of restricting a person's movements within the state."

The Sheriff’s office also urged the people who had doubts over someone having contracted the disease to inform the authorities first and not overreact in times of uncertainty.