The Maine State Police tactical team and a hostage negotiator were called to the scene. Pleasant Street was closed in an effort to secure the area near the motel.

According to Lewiston Police Sgt. Derrick St. Laurent, police attempted more than 100 times to reach the man on his room phone and cellphone. Police didn’t know whether the man was alone in the room.

The man’s name hadn’t been released at press time, pending notification of his family.

Police responded to a 911 call, but were unable to communicate with the man or enter his room. Then they heard two gunshots, according to St. Laurent.

“We feared that the individual was probably or could possibly have taken his own life,” Lt. David St. Pierre said. “And that’s exactly what we found when we executed a search warrant.”

Maine State Police used a battering ram to enter the room, breaking a window, St. Laurent said.

The man was alone in the room.

A front desk clerk had called 911 at 10:37 a.m. Sunday to check the well-being of a man in one of the motel rooms who was reported to be in crisis.

Pleasant Street, which had been closed earlier in the day due to the incident, was reopened in the evening.

Guests who were staying at Motel 6 were moved to the nearby Ramada Inn. A representative of Motel 6 said the Ramada was very helpful in taking in guests and also assisted the deceased’s family.