As word spread late Sunday that U.S. forces had located and killed Osama bin Laden, reaction was mixed in Lewiston and Auburn.

While some people were excited about the news, others cautiously doubted whether it was real.

Shoppers at Walmart in Auburn were buzzing about the news.

“I gotta say, I know we’ve been hunting him for quite a while and I’m pretty glad. It’s about time we got him… I’m surprised we finally did catch him after so long,” Wes Edwards of Lewiston said.

“If it turns out it is Osama bin Laden, then it’d be a great thing for our country. It’s about time,” Nick Piper of Auburn said.

Customers and workers at Dunkin Donuts in Lewiston also reacted to the announcement.

“I know I’m excited and I’m very grateful. With all of the destruction he’s caused it’ll be nice to have him out of this world,” said Scott McClellan of Greene. “… The president kept his word. He went in and got him like he said he was going to.”

Amanda Albert was taking a wait-and-see approach. “I don’t really think much will change,” she said. “Maybe if it had happened closer to 9/11, things would have changed a lot; it would have been a big deal. But now it won’t really do anything.”

One worker named Linda was brief: “Keep up the good work.”

Members of Maine’s delagation in Washington reacted quickly.

“The director of the National Counterterrorism Center informed me tonight that Osama bin Laden was killed in a U.S. operation,” said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. “This welcome news is a credit to our intelligence efforts and brings to justice the architect of the attacks on our country that killed nearly 3,000 people on September 11, 2001.”

Collins is the ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Said Rep. Mike Michaud: “All Americans remember with vivid detail the tragic events of September 11th, 2001. We know where we were and how we found out.

“The news that the President delivered on the fate of Osama Bin Laden will be no different. Finally, this terrorist has been brought to justice for the despicable attacks he organized against our country.”