AUGUSTA, Maine – An independent commission is delving into the response to a mass shooting in Maine, analyzing the events that led to the tragic incident, which claimed the lives of 18 individuals at a bowling alley and restaurant in Lewiston on Oct. 25. Police officers who testified before the commission acknowledged missed opportunities in the manhunt for the shooter, which caused widespread fear and led to the lockdown of the community.
The commission, assembled by Maine Governor Janet Mills and State Attorney General Aaron Frey, has been seeking insights from officers involved in the emergency response and subsequent manhunt, including members of the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the Lewiston and Lisbon police departments. Testimony revealed that there were potential opportunities to end the manhunt a day earlier, but officers did not find anything during a cursory search at a recycling facility where the shooter’s body was eventually discovered.
The commission’s focus has shifted from encounters police had with the shooter to the immediate aftermath of the shootings. Testimony revealed that law enforcement received bad tips during the investigation, making the search for the shooter even more challenging. Further testimonies described the chaotic scene following the killings, as petrified residents were forced to stay locked in their homes while law enforcement undertook the two-day manhunt for the shooter.
Family members of the victims also had an opportunity to address the commission. Tearful relatives of the individuals who lost their lives in the shootings urged the commission to take preventive measures to ensure that similar tragedies do not occur in the future. There were reports of the shooter’s unstable behavior and threats made in the past, indicating missed opportunities to prevent the tragedy.
Efforts to prevent future gun tragedies have been proposed, including measures to strengthen background checks for private sales of weapons and improve mental crisis care. The commission is also seeking to hear from Army officials, as the shooter was a former Army reservist. The investigation by the commission is ongoing, as it aims to produce a comprehensive written report in the coming months.
The commission’s meticulous review of the events underscores the importance of identifying missed opportunities and implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.