LEWISTON, Maine – The community of Lewiston will come together to commemorate the six-month anniversary of a tragic event that shook the town to its core. It was on October 25, 2023, when a shooter devastated the peace of this small town by killing 18 individuals and injuring 13 others in what became the deadliest incident of its kind in Maine.
A special gathering is scheduled to take place at SimardPayne Memorial Park on Thursday, April 25, at 6:30 p.m., where the community will join in a remembrance ceremony featuring moments of silence and speeches to honor the memory of the victims. A private event for the victims, their families, and friends will precede the public gathering, providing them with a space for solace and support.
The tragic shootings not only claimed lives but also instilled fear and uncertainty in the community, prompting thousands to seek safety in their homes and leading to the closure of schools, businesses, and public offices during the ensuing manhunt. Two days after the devastating incident, the shooter, identified as Robert Card, an Army reservist, was found deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Lisbon.
The Maine Resiliency Center, a beacon of support for those affected by the shootings, will host Thursday’s event as a means of collective healing and remembrance. Community Concepts, the organization managing the center, is encouraging the public to participate by displaying candles on Thursday evening as a symbol of solidarity and support for the victims and their loved ones.
In addition to the candle display, individuals are invited to share photos or videos of their tributes by emailing them to resource@community-concepts.org or posting them on the MRC’s social media pages. The event aims to bring the community together in a show of strength and resilience in the face of tragedy, demonstrating that unity and compassion can help heal the wounds left by such senseless violence.