WGBH

Prior to Oct. 25, Lewiston, Maine was a small, quaint, and close-knit town where family was valued above all else. Now, it is known for the tragic murder of 18 people, and a heavily armed gunman who led police on a massive two-day manhunt. 

At around 7 p.m., the first shots rang out in the town at a popular recreational bowling alley, leaving multiple people killed and injured. As police hurried to the scene, additional reports and calls came in about a shooting at a local bar and grill around 12 minutes away from the bowling alley. Authorities quickly realized that these two events did not happen in isolation and immediately called for all citizens to shelter in place, and hundreds of officers were called in to find the gunman. Within two hours, officers found the vehicle of the gunman and identified a name, Robert R. Card. Police officers alerted citizens and instructed them to not come in contact with Card, emphasizing that he should be “considered armed and dangerous.” After two long days of citizens sheltering in place and hundreds of officers searching Maine towns, Card’s body was found lifeless, the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on the night of Oct. 27. 

Family members commented on him “hearing voices” and struggling with his mental health as he developed a growing obsession with the bowling alley and bar which became the scene of the crime. Before this incident, Card was committed to psychiatric care after hearing voices to “shoot up” a military base during his Army training. However, Card had never been admitted into a psychiatric care facility involuntarily, and therefore his right to bear arms and gun ownership was never questioned.

This mass shooting, unsurprisingly, has brought up the important question of the strictness and enforcement of American gun laws in public spaces and youth-driven environments. Senior Leila Nuri, president of Emery’s Students Demand Action Club, believes that “the shooting in Maine is yet another example of how urgent and absolutely vital it is that we strengthen our gun safety laws. Violence and trauma plague our communities throughout the nation time and time again, yet all we receive are thoughts and prayers. Our lawmakers must do better. Gun safety laws such as banning assault rifles and requiring background checks have been proven to make a difference.” 

Nuri’s call for accountability is not isolated. Nationally, many people are confused about how Card obtained his weapons legally, considering the threats he made before targeting military forces. Many believe that a simple background check could have saved the lives of those 18 people who were taken on Oct. 25. However, there are also Americans who believe that the right to bear arms is an undeniable facet of American culture and identity and that the removal or limitation of that is inhumane, unconstitutional, and unreasonable. 

Regardless of opinion on American gun laws, the Lewiston shooting instilled fear and frustration within American society as America totals 531 mass shootings so far in 2023.