Lewiston, Maine is still grieving after the mass shooting that took the lives of 18 people last week. On Friday, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden traveled to Lewiston to meet with victims’ family members and first responders.
Some residents were grateful for the visit, while others had messages they wanted to share. One resident, Andrew Chessie, who was inside Schemengees Bar and Grille when the shooting happened, said, “This tragedy could have been prevented if the warning signs about the shooter’s mental health had been followed up on.”
Chessie is furious that 18 people had to die because someone “dropped the ball.” He wants President Biden to take action to fix the mental health system and prevent future mass shootings.
The memorial outside the bar continues to grow, with community members tying white ribbons to posts throughout Lewiston to remember the victims. Leigh Bealieu, of Durham, Maine, said, “It means we’re never going to forget. It means we’re unified, and come hell or high water, we’re going to find a solution to this problem.”
Residents are now trying to heal and prevent anything like this from ever happening again. They are tying ribbons and putting up signs throughout the city to raise awareness of the issue and to remember the lives lost.
A community center has been giving out white ribbons all day, in packs of 18. Many residents hope that the president and first lady saw the ribbons when they visited Lewiston.
