Maine residents mourn after shooting
Street life returns as town lifts lockdown
LEWISTON, Maine — Church bells rang Sunday as Maine residents gathered to pray, reflect and support one another following a traumatic week in which a fellow Mainer gunned down 18 people in the worst mass killing in state history.
The Rev. Daniel Greenleaf opened worship at the Basilica of Saints
Peter and Paul in Lewiston with a moment of silence. Then, he told the congregation that it was good to be able to finally pray together after days of lockdown imposed while police searched for the 40-year-old gunman, Robert Card.
Card’s body was found Friday in a trailer at a recycling center in Lisbon Falls. Card died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound though it was unclear when, authorities said.
Card was also suspected of injuring 13 people during the shooting rampage on Wednesday night in Lewiston.
Several women wore black veils in the cavernous sanctuary, where a church official said they are raising funds to help shooting victims and others hurt by “the horrible events in our small town.”
“We can see the rays of light in darkness,” Greenleaf told those present. He said that it is for times like this that they have “practiced” their faith for.
“We cannot fix this, but then again human beings are not machines to be fixed,” Greenleaf added.
At Lisbon Falls Baptist Church, arriving church members warmly greeted each other. But the atmosphere turned somber when the Rev. Brian Ganong brought up the tragedy. He prayed for those fighting for their lives, those who lost family and friends, first responders and medical workers, and others — including the Card family, who he said had ties to some members of the church.
“It did happen. We may never know the reason why,” he said, encouraging the congregation to seek solace through a higher being.
For many residents, Sunday was a day to reflect, mourn and, for some, to take the first tentative steps toward normalcy. Some went hunting on the opening day of firearm season for deer, and one family handed out buckets of flowers in downtown. Others gathered at a makeshift memorial to the victims down the street from the bar targeted by Card.
But there were still reminders of the shooting.
Over at Schemengees Bar & Grille, one of the shooting sites, workers in white hazmat suits could be seen methodically cleaning up a staircase. Yellow tape surrounded the site and a small memorial had emerged near the bar, featuring colorful balloons, flowers and a poster that read: “Be Strong Lewiston.”
Parishioners from a Westbrook, Maine, church also came to the site to pay their respects to those killed or injured. With some holding signs honoring the victims, they stood and sang church hymns in front of a memorial featuring flowers, several white crosses and carved pumpkins.