More than 1,000 pay tribute to Maine's mass shooting victims on day of prayer, reflection
More than 1,000 people gathered Sunday evening for a vigil to remember those killed and injured in Maine's worst mass shooting, some putting their heads in their hands as the 18 names of those who died were read. Others quietly wept.
The vigil at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston came two days after the body of suspected gunman Robert Card was found. The 40-year-old's body was discovered 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 in the shooting rampage Wednesday night in Lewiston.
The Rev Todd Little from the First United Pentecostal Church of Lewiston spoke at the vigil of a diverse community that shares something new in common after the tragedy
— “shared brokenness, worry, fear and loss.”
He also vowed that the community is bigger than the tragedy and will emerge not just “Lewiston Strong” but “Lewiston Stronger.'
“We will not be defined by the tragedies that happened. Fear, anxiety and trepidation will not dictate our present or our future,” he said.
Earlier in the day, several church services were shaped by the shooting and subsequent lockdown that lasted several days. A the morning mass for Basilica
of Saints Peter and Paul, 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,” the Rev. Daniel 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.
Authorities recovered a multitude of weapons during their search for Card and believe he had legally purchased his guns, including those recovered in his car and near his body, said Jim Ferguson, the special agent in charge of the Boston office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. He declined to provide specific details about the guns, their make and model, nor exactly how many were found.