Moms Demand Action (Maine Chapter) Discuss Recent Lewiston Shootings

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) -An organization fighting for public safety measures against gun violence in America says the mass shooting that occurred last week in Lewiston is a prime example of yellow flag laws can fail. Shawn Cunningham reports.

(Opening SOT: Kathleen McFadden

“I’m devastated, I’m sad I’m frustrated, I’m angry and it was a matter of time.”

Kathleen McFadden the Maine Coordinator for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America says the Lewiston shootings are an example of what happens in a state like Maine with a high number of gun ownership and what she calls loose accountability laws.

Kathleen McFadden

“we have some of the weakest gun laws certainly in New England we don’t have the basic foundational gun laws we don’t require background checks on all gun sales we don’t require training people are now going out in response to this buying firearms with absolutely no training.”

Shawn Cunningham NO STANDUP

McFadden has been pushing for more education, awareness and stringent gun laws for several years as part of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America both on the state and federal levels. She says last week’s shooting tragedies are especially defeating knwoing she’s been fighting this fight since her own life and family were touched by gun violence years ago. And unfortunately she says now more Mainers have not just lost the lives of the victims but something else as welll..

“it was bound to happen and I think the narrative of it will never happen in Maine we’re one of the safest states it can happen anywhere.”

She says the in short term, she thinks Maine should be upgraded from a yellow flag law up to red flag law...

“a red flag bill gives law enforcement and family members an immediate pathway legal pathway to temporarily remove guns a yellow flag certainly has some place but it adds an extra layer of burden where there has to be a mental health evaluation its situations like hate groups crisis for suicide immediate action is needed we don’t need this waiting period that a yellow flag law requires.”

And while Mainers are now feeling a lost sense of security they are now being added to a list of other communities that have had mass shootings. And in addition to the candlelight vigils, she says she hopes more discussion, and sweeping change can result before the next shooting happens in America...or worse yet, even again in Maine...

Shawn Cunningham, NS 8.

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