The United States President, Joe Biden and his Vice, Kamala Harris have expressed grief over the mass shooting that happened in Lewiston, Maine on Wednesday, 25th October, 2023.
According to the statement released by the White House on Thursday, the President reacting to this incident said for countless Americans who have survived gun violence and been traumatized by it, a shooting such as this reopens deep and painful wounds.
He said, “Once again, our nation is in mourning after yet another senseless and tragic mass shooting. Today, Jill and I are praying for the Americans who’ve lost their lives, for those still in critical care, and for the families, survivors, and community members enduring shock and grief”.
Biden made it known that he has urged area residents to heed the warnings and guidance of local officials. “Numerous Federal law enforcement personnel are on the scene and actively working with state and local partners.
“As I told Maine Governor Janet Mills, Senators Collins and King, and Congressman Golden last night, I have directed my administration to provide everything that is needed to support the people of Maine. We will continue to be there every step of the way”.
The President who could not his grief said far too many Americans have now had a family member killed or injured as a result of gun violence. That is not normal, and we cannot accept it.
Expressed that his administration have made progress on gun safety via Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the two dozen executive actions I’ve taken, and the establishment of the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, it’s simply not enough.
He called out the Republican lawmakers in Congress to fulfill their duty to protect the American people. “Work with us to pass a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
“To enact universal background checks, to require safe storage of guns, and end immunity from liability for gun manufacturers. This is very least we owe every American who will now bear the scars — physical and mental — of this latest attack”, the President said.
Kamala Harris, the Vice President in her reaction said Lewiston, Maine became yet another community torn apart by senseless gun violence, saying this time a bowling alley and a restaurant have been turned into scenes of unimaginable carnage.
She said, “Doug and I join the President and Dr. Biden in mourning those who were killed, praying for the many who were injured, and grieving for so many more whose lives are forever changed.
“The Biden-Harris Administration will continue to provide full support to local authorities in Maine. I join President Biden in urging area residents to follow the warnings and guidance of local officials as the investigation proceeds.
“Let us also continue to speak truth about the moment we are in. Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children in our nation. It does not have to be this way.
“It is a false choice to suggest we must choose between either upholding the Second Amendment or passing reasonable gun safety laws to save lives. Congress can and must make background checks universal. Pass red flag laws. Ban high-capacity magazines. And renew the assault weapons ban.
“In the meantime, President Biden and I are not waiting around. Through the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, we will continue to work to save lives. We do not have a moment to spare, nor a life to spare”, the Vice President concluded.
It was reported that residents of Lewiston, a hard-bitten former mill town in central Maine, struggled on Thursday with a new reality: the scourge of American mass shootings had arrived.
Eighteen people were killed in gunfire in Maine’s second-largest city on Wednesday night, rocking a tightly knit community and shattering the state’s image as a haven from the types of violent crime seen elsewhere in the country.
Maine Governor Janet Mills said in a press conference the shooting had undermined Maine’s reputation as one of the safest states in the country.
“This attack strikes at the very heart of who we are and the values we hold dear,” she said, adding she had lived and worked in Lewiston, met her husband and raised her children there.
“This city did not deserve this terrible assault on its citizens, on its peace of mind, on its sense of security,” she said. “No words can truly or fully measure the grief of Maine people.”