LEWISTON, Maine — Community members in Lewiston gathered Thursday at Robert V. Connors Elementary School to share their concerns about the recent uptick in violent crimes in neighborhoods around the city.
Generational Noor, a local non-profit, organized the meeting. People of Lewiston were encouraged to attend in hopes that community members could come together to find ways to fix what is broken in the city.
NEWS CENTER Maine reached out to Generational Noor but was unable to connect with anyone from the organization.
On Aug. 29, representatives from the Lewiston Police Department said officers had responded to 27 separate incidents of shots being fired since the beginning of the year.
Since that update, the violence has continued.
The latest shooting was just Monday on Knox Street, leaving one person injured. Lewiston police said officers responded to 66 Knox St. Monday around 4 p.m. after a Lewiston police patrol officer reported hearing active gunfire in the area.
Community disruptions
Bridgette Bartlett and other community members tend to vegetable beds at the Knox St. Community Garden once a week usually on Mondays. The garden sits right next to a playground.
"Usually there's some kids from the playground that may want to come over and help out as well," Bartlett said.
There's growth and life in the garden, and the soil, but on Monday of this week, Bartlett said she and other gardeners couldn't follow their routine of caring for the garden because there was yet another shooting.
Bartlett said when she heard about Monday's shooting, she immediately called to check on gardeners who were tending to the area.
"I've been here for many years, and there's also a lot of amazing people and kids I've seen grow up on this street," Bartlett said. "Obviously it's like really sad to see shootings or have gardeners that feel afraid to come out."
The shooting happened at a time when kids were usually playing in the neighborhood.
Abu Abdi, who works and lives in Lewiston, immigrated to Maine nearly 30 years ago.
"This street is known where all the crimes happen," he said.
Violence and crime seem to plague Knox Street, the community, and the people who live here, he said.
He said when he immigrated to Maine, people told him Maine was the safest place to live in the United States. While that still remains mostly true, Abdi said Lewiston is one place that does not feel safe anymore. He said Lewiston used to be different.
"The crime wasn't like this the way it is right now. Maybe the system failed my immigrant community," he said. "Maybe the police not doing their job...the mayor not doing his job. Maybe something has changed, and I don't know what has changed and how it became this way."
Two weeks ago, the Lewiston Police Department held a press conference sharing their pledge to increase police presence in high-crime areas.
Abdi said crime is still happening frequently. He points one finger at parents.
"The parents need to step up. The parents need to step up," emphasizing his words heavily. "And take care of their kids, be friends with their kids, and know where their kids are."
But Abdi said when he looks around Knox St. and other neighborhoods in Lewiston, what he sees are communities that are largely inhabited by immigrants and their children, who live in run-down housing, with boarded-up windows.
Abdi said he can only point the other fingers at city leaders.
"I think that they don't care anymore. That's what I think," Abdi said. "I don't care whether they like it or not me saying that. If they would've cared, it wouldn't be like this."
NEWS CENTER Maine reached out to the Lewiston Police Department for an interview, but they declined.
Lieutenant Derrick St. Laurent redirected NEWS CENTER Maine to review the department's recent press conference given weeks ago. Laurent also suggested that NEWS CENTER Maine reach out to Generational Noor non-profit and community members.
NEWS CENTER Maine also requested to speak to the city's mayor or other people who could speak for the city.
The city's marketing and communications director Angelynne Amores also suggested that NEWS CENTER Maine review the police department's previous press conference, explaining that there was no one available to speak with us ahead of the community meeting.
Abdi said he wants better for Lewiston.
"I want it to go back to the way that it used to be. Less crimes, less headaches, less drugs, less homelessness," Abdi said. "Take the homeless off the street. Help out. They need help. Whoever needs help, help out."