LEWISTON, Maine — Many students in Lewiston will return to the classroom on Wednesday, just a few days after police said gunshots were fired at a community-wide back-to-school event. No injuries were reported in that incident.
Police told NEWS CENTER Maine that there have been more than 20 shootings or reports of shots fired this year, with the majority of them involving teenagers and young adults.
Police Chief David St. Pierre and Superintendent of Schools Jake Langlais addressed concerns from community members in the wake of the recent gun violence incidents.
"We all want to rest easy knowing that the people we love and care about are safe. Lewiston can be a safe place for everyone if we work together to stop gun violence in our community. We showed the world last October that we were and remain #LewistonStrong," St. Pierre and Langlais said in a press release.
The release also stated that the police and school departments have worked to upgrade "security systems, sensors, diligence, communication." Police will also increase patrols at all schools in the district, according to the release.
Langlais said Wednesday morning that student and staff safety is always a top priority, adding the district has a strong working relationship with the police department.
“It’s going to take us all to solve this challenge that we’re facing with the gun violence," he said.
Langlais also advised all community members to remember the message of "see something, say something."
“It will allow us to do something with that information," he explained. "So, we want people to be courageous enough to say if they think if there's a concern so we can evaluate the situation and share information as appropriate."
Lewiston police, city officials, and other stakeholders will hold a press conference Thursday afternoon to further address the recent uptick in violence in the community. They will also "announce plans for immediate action and future community engagement to reduce the incidences of violence in the community," according to a press release.
Some of those plans were mentioned in the release, including increased law enforcement presence, more coordination with other law enforcement agencies, and a call to action to state lawmakers and Maine's judicial system.
That press conference is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Lewiston City Hall.