A host of celebrities have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the mass shootings in Maine that has left at least 18 people dead and several wounded.
A gunman opened fire at restaurant Schemengees Bar and Grille and bowling alley Just-In-Time Recreation in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday night before fleeing the scene, prompting a manhunt that continued into Friday morning.
Police are looking for suspect Robert Card, 40, and have said the Army reservist should be “considered armed and dangerous.”
JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images;//Noam Galai/Getty Images for Clinton Global Initiative;/John Lamparski/WireImage
As news of the latest tragedy circulated, several celebrities took to their social media accounts to share their reactions.
Actor Patrick Dempsey, who hails from Lewiston, stated in an Instagram post shared on Thursday that he was “heartbroken.”
“I am shocked, and deeply saddened by last night’s tragedy in my hometown, Lewiston, Maine,” he wrote. “Maine’s great strength is [its] sense of community, and now we are being asked to come together to support everyone that has been devastated by this senseless act.
“My family and I are heartbroken for the victims, their families, and the community.”
Author Stephen King called out the “madness” around gun control laws in the United States following the shootings.
The shootings occurred less than 50 miles from where he currently lives. He attended high school in nearby Lisbon, he wrote in a post to X, formerly Twitter.
“It’s the rapid-fire killing machines, people. This is madness in the name of freedom. Stop electing apologists for murder,” he wrote.
King, who penned an essay in 2013 calling for stronger gun safety measures, added in a second post: “THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES.”
British TV personality Piers Morgan wrote on X: “Another day, another horrific mass shooting in America…This is what’s known about the shooter. If authorities knew all this, how the hell was he able to arm himself and commit such an atrocity?”
Actress Marlee Matlin said in an X post that her “heart hurts for everyone,” as she pointed out how the shooting had affected the deaf community.
“Mass shootings are horrible but yesterday’s strikes the Deaf community everywhere, especially hard,” said Matlin, who is deaf. “That’s because according to social media reports, 9 Deaf people were playing (in the corn hole tournament) in the bar and at least 4 were killed and others were injured.
“When mass shootings affect a tightly knit community like ours, it shows that NO ONE is immune to such horrific violence. My heart hurts for everyone.”
Matlin also asked broadcasters to ensure sign language interpreters are “fully visible” during coverage of the tragedy. “PLEASE do NOT cut us out of important news and information by cutting out the interpreters on screen,” she added.
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill responded to X account @CalltoActivism’s post which read that “the shooter didn’t act alone. He was assisted by 222 House members, 49 Senators, and the NRA [National Rifle Association],” in reference to gun laws.
“ONLY. IN. AMERICA. #ItsTheGuns,” Hamill wrote as he reposted the statement along with a string of broken heart emojis.
In a statement on X, President Joe Biden urged Republicans in Congress to “fulfill their duty to protect the American people,” by working with Democrats to pass a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, among other measures.
“Once again, our nation mourns after another senseless and tragic mass shooting,” he stated. “Today, Jill [Biden] and I pray for the Americans in Maine who’ve lost their lives, those in critical care, and the families, survivors, and community members enduring shock and grief.”
“For countless Americans who have survived gun violence and been traumatized by it, a shooting such as this reopens deep and painful wounds,” he went on. “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.
“While we have made progress on gun safety through the 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.”
Addressing the other side of the political aisle directly, Biden added: “Today, in the wake of yet another tragedy, I urge 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 sage storage of guns, and end immunity from liability gun manufacturers. This is the very least we owe every American who will now bear the scars—physical and mental—of this latest attack.”
Vice-President Kamala Harris said in a speech posted to X: “Last night, Lewiston became yet another community torn apart by senseless gun violence. Once again, routine gatherings—this time at a bowling alley and a restaurant— have been turned into scenes of horrific carnage.
“Doug [Emhoff] and I mourn for those who were killed. We pray for those who were injured and grieve with so many whose lives are forever changed and impacted by what happened. The Biden-Harris administration will continue to provide full support to local authorities.”
Former President Donald Trump—who recently formally filed to run for president in 2024—called the situation “terrible” in a post on his platform Truth Social.
“A terrible situation going on in Maine,” the Republican frontrunner in the polls wrote. “It just seems to never end for the USA!”
While a number of public figures reaction to the tragedy by calling for gun control laws, conservative commentator Candace Owens suggested pharmaceutical companies were to blame.
“Another mass shooting that Big Pharma is going to get away with,” she said on X. “Never a discussion about the ‘anti-psychotic’ medications that these shooters all have in common.
“So we’ll do the usual, political song & dance while the American drug cartel billionaires count their billions.”
Another mass shooting that Big Pharma is going to get away with.
Never a discussion about the “anti-psychotic” medications that these shooters all have in common.
So we’ll do the usual, political song & dance while the American drug cartel billionaires count their billions.
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) October 26, 2023
It has been reported that suspected Maine shooter Card began acting erratically in mid-July after struggling with a suspected mental health crisis.
According to The Associated Press, citing a bulletin sent to police, Card spent a couple of weeks at a mental health facility during the summer, although it remains unclear what Card’s condition and treatment was. He was admitted after “hearing voices and threats to shoot up” a military base.
Maine Governor Janet Mills said during a press conference that the “full weight” of her administration is behind locating him.
“There are still many things we don’t yet know about these attacks, but the full weight of my administration is behind law enforcement’s efforts to capture the person of interest, Robert Card, to hold whoever is responsible for the atrocity accountable under the full force of state and federal law and to seek full justice for the victims and their families,” she said. “We cannot, and we will not rest in this endeavor.”
The shootings have sparked conspiracy theories about Card as well as reignited discussions and opinions regarding gun laws.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.