Jim Abbott, a veteran newspaper industry professional and friend of the San Francisco Bay Times, used to live in the Lewiston, Maine, area and is familiar with the Just-in-Time Recreation bowling alley that he used to visit. He, like so many of us, were saddened by the mass shooting that took place on October 25, 2023, at the bowling alley and also at another popular location in Lewiston, Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant.
Abbot told the Bay Times: “I lived in Lewiston for a short time when I first lived with [my late husband] Dick. We had a small apartment not far from where those horrific shootings took place. We lived for several years in Auburn, which is just across the river from Lewiston. We joined others for fun nights of bowling at Sparetime [the previous name of Just-in-Time Recreation] where most of the victims died. We had many friends in Lewiston and I have heard from a few stating they are OK.”
He added, “The mass shooting in Maine is a clarion call for gun control. The day before the shooting, the Senate approved an amendment that would allow psychologically impaired veterans to obtain guns. That is the perfect delimitation of the shooter in this case; a veteran and gun instructor who had been treated for mental illness.”
“Maine has a yellow flag law, which says a doctor and a judge must agree the suspect is a danger before guns can be removed,” Abbot continued. “AR15 style weapons have only one purpose, to kill as many people as possible in as short a period as possible. Off-duty officers arrived at Just-in-Time Recreation 90 seconds after the shooting and the suspect had already left! My heart aches for the good people of Lewiston.”
The State of Maine now has a page, “Healing Together: Supporting Victims and Families of the Tragedy in Lewiston.” https://tinyurl.com/mryynpnk
Published on November 2, 2023
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