LEWISTON, Maine – A Lewiston-area resident is calling on city officials to reconsider public comment rules to ensure survivors of the October 25, 2023 mass shooting are allowed to address elected leaders, as tensions continue to rise over how victims and survivors are treated during recent City Council meetings.
In an email sent Wednesday to Lewiston officials, Lisa Jones questioned what steps would be necessary to modify existing rules governing public participation, particularly for individuals who survived the mass shooting but live outside Lewiston city limits.
“What steps to need to be taken to ensure that people who survived attempted murder in our city are allowed to address our elected leaders, even if their address is in a different zip code?” Jones wrote.
Jones referenced recent interactions involving shooting survivor Destiny Johnson, who has attended multiple City Council meetings in recent months to speak about her experience and advocate for victims. Johnson, who does not reside in Lewiston, has faced challenges related to residency requirements during public comment periods.
“The continued attempts to silence Destiny Johnson only make you look heartless, cruel, and like you want people to shut up about the truth,” Jones wrote, adding that Johnson has expressed feeling as though city leaders want her to “go away.”
Her email also pointed to what she described as uneven enforcement of public comment rules. Jones acknowledged that the city charter outlines participation requirements but argued that those rules had historically been left to mayoral discretion and were not consistently enforced until recently.
She referenced criticism raised during recent meetings by Republican gubernatorial candidate David Jones, along with Republican State Representatives David Boyer and Quentin Chapman, who have publicly addressed council leadership and decision-making during public comment sessions.
Jones suggested that city officials consider granting blanket approval allowing survivors of the October 25, 2023 shooting to address city leaders regardless of residency.
“Since it was mayoral discretion to not enforce that part of the charter for years, can’t we perhaps have a blanket approval for those who were shot or narrowly missed being shot on 10/25/2023 to be able to address City leaders?” she wrote.
The email arrives amid growing scrutiny of the tone and conduct displayed during recent council meetings, particularly involving Councilor Scott Harriman. Several attendees have described interactions in which Harriman appeared disengaged while survivors were speaking, fueling criticism that elected officials are failing to demonstrate the seriousness many believe the moment demands.
Harriman has drawn particular attention after attributing behavior during meetings, including doodling and failing to make eye contact, to his autism diagnosis. The explanation, coming from a longtime elected councilor, has only intensified frustration among critics who argue that survivors of mass violence deserve visible attention, basic respect, and a council willing to listen.
Mayor Carl Sheline and members of the council have also faced criticism from some attendees who say the overall posture toward survivors has, at times, appeared dismissive, impatient, or indifferent during emotionally charged public comment sessions.
The dispute over who gets to speak comes against the backdrop of the deadliest mass shooting in Maine history, a tragedy that shattered Lewiston and left deep wounds that remain raw more than two years later.
On the night of October 25, 2023, a gunman opened fire first at Just-In-Time Recreation, a popular Lewiston bowling alley where families, friends, and local residents had gathered, before moving to Schemengees Bar & Grille, where he continued the attack. In all, 18 people were killed and 13 others were injured, leaving families broken, survivors traumatized, and the entire state in shock.
The shooting triggered a massive, days-long manhunt that effectively locked down much of central and southern Maine as heavily armed law enforcement officers searched for the suspect. Schools and businesses closed, residents were told to shelter in place, and communities across the region were gripped by fear and uncertainty until the suspect was later found dead.
In the months since, survivors and victims’ families have continued pressing for answers, accountability, and a meaningful voice in how the city responds to the aftermath of the massacre. That has included speaking out at public meetings, questioning officials, and resisting any effort they believe would push them to the margins.
For many of those survivors, the issue is no longer just parliamentary procedure or technical charter language. It is whether the city where they were nearly killed is willing to hear from them now that the cameras are gone and the headlines have faded.
Jones’ email makes clear that, for at least some residents, the answer so far has not been good enough.
