LEWISTON, Maine — Fear is rising in Lewiston as reports of repeated gunfire incidents rattle neighborhoods, but when confronted directly during a live broadcast Thursday afternoon, some of Maine’s most visible political figures, including a U.S. Senate candidate, a gubernatorial candidate, a mayor, and a state representative, stayed silent.
Police shut down sections of several streets Thursday night after another round of gunfire was reported in neighborhoods around College Street. Officers were called at approximately 9 p.m. for reported gunfire in the area of Nichols Street before blocking off sections of Nichols Street and nearby roads while officers searched side streets and backyards.
Witnesses reported hearing at least a half dozen shots before police flooded the area. Some residents reported seeing officers carrying long guns while others described police searching yards and alleyways. Police also reportedly used tracking dogs as the search unfolded.
There was no immediate word on whether anyone had been struck by gunfire or taken into custody. By about 10 p.m., police appeared to be reopening previously blocked streets, though officers remained in the area.
The Nichols Street response was reported as the second gun-related incident Thursday and the third within roughly 24 hours. Shots were also reported earlier Thursday afternoon on Bartlett Street. Gunfire was also reportedly heard around 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Bates College area. The night before, gunshots were reported in the area of Pierce Street.
Residents questioned whether the Nichols Street response marked the fourth gunfire report within roughly a 36-hour span.
For Lewiston residents, those reports are not just statistics. They are reminders of a city still living in the shadow of tragedy.
Lewiston remains forever marked by the October 25, 2023 mass shooting, the deadliest shooting in Maine history,that left 18 people dead and 13 wounded. That attack shattered the sense of safety many residents once took for granted.
Since then, reports of gunfire and violent incidents have kept nerves raw across the city. Each new report of shots fired brings back memories of lockdowns, police searches, and fear that once gripped the entire region.
Residents say the difference now is not just the fear. It is the growing sense that leadership has failed to respond to rising concerns.
During a live version of Maine Wire TV held Thursday afternoon on Lisbon Street, U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner (D), gubernatorial candidate and current Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D), Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline (D), and State Rep. and City Councilor Scott Harriman (D) were all asked about the recent gunfire and the fear spreading across the city.
None responded.
Sheline was asked directly three times by this reporter about the violence and fear in the city. He stayed silent each time.
Platner left through the back door of the Maine People’s Alliance office, where he and Bellows had been campaigning, in a perceived effort to dodge questions from the Maine Wire.
For residents watching police respond to gunfire while politicians refused to answer basic questions, the silence struck a nerve.
A U.S. Senate candidate. A candidate for governor. A mayor. A state representative.
All asked about public safety in a city facing repeated reports of gunfire.
Not one answered.
Bellows, who is seeking the governorship while serving as Maine’s Secretary of State, and Platner, who is campaigning for the U.S. Senate, have both spoken publicly on a range of statewide issues during their campaigns. Yet when confronted directly about gun violence concerns in Lewiston, one of Maine’s most scrutinized cities following the 2023 mass shooting, neither provided a response during Thursday afternoon’s live questioning.
For Mayor Carl Sheline, Thursday afternoon’s silence added to what some residents describe as a pattern of frustration with city leadership.
In the months following the 2023 mass shooting, residents repeatedly called for transparency, accountability, and stronger communication from city officials. Public meetings became tense as residents demanded answers about safety, policing, and emergency preparedness.
More recently, anger has intensified over the city’s property revaluation, which many residents say has increased tax burdens to levels they cannot afford. Homeowners — including seniors on fixed incomes — have warned they fear losing their homes.
Now, with repeated reports of gunfire layered on top of financial strain, many residents say their patience has run out.
How did things get this bad in Lewiston?
How did a once-stable working-class city become one where residents report hearing gunfire multiple times in a matter of days?
How did Maine, long known as one of the safest states in the country, reach a point where public fear and frustration dominate conversations in city neighborhoods?
For many residents, the answer begins with leadership, or what they see as a lack of it.
They see rising crime concerns. They see rising taxes. They see repeated reports of gunfire. And they see elected officials refusing to answer direct questions.
Lewiston residents say they are not looking for political talking points.
They are looking for answers.
They want reassurance that their neighborhoods are safe. They want acknowledgement that their fears are real. They want leadership willing to stand in front of cameras and speak when the public demands answers.
Instead, Thursday afternoon delivered a moment that many residents say captured their growing frustration perfectly:
Police responding to gunfire. Residents asking questions. Political leaders refusing to answer.
For a city still healing from historic tragedy and now confronting renewed public safety fears, the silence from those in power is becoming impossible to ignore.
