Hi–

Last night, at least 18 people were killed and 13 more wounded in my college town of Lewiston, Maine after a gunman armed with an AR-15 opened fire twice while people were bowling and enjoying a meal. Lewiston and our other nearby communities are still in lockdown as law enforcement searches for the suspect.

Now, when I think back on my most memorable moments at Bates College, it won't just be move-in day, the first day of class, or even my graduation—but also the day my community was terrorized by this nightmarish act of gun violence. Unfortunately, this has become all too common for my generation.

Like so many others, I spent last night locked in a backroom of my house with my roommates, listening to sirens and helicopters flying low overhead and obsessively checking the news for the latest updates.

Today, I'm feeling devastated and numb. Working in gun violence prevention, I hear about senseless tragedies every day, but for it to hit so close to home is horrifying. I'm overwhelmed with pain for my community and those whose loved ones were killed, wounded, or traumatized in this tragedy.

There's often a common thread in mass shootings, and the tragedy here in Lewiston is no different: The shooting turned as deadly as it did because of an assault weapon—a weapon invented for use on the battlefield, designed to kill as many people as possible as quickly as possible.

The best way I know how to honor my community is by demanding meaningful legislative action on gun safety. That's why we're calling for Congress to reinstate the federal assault weapons ban.

Lewiston is a small town and a close-knit community. The trauma from last night's shooting will reverberate here for years to come. And we can ensure no other community has to experience this avoidable pain by responding with action.

Our communities deserve to live and thrive in peace. Join me in telling your U.S. Senators and Representative to save lives by supporting a federal assault weapons ban.

Thank you for taking action,

Campbell McKendry
She/Her/Hers
Intern, Everytown for Gun Safety