Six months memorial about Lewiston Maine shooting and the shooters traumatic brain injury

Echo news from Senator Angus King of Maine:

April 25th marked the six-month anniversary of the Lewiston mass shooting on October 25, 2023, that took the lives of 18 innocent people and shattered all of us. However, even in the darkest of times, Maine people have shown unwavering strength and resiliency — coming together to support one another and help forge a path forward.

As we learn more about the events that occurred that night, we must determine the likely causes and address them responsibly. A recent analysis of the shooter's brain showed evidence of a severe traumatic brain injury. As an Army reservist, he worked as an instructor at a hand grenade training range where it is believed he was repeatedly exposed to low-level blasts.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) from explosive weapons — used both in the field and in training exercises — are affecting the health and quality of life of our service members and veterans.

So, together with my colleagues, we introduced the bipartisan Blast Overpressure Safety Act, a bill that will ramp up efforts to measure and treat the harm resulting from repeated exposure to blasts. This bill is a long overdue, common-sense step forward to expand access to care for those with traumatic brain injuries caused by their time in service.

Days after that bill’s introduction, I asked the Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth about the Army’s plans to better protect servicemembers from TBI at a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing.

Lewiston Maine shrine of names at Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant

We owe it to the Lewiston victims and their families to expand research, provide care for TBI injuries, and follow the data and science of preventable brain damage. It’s the least we can do, and I thank my colleagues from both sides of the aisle for their work to address this critical and preventable issue.