Remembering the Victims from Wednesday's Mass Shooting in Lewiston
Yesterday, Maine AFL-CIO President Cynthia Phinney released the following statement on the mass shooting in Lewiston that left nearly 20 people dead, including union members, their relatives and friends:
“Our hearts are with the people of Lewiston and those who experienced an unspeakable tragedy last night. Maine is like a small town in many ways and we are all closely connected to each other, which makes this event all the more devastating. Our union family is even more tightly knit and our affiliate members have lost friends, coworkers and family members in this senseless act of violence.
The Maine AFL-CIO made the decision to postpone our biennial convention in Auburn — previously scheduled for Thursday and Friday, October 25 & 26 — in light of the mass shooting in Lewiston on Wednesday evening. Many of our federation’s delegates arrived Wednesday evening at the Hilton Garden Hotel to learn that the police ordered a lockdown and they sheltered in place until yesterday morning.
“Our affiliate members also include first responders like Lewiston area Firefighters and healthcare providers around the region who responded to a scene that no one should ever have to see," Phinney continued. "It is critical that survivors, first responders, health care workers and their families receive all of the help that they need during this severely traumatic time.
“Last night people went to work at both Schemengees bar and the bowling alley down the street, and others went there simply to have an enjoyable time with family and friends. We cannot accept that it’s normal for people to head out for a work shift or an evening like that and wind up losing their lives."
Union Members Killed in Wednesday's Shooting
Both of the targeted venues, Schemengees Bar on Lincoln Street & Grill on Lincoln Street and Just-In-Time Recreation on Mollison Way, are working class institutions in a working class city. We lost a number of union brothers and their family members in the Wednesday night mass shooting at Schemengees, including Bath Iron Works pipefitter Peyton Brewer-Ross (IAM S6) and former MSEA member Josh Seal as well as Lewiston mail carrier Steve Vozella (NALC 241). Local 241 has long held its union meetings at Schemengees. Click the links above to read our tributes to these men.
According to the group American Deaf Cornhole, Josh and Stephen were among a group of deaf people having a cornhole tournament at the bar when they were shot and killed. Vozzella’s wife, Megan, who is also deaf, told USA Today that the cornhole tournament had 10 participants.
"I am so overwhelmed and angry at the shootings," Vozzella told the news outlet.
Father of IBEW 567 Member Lost
According to Denis Lehouillier, Business Agent for IBEW 567, Local 567 members were at Schemengees before the gunmen entered the bar on Wednesday evening. Florida resident Keith Mcneir, the father of one IBEW 567 member Breslin Mcneir, was visiting his son Florida and were hanging out at the Schemengees that evening when Breslin left early to go to a union meeting at the IBEW 567 hall on Goddard Road. Keith stayed at the bar and Breslin intended to pick his father up afterwards. According to Lehouillier,
We heard at the end of our meeting that the shooting happened so he wanted to get back down there. A journeyman dropped him off but of course he couldn’t get near his father because the police wouldn’t let him. So then I got a call from the member who dropped him off asking if I could go pick him up and bring him to the hospital because his dad had been shot. So I went down and picked him up and dropped him off at Central Maine Medical Center. I reached out to him yesterday morning to see if he had any news on his dad and he told me he didn’t make it.
As soon as the name of the IBEW 567 member and his father is made public, we will provide a way to directly support him and and other families of the victims during this tragic time. We are all dealing with the aftermath of this tragedy in one way or another, so here are some resources that may help. We are also working to set up a way for people to support the impacted union families.
Initial Resources List – Lewiston/Auburn
For Checking Current Status:
Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office
For Giving Support:
Red Cross Blood Donation Center, Lewiston
United Way Androscoggin County
For Getting Support:
Maine Crisis Line: Dial 711 or 1-888-568-1112
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text or call 988 or visit 988lifeline.org
NAMI Maine Helpline (for first responders, professionals, friends, and family)
SAMSHA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) offers a Disaster Distress Hotline that is able to be accessed in English or Spanish and provides year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free crisis support service is available 24/7 to all residents in the U.S. and its territories who are experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
This can be accessed by calling or texting 1-800-985-5990
And there are also links to a variety of resources on the websites of both Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Congressman Jared Golden.