"Mass shooting." Two words heard all too often in the United States.
There were 656 mass shootings in the U.S in 2023. The one in Lewiston, Maine on Oct. 25, 2023 was the year's deadliest — and quite possibly preventable.
For the last year, the newsroom at Maine Public Radio has been on the ground investigating, combing through documents, listening to testimony and interviewing dozens of people.
Over six episodes, Breakdown explores the missed opportunities to prevent the shooting, the role of guns and hunting in Maine’s politics, and the aftermath for shooting victims, some of whom were deaf and hard of hearing.
Breakdown is a new podcast series from Maine Public Radio, the Portland Press Herald, and FRONTLINE PBS.
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A long-awaited review of the Lewiston mass shooter conducted by Water Reed National Military Center may contain a second opinion on what led to his violent behavior — but heavy redactions make it impossible to know. -
Members of the family in Bowdoin are among the few relatives of a mass shooter to ever talk openly about their experience. -
Over six episodes, Breakdown explores the missed opportunities to prevent the shooting, the role of guns and hunting in Maine’s politics, and the aftermath for shooting victims, some of whom were deaf and hard of hearing. -
Experts say the gunman’s brain tissue points to traumatic injury ‘likely’ caused by blasts in the line of duty; the Army disagrees, but is taking steps to limit exposure. -
FRONTLINE, the Portland Press Herald and Maine Public investigate the deadliest mass shooting in Maine history and the missed opportunities to prevent it. The documentary examines breakdowns with police, military and mental health care in the lead-up to the Lewiston shooting in October 2023. -
The bill is, at least in part, a response to research suggesting that the gunman in last year's Lewiston mass shooting may have suffered brain injuries as part of his service in the Army Reserves. -
Maine’s law is a compromise rooted in a tradition of gun rights that crosses the political aisle. -
Eighteen chairs, each holding a bouquet of white flowers, lined the stage of the Lewiston Colisee Friday night for an event to mark the first anniversary of the Lewiston mass shooting. -
A new exhibit at the Maine MILL features more than 261 empty bouquet sleeves collected from impromptu shooting memorials last year. -
18 people were killed, 13 were shot and survived, and many others witnessed the deadliest attack in Maine’s history. A year later, we look at how some have navigated the aftermath.
These stories are part of an ongoing collaboration with FRONTLINE (PBS) and the Portland Press Herald that includes the documentary Breakdown in Maine. They are supported through FRONTLINE’s Local Journalism Initiative, which is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
