AUGUSTA, Maine — Family members of Lewiston mass shooting victims highlighted communication issues after the rampage, with loved ones telling a state commission they waited as long as several days for official confirmation of deaths.
Thursday’s emotional testimony before the independent commission reviewing Maine’s deadliest mass shooting on record lasted less than an hour. Some of the eight people who spoke Tuesday witnessed the shooting, including the partners of two men hailed as heroes for charging the gunman at a bowling alley before they were killed.
Gov. Janet Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey tasked the panel with investigating the lead-up and police response to the Oct. 25 rampage at a Lewiston bowling alley and bar that left 18 dead and 13 injured. Following a 48-hour manhunt, the gunman, 40-year-old Army reservist Robert Card II of Bowdoin, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Those who testified spoke about their loved ones’ personalities and the children many of them left behind. Commission members did not ask many questions apart from clarifying issues family members had with learning information in the shooting’s aftermath while also highlighting the victim advocates who helped them. The commission also has received written testimony from several family members who did not speak Thursday.
The first two people to testify were Elizabeth Seal and Megan Vozzella, whose husbands, Josh Seal, 36, and Steve Vozzella, 45, were among four deaf victims killed while playing cornhole at Schemengees Bar and Grille. Josh Seal was a leading advocate for deaf Mainers and served as an interpreter during COVID-19 pandemic briefings alongside state leaders.
The widows reiterated the communication barriers they and other deaf people faced while trying to obtain information on loved ones from police, media and others after the shooting.
“With Josh not being here, I feel like I need to take this on in his stead,” Seal said.
Janette Randazzo, whose deaf 41-year-old son, Bryan MacFarlane, was killed at the bar, mentioned Card and said the lack of “full disclosure” regarding his mental health status led to 18 people dying and countless others having their lives forever changed.
The sister and fiancee of Peyton Brewer-Ross, 40, who was killed at Schemengees, shared how they found out about his death from friends, social media and reporters reaching out for comment before they had received official confirmation. Wednesday was his birthday, the two said while holding a photo of him as they testified.
Brewer-Ross’ fiancee, Rachael Sloat, said his most treasured title among several was father to his 2-year-old daughter, Elle, and that she wants everyone to hear the words of Elle still calling out for her dad while standing at the top of the stairs at home to see if he will appear.
“My fellow Americans, where are you?” Sloat asked Thursday.
Cassandra Violette, the daughter-in-law of Bob and Lucy Violette, a couple killed at the bowling alley where Bob, 76, volunteered at to coach youth, said her family learned of Bob’s death the night of the shooting but endured almost 48 hours of “torture” before confirming the death of Lucy, 73.
Cassandra Violette said she was out of state and boarding a flight to Maine when she finally learned Lucy died. She then had a panic attack and vomited on the plane.
Kathleen Walker’s husband, Jason Walker, 51, was among several to charge the shooter while his gun jammed at Just-In-Time Recreation before the gunman started firing again and killed Jason and others, including his friend Michael Deslauriers II, 51, whose partner, Stacy Cyr, also testified Thursday.
Kathleen Walker said she waited an “excruciating” 15 hours to receive official confirmation of Jason’s death.
“When I go out, I no longer feel safe,” Kathleen Walker said, describing how she carries a gun, locks all doors and checks on her two sons when hearing sirens.
The U.S. Army’s inspector general was set to formally begin by Thursday an independent review of the shooting, which family members of victims had called for, as the Army Reserves has also conducted two internal probes.
During her State of the State speech Tuesday, Mills proposed expanding background check requirements to advertised gun sales and tweaking Maine’s “yellow flag” law scrutinized since the shooting to allow police to take people into protective custody in special circumstances.
The panel has so far held three public meetings, with Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office personnel who responded to concerns about the Lewiston gunman testifying last week. Maine State Police officials will testify at the next scheduled meeting on Feb. 15, and the commission invited U.S. Army personnel to appear March 7.
The Legislature is considering a bill to give the panel subpoena power in order to compel witnesses to testify and obtain additional records. A legislative committee advanced the bill Wednesday to the House and Senate after making several tweaks, including a sunset provision that would dissolve the commission by July 1.
Card’s Army Reserve superiors in particular could face scrutiny, after a third-party report found they downplayed warnings about him in the weeks before the October shooting. Anne Jordan, the commission’s executive director, told lawmakers Monday that several people have so far refused to appear or have been directed by superiors to not testify.
Jordan also reiterated the commission plans to complete its work and issue a final report by late May, or six months after it first met in November.