New review of police response to Maine mass shooting documents need for improvements

PORTLAND, Maine -- The Maine State Police released a report on Friday describing the lessons learned after the state’s largest mass shooting and making multiple recommendations for improvements in tactical response, incident management, training and other areas.

The agency called the report an “after action review” and said one of its goals was to identify areas for improvement stemming from the response to the Oct. 25, 2023, mass shooting that killed 18 people in Lewiston. One of the primary recommendations is that the state police incorporate new active-shooter training “for a more coordinated response during significant incidents and/or mass casualty incidents,” it states.

The shooting took place at a bowling alley and a bar and grille. The shooter was later revealed to be an Army reservist whose mental health had been deteriorating in the months before the attacks.

The New England State Police Administrators Compact will conduct an independent review of the report, the state police said. The report also details areas in which police met best practice standards, and terms the search for the gunman an “overall success.”