Lewiston Chief of Police David St. Pierre takes questions Thursday at a news conference at Lewiston City Hall. The city has put together a plan that includes asking for support from the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, requesting help from the federal Office on Gun Violence Prevention, and installing cameras in the community. Behind him, from left, are Brian O’Malley, Lewiston’s acting city administrator, Jake Langlais, Lewiston Public Schools superintendent, and Rilwan Osman, director of Maine Immigration and Refugee Services. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

LEWISTON — After a succession of shooting incidents in recent weeks led to a chorus of calls for change, city officials attempted Thursday to put forth a comprehensive plan for combating the increased gun violence.

During an afternoon news conference at City Hall, police officials and a group of community stakeholders unveiled a plan to put more law enforcement on the streets, engage the community, including youth and parents, and pursue changes that could assist a backlogged judicial system.

Lewiston Police Chief David St. Pierre, leading the conference, said police are just as frustrated as the community as new shooting cases pile up.

He said the recent shootings, which included gunshots during a heavily-attended community event last Friday, have “caused widespread concern and a sense of urgency to implement more effective preventative measures.”

From a law enforcement perspective, St. Pierre said the plan includes bolstering the department’s walking beats for officers. He said while patrols have been increased, he’s also requesting funding from the City Council for three months of overtime pay to “ensure a stronger police presence on the streets.”

St. Pierre said he’s also seeking federal support from the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to assist with investigations.

Police have continually expressed frustration with a lack of cooperation from witnesses, which severely delays investigations. St. Pierre outlined plans to partner with community organizations on programming to build further trust between law enforcement and the public, but said they are also looking for other means to help investigations.

He said the department has requested a demonstration for a camera that has specific capabilities to help address gun violence.

“Given the safety concerns community members have related to talking to law enforcement — fear of retribution or further involvement — LPD has noted that often footage is what makes or breaks the case,” he said.

Leaders of local organizations, including Generational Noor and Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services, were also on hand Thursday to discuss partnerships with police and city officials. St. Pierre said that as community organizations, particularly those led by local youth, have begun hosting discussions about gun violence, they have also urged police to get more involved.

“This initial plan is meant to do just that, and the city is grateful to those organizations and people — particularly our youth — who have pushed for us to do more and to figure out a path forward,” St. Pierre said.

The plan includes more support for community conversations, a partnership between police and the school department to host “parent informational sessions,” and informal monthly meetings with organizations that work with youth and New Mainers in order to build trust.

Amran Osman, executive director of Generational Noor, speaks Thursday during a news conference at Lewiston City Hall to outline plans to curb the gun violence in the city. Osman is the founder of the community organization that aims to destigmatize the topics of substance abuse, mental health, alcoholism and drug abuse in immigrant households. Behind her are Rilwan Osman, director of the Maine Immigration Refugee Services, left, and Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Amran Osman, executive director of Generational Noor, which provides services for immigrant families and young people to confront difficult issues, called on the community to unite toward solutions and that everyone, from law enforcement, to city officials, youth and parents, should be held accountable.

Osman said police and officials “need to work with the community you serve,” and that local youth need to be “a part of the solution.”

Also speaking Thursday was Androscoggin County District Attorney Neil McLeanJr., who outlined the difficult situation his office is in, with a limited number of prosecutors staring down a giant backlog of cases.

He pushed back on the “narrative” that his office is soft on crime, stating there are 2,386 cases pending, with about six prosecutors working them. Hiring new attorneys is also proving difficult due to low pay compared to defense attorneys, he said.

McLean also called the lack of cooperation with police during investigations “a massive breakdown in our community right now.”

The city’s plan includes talks between the DA’s office, police and Lewiston’s legislative delegation to address the court system’s lack of resources.

“This lack of resources results in frequent case dismissals and charges being significantly reduced, exacerbating existing safety issues in our community,” the city’s statement said.

Androscoggin County District Attorney Neil McLean Jr. takes questions Thursday at a news conference at Lewiston City Hall. McLean detailed the understaffing problem in the DA’s Office, which has made it impossible to stay on top of the county’s caseload. Behind him, from left, are Brian O’Malley, Lewiston’s acting city administrator; Jake Langlais, Lewiston Public Schools superintendent; and Rilwan Osman, director of Maine Immigration and Refugee Services. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Members of Lewiston’s legislative delegation released a joint statement following the news conference that pledged to “continue working with law enforcement, local leaders and stakeholders in an effort to reduce violence, improve safety and ensure everyone feels protected in our community.”

Mayor Carl Sheline, kicking off the remarks, said gun violence is “not just a law enforcement issue — it’s a community issue.”

We’ve seen before how powerful we can be when we come together,” he said. “After the events of Oct. 25 we united as one city, one community, and we can do it again.”

He was referring to the 2023 mass shooting at two locations in Lewiston in which 18 people were killed and injured many.

According to St. Pierre, there have been 27 confirmed incidents where shots were fired over the past eight months. Of those, three were self-inflicted and two were incidents where a victim was shot by someone else. Many of the confirmed shootings have involved young people.

According to the FBI’s Unified Crime Data reports, violent crime offenders ages 10 to 19 increased about 93% between 2012 and 2022.

There were back-to-back shootings Friday night near a back-to-school event at Mike McGraw Park. The week before, a teenager was injured by flying glass as the car he was riding in was struck by bullets.

In mid-July, 17-year-old Sahal Muridi was killed in a shooting on Rideout Avenue, which remains under investigation.

The incidents have led to calls for action from elected officials, community organizations and the public.

City councilors pushed for a public workshop with police officials, which has been scheduled for Tuesday.

Osman said Generational Noor is hosting a meeting Wednesday to “create actionable next steps” to address gun violence.