PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Two years after the deadliest mass shooting in state history, Maine residents are voting on whether to make it easier for family members to petition a court to restrict a potentially dangerous person’s access to guns.
A statewide ballot question on Tuesday asks residents if they want to build on the state’s yellow flag law, which allows police officers to initiate a process to keep someone away from firearms. Approval would add Maine to more than 20 states that have a red flag law empowering family members to take the same step.
Gun safety advocates began pushing for a stricter red flag law after 18 people were killed when an Army reservist opened fire at a bowling alley and a bar and grill in Lewiston in October 2023. An independent commission appointed by Maine’s governor later concluded that there were numerous opportunities for intervention by both Army officials and civilian law enforcement.
In the aftermath of the shooting, law enforcement officers testified before the independent commission that they had difficulty implementing the state’s existing yellow flag law, which they described as cumbersome and time-consuming.
Gun control proponents characterized that law as too weak and difficult to implement, requiring police to take potentially dangerous individuals into protective custody for mental health evaluations.
The campaign in favor of the red flag law released an ad this fall in which Arthur Barnard, father of a Lewiston shooting victim, stated that a stronger law could have saved his son’s life. He emphasized, “People who are having a mental health crisis need help, not easy access to guns.”
The proposal has faced resistance from Republicans, hunting groups, and gun rights organizations, who argue that Maine, with its low crime rates and high gun ownership, should rely on its existing laws. Governor Janet Mills, a Democrat, has also opposed the measure, claiming it complicates the already effective yellow flag law.
The ballot question campaign occurs alongside ongoing legal challenges related to the Lewiston shooting, where survivors and victims' families have filed lawsuits against the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense, arguing that they failed to prevent the tragedy by not acting on known threats posed by the shooter.
As Maine navigates these complex issues in the wake of tragedy, the outcome of this ballot could significantly impact the state's approach to gun safety and mental health intervention.
