Hollywood star Patrick Dempsey and other Maine natives, including author Stephen King and actor Timothy Simons, have responded with shock and grief following the devastating mass shooting event that took place in the Maine city of Lewiston. Their reaction is another indication of the far-reaching impact of the tragedy, which left at least 18 people dead. King, who is a native Mainer, shared his thoughts on the shootings via X (formerly Twitter), and Simons even took to social media to thank friends and family who reached out to express their concern for his well-being.
Mass Shooting: What happened in Maine?
According to the Associated Press, a man murdered at least 18 people with a gun and injured 13 others in separate attacks at a bowling alley and a nearby club on Wednesday night. Hundreds of officers were still searching for the culprit, who is thought to be US Army reservist Robert Card, as of Thursday evening, as homeowners remained trapped in their houses under a shelter-in-place advisory. Many Maine residents and celebrities flocked to social media to express their pain and concern over the tragic situation, with Pete Davidson and John Mulaney postponing gigs in the city.
Patrick Dempsey, Timothy Simons Talk About Maine Shooting, Grief & Concern Palpable
After news of the tragic incident broke, actor Timothy Simons rushed to social media, writing: “Thank you to everyone who reached out last night and this morning. My family and everyone I know who lives close by is okay. I was sent an article by a friend and this part stuck out to me.” Alongside this message, there was a portion of an article attached which seemingly touched on how mass shootings treat all American lives as equally unimportant.
Aside from this, Dempsey, the Grey’s Anatomy star shared on Instagram: “I am shocked, and deeply saddened by last night’s tragedy in my hometown, Lewiston, Maine. Maine’s great strength is its sense of community, and now we are being asked to come together to support everyone that has been devastated by this senseless act.” Maine native and writer Stephen King also shared his thoughts on X, writing, “The shootings occurred less than 50 miles from where I live. I went to high school in Lisbon. It’s the rapid-fire killing machines, people. This is madness in the name of freedom. Stop electing apologists for murder.”