Gun Owners’ Action League Statement on the Horrific Events in Maine

Only one word comes to mind regarding the horrific murders in Lewiston, Maine on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - “Anger”!

From all accounts, this was entirely preventable. The families of the victims, and indeed the entire nation, should be furious at the systemic failure that led to this atrocity.

Since the Newtown massacre in 2012, GOAL has adamantly fought to get our government officials, and the general public, to acknowledge the number one common denominator involved in these tragically preventable events – Severe Mental Health Issues.

According to reports, the killer may have been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility and released even after admitting that he wanted to cause serious harm. This automatically made him a prohibited person from possessing a gun. The fact that he was released is simply unconscionable.

Our government officials have wasted more than a decade pushing for more gun control on lawful citizens, when they are fully aware it is the tremendously failed mental health policies and systems. Shame on them. Their lack of professional logical action on severe mental health is costing lives.

Arguing over what type of gun a psychotic killer has access to is insane. The simple matter is someone who has this level of dangerous mental health issues shouldn’t have access to society. They should be getting proper 24-hour care, not just temporarily monitored, and cast out into the public to lose control.

GOAL is calling on federal, state, and local officials to end their crusades against the lawful Second Amendment community and seriously address the matter at hand – severe mental health. DO YOUR JOB!