Less than two weeks after Lewiston police responded to a report of gunfire and found a teenager dead in a road, about 100 people gathered for a community discussion about rising gun violence in the city.
Mohamed Mohamed, a social worker who grew up in the Somali community in Lewiston, and said he lost a friend to gun violence in 2020. He said he has been to other similar community meetings in recent years — but change has been slow.
"My biggest hope — what I'm praying for — is that there's at least something good that comes out of these discussions," Mohamed said.
Mohamed said he'd like the city to invest in a youth center where young people can have a place to spend time and connect with positive role models.
Growing up in Lewiston, Koos Mohamed said gun violence was not something she thought about. Now, she's concerned about the proliferation of guns in the community.
"For me it's just really scary to see how easy it is for young kids to get guns and how accessible it is to them," she said.
Mohamed, who grew up in the city's Somali community, said generational trauma and cultural differences between parents and children can also make it harder for some immigrant families to discuss mental health issues.
Other community members said it was important to work on strengthening communication and trust between the police department and local immigrant communities.
Lewiston police officers, the mayor, the district attorney's office, and other local officials also participated in the meeting.
