Lewiston community finds comfort in presidential visit, but still want accountability after shootings

For the community in Lewiston, Maine, devastation, heartache, and severe loss became a painful reality within a matter of minutes last Wednesday night. But on Friday, a drive through the streets showed a stunning resilience to the unimaginable grief. "Lewiston Strong" signs hang in doorways, and light up awnings on businesses and inside construction sites. 

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden visited the memorial outside of Schemengees Bar & Grille, where they laid down white roses and spoke to community members. NBC10 Boston spoke exclusively with Kathy Lebel who met with the President. She says that it was comforting.

”To know that the president is actually coming here to see us at the location of where all my friends died. These people are great people and he comes down here to acknowledge it.” 

Lebel was not inside the bar when the shooting happened but she says she worked there. She was close with the manager Joey Walker, who was killed that night. Her meeting with the president was brief but she says it’s definitely an experience she will remember.

“He knew there was a lot of pain and heartache here and he said he was sorry. I mean just all the same things that everyone would say but you know but I knew he meant it when he said it.” 

Hours before the president arrived, Andrew Chessie, visited the memorial. Sign in hand, he came out today in hopes of getting one message out to the president.

“We care here about getting things done, we want our message heard and our message is just to open your eyes to whats going on, mental health’s a real thing and something should be done about it.” 

While hammering in the pegs, and screwing in the nails for the sign, Chessie spoke with NBC10 Boston about the terrifying moments inside the bar.

“It was something that I could never wish to see again.” 

Once he was done, the big bold red letters reading “Fix the Mental Health System” stood just feet away from the memorial outside of Schmengees Bar & Grille. 

“We’re done brushing things under the rug and I also believe that accountablility should be taken for what happened here,” said Chessie. 

Before Chessie placed his sign up, the wife and daughter of Joey Walker visited the memorial.

“ I just would've just kept us both home that day,” wife Tracey Walker said.

Now the family is trying to remember Walker for who he was, instead of how he died. 

“He was an amazing dad, no matter how far I went out of state he was always there as a dad,” said Bethany Welch. 

Throughout the day, neighbors from the tight-knit community came by the pay their respects regardless of whether they knew the victims or not. 

“It goes on and on down the line as far as this person knows this person and this person know this person,” said Leslie Miller.