Lewiston faces surge in teen gun violence amid refugee-rich community

Lewiston, Maine’s second-largest city, which was reshaped by an influx of Somali and other African refugees, is now confronting a sharp increase in youth gun violence, with police recording 35 shootings this year, 22 by juveniles. Residents like teenager Mohamed Muhumed say they feel unsafe on the streets. Police Chief Carly Conley labeled the trend a major public-safety challenge, and city officials responded by earmarking $200,000 for additional police overtime and calling for changes to Maine’s juvenile justice system to keep repeat offenders off the streets.

Mayor Carl Sheline emphasized parental accountability, while mayoral candidate Rick LaChapelle criticized the existing legal framework for allowing repeat arrests without detention. Community voices, including Mohamed Adbei and Somali newcomer Ifraax Saciid, argue that poverty, not ethnicity, drives the violence.