LEWISTON, Maine (AP) 鈥 Children were back in school in Lewiston and on the streets dressed as dinosaurs and princesses for Halloween, after a chaotic week that saw the deadliest mass shooting in Maine鈥檚 history and a massive search for the suspect as people sheltered indoors.
Hundreds of students returned to Lewiston High School, petting therapy dogs and signing a large banner that read 鈥淟ewiston Strong.鈥 Days earlier the campus had been transformed into a law enforcement command post, with helicopters utilizing athletic fields and 300 vehicles filling the parking lot.
鈥淭oday's going to be hard,鈥 Superintendent Jake Langlais said. 鈥淏ut I think there's strength in gathering, in unity, in getting back together."
Jayden Sands, a 15-year-old sophomore, said one of his football coaches lost four friends. One of his best friends also lost a friend, and his mom鈥檚 friend was shot four times but survived.
Sands is glad to be back at school though safety was in the back of his mind.
鈥淎 lot of people are shocked and scared,鈥 he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just happy to be here. You know, another day to live. Hopefully it gets better.鈥
On Wednesday night, a U.S. Army reservist and firearms instructor from Bowdoin at a bowling alley and a bar. A massive search followed for 40-year-old Robert Card. Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order for residents before Card was found dead Friday.
Nearly a week later, parents and children were searching for candy in their favorite costumes, many thronging a long-running event put on by Peter Geiger, whose Lewiston-based business publishes the Farmers鈥 Almanac. Each year hundreds visit to get king-size candy bars 鈥 as long as they know the 鈥渟ecret鈥 password 鈥 which this Halloween was 鈥淟ewiston Strong.鈥
And again, the streets were filled with assorted ghosts, monsters, Disney princesses and blow-up dinosaurs, a Halloween almost like any other.
鈥淚 hurt as much as anyone else. For all of us there鈥檚 a loss,鈥 Geiger said. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 not going to let somebody undo a fun night for kids and families.鈥
Michelle Russell, assistant principal at McMahon Elementary School, who was with her granddaughter, dressed as a witch, said it was important to go trick-or-treating.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to get back to normal, if we can do that. We鈥檙e taking it slow,鈥 she said.
Logan Phelps, of Greene, said Halloween was a distraction from a tough week, including some difficult discussions he and wife Rebecca had with the kids.
Luna, 5, and Juniper, 3, were both dressed as Wonder Woman, and their 20-month-old brother, Allister, as a Triceratops.
鈥淎t the end of the day, you鈥檝e got to keep going, and you鈥檝e got to keep living your life,鈥 Phelps said.
Heather Hunter, a city administrator in Lewiston, said she was heartened to see steps toward normalcy but acknowledged the community has a long way to go.
鈥淚t鈥檚 similar to COVID. We鈥檙e adjusting to a new normal,鈥 she said.
Back at Lewiston High School, senior Calista Karas said students have much to process. Sheltering at home was frightening, Karas said. And on the day of the shootings, she couldn't immediately reach her mother, who was at work.
鈥淚 just couldn鈥檛 believe something like this would happen here 鈥 to us,鈥 Karas said.
When she walked through the school doors Tuesday, she felt her stomach drop somewhat. 鈥淚t was a weird experience to walk though school and see 鈥 life going on,鈥 she said.
Langlais, the superintendent, said staff and students will take it one day at a time, understanding that some will need more support than others.
鈥淗aving helicopters with search lights and infrared sensors over your homes and apartments is pretty uncomfortable,鈥 he said. 鈥淪o we鈥檙e recognizing that everybody had some level of impact.鈥
In Washington, D.C., independent Sen. Angus King and Republican Sen. Susan Collins took to the Senate floor Tuesday night to remember the dead.
鈥淎 week ago, there was a tear in the fabric of our community,鈥 King said.
鈥淲e're going to have a lot of time around here to talk about policy and what to do about this problem and what our policies can and should be,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut tonight, my colleague and I simply want to remember the people that lost their lives.鈥
Collins, standing next to a placard with photos of the victims, talked about how the 18 died because of "a senseless act.鈥
鈥淣o words can diminish the pain, shock and understandable anger felt by the families who lost loved ones. Nevertheless, it is my hope they will find solace and strength knowing they are in the hearts of so many,鈥 she said.
Each of the victims' names were read aloud 鈥 half by each senator.
