By Sarah Roebuck
Police1
LEWISTON, Maine — A retired police officer quickly started protecting people in a bowling alley when a man opened fire on Wednesday night, ABC News reports.
Riley Dumont told ABC News that her daughter, who is 11 years old, was involved in a youth activity at the bowling alley when shots suddenly rang out.
Dumont said her father, a retired police officer with 40 years of experience, quickly grasped the severity of the situation and assisted in safeguarding individuals in the bowling alley.
“My dad’s been a police officer for 40 years and he literally just went into action in that moment and just kind of corralled us all and made sure we were all safe ... he was waiting for the cops to walk through the front door and he put protection in front of us and tables and like a big bench that the kids were hiding behind,” Dumont told ABC News.
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Dumont shared that she, along with her daughter, mother, and other parents and children present, were hiding. She firmly believes that her father’s actions contributed to saving lives.
The shootings, at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, killed 18 people and injured 13 others.
According to the state’s medical examiner, 16 males and two females killed Wednesday night ranged in age from 14 to 76.
At least 18 people were killed, and 13 others were injured after a suspect opened fire at two locations in Lewiston, Maine late Wednesday. @JujuChangABC spoke with Riley Dumont, an eyewitness of the shooting at the bowling alley where a children's league was taking place. pic.twitter.com/5MKDliKS8F
— Nightline (@Nightline) October 26, 2023
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