Billie Jayne Cooke, a shocked Lewiston resident, told the BBC
she was just leaving a public event on Wednesday evening when she first heard
of the attack and that the shooter was on the run.

“The entire ride home was just solid sirens, one siren
after another. Helicopters, sirens, I’ve never heard so much activity in my
life in this city.

“We have police from all over the state, from out of the
state, coming up,” said a visibly distressed Cooke.

“It’s horrible. We always say it’s not a matter of when but
if, and you just don’t think that’s ever going to happen – and it did.”

Cooke added that she called one of her sons as she was driving
home.

“It just, it’s crazy. I can’t process this because it just
seems so unimaginable.”