A New England city transformed by an influx of refugees and immigrants is now grappling with a youth gun-violence crisis, as police report 35 gun-related incidents this year, 22 involving juveniles.
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police → transform → juveniles
"I don’t feel safe.
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I → feel → ?
I fear for my life," Mohamed Muhumed, a Lewiston teenager, told Fox News Digital.
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Muhumed → fear → Digital
"I saw someone get punched in the middle of the sidewalk over there.
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someone → see → sidewalk
It’s crazy."
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It → ’ → ?
The city, Maine's second most populous city and home to a large population of refugees from Somali and other African nations, is experiencing a serious youth gun violence problem.
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city → experience → problem
Lewiston Police Chief Carly Conley called the gun violence "one of the most serious public safety challenges" facing the city.
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Conley → call → city
Jon Fetherston, a reporter for the conservative-leaning The Maine Wire who has reported extensively on the issue, told Fox News Digital that "the gun violence in Lewiston is very concerning.
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violence → lean → Lewiston
The majority... has been committed by teenagers...
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majority → commit → teenagers
Multiple times teenagers have been arrested and immediately released by the courts back out on the streets."
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teenagers → arrest → streets
"The court systems are being tapped.
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systems → tap → ?
The DA is frustrated that the courts aren't putting these kids away in jail...
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courts → frustrate → jail
Residents are very, very frustrated, and you've got kids shooting kids, and it's almost become commonplace here in Lewiston," Fetherston said.
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Fetherston → get → Lewiston
City officials have responded by approving $200,000 in additional police overtime funding to expand patrols and enforcement.
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officials → respond → patrols
They have also urged changes to Maine’s juvenile justice system, including more options for handling repeat violent offenders and greater scrutiny before high-risk juveniles are released.
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juveniles → urge → offenders
Mayor Carl Sheline said in a statement last month that the increased resources are "sending a strong message to those perpetrating gun violence: we will find you."
But he added, "Parental involvement and accountability are key to reducing youth gun violence in our city."
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involvement → say → city
Republican Rick LaChapelle, a former city council president who is now running for mayor, told Fox News Digital, "Our biggest problem is the system itself.
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problem → run → Digital
The police department is doing an excellent job catching these people.
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department → do → people
We have one young man that's been arrested 5 times, I believe, for the same thing.
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I → have → thing
He gets arrested, gets brought down to the youth center… gets released.
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He → arrest → center
"It's been a one-party rule forever that has instilled the rules that there's no accountability," LaChapelle argued.
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LaChapelle → instill → rules
"We need to change the rules of the system."
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We → need → system
Fox News Digital reached out to Sheline to discuss his efforts on combating the gun violence, but the mayor didn't respond by the time this story was published.
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story → reach → time
No official city or police data indicates that Somali residents as a group are behind the violence, or establishes a connection to the increase.
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residents → indicate → increase
But LaChapelle said, "That seems to be who's being arrested right now."
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who → say → ?
Mohamed Adbei, a teenager who spoke with Fox News Digital on the streets of Lewiston, pushed back on any ethnic connection: "I wouldn't just say it's the Somali kids.
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it → speak → connection
Ifraax Saciid, a Somali native who lived in Atlanta before moving to Lewiston, agreed.
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who → live → Lewiston
I think the root cause is poverty here in Lewiston.
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cause → think → Lewiston
Lewiston is very poor and is economically not in a good state," she said when asked if there was a direct connection to the Somali community.
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she → say → community
"I think what's happening here is happening everywhere.
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happening → think → ?
It's happening in Atlanta.
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It → happen → Atlanta
I have lived in Miami and Ohio and Kentucky and Minnesota and have seen what is happening in those states also happening here in Lewiston.
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happening → live → Lewiston
Lewiston has also been an epicenter in recent years for fraud scandals involving Maine's joint federal and state Medicaid program.
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Lewiston → involve → program
Saciid emphasized that "fraud is happening everywhere in the United States and with every skin color, with every class.
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fraud → emphasize → class
It's not tied particularly to one people."
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It → tie → people
The Somali influx to Lewiston began a quarter century ago, when refugees and secondary migrants started relocating to the former mill city along the Androscoggin River in search of safe neighborhoods and affordable housing.
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refugees → begin → neighborhoods
Then-Mayor Larry Raymond drew national attention in 2002 after asking Somali leaders to discourage additional migration to Lewiston, arguing the rapid influx was straining city resources.
Fast-forward to present day and Lewiston has one of the highest per capita Muslim populations in the country, most of it Somali along with refugees from other African nations.
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most → draw → nations
Fetherston argued that "history has proven him [Raymond] to be correct that... that it was too much too fast because a lot has changed in Lewiston.
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lot → argue → Lewiston
And things are not working out in Lewiston."
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things → work → Lewiston
LaChapelle noted, "I'm a French Canadian, so my ancestors came here....
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ancestors → note → ?
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
