Tearful relatives of Maine mass shooting victims plead for change to prevent future tragedies

By DAVID SHARP
Associated Press

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Relatives of the victims of the deadliest shooting in Maine history are imploring an independent commission to prevent such a thing from ever happening again. Testifying through tears at a hearing Thursday, they described gunfire, blood and panic. One by one, family members of seven of the people who died described their heartbreak, in ways both large and small. One witness testified about how difficult it was for members of the state’s deaf community to get information about the shootings in their aftermath.