Maine mass shooting having impact across South Florida

MIAMI – The scene out of Lewiston, Maine is having an impact across South Florida.

Five years after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the Lewiston shooting is a painful flashback for South Florida, especially for Parkland parents.

“I feel offended. I feel frustrated,” said Manuel Oliver, father of Joaquin Oliver.

“Our families are taken immediately back to that first day when we learned of the loss of our loved ones,” said Tony Montalto, father of Gina Rose Montalto.

Oliver and Montalto who lost children in the Parkland shooting both say Lewiston could’ve been prevented. 

“They’re not going to risk their seats their money for their campaigns just by prioritizing lives. Overcast that’s a reality so fighting this bad it’s going to take a while it’s going to take it we need to exchange our actual inactive politicians with people that really understand what the priority of a society should be,” said Oliver.

Parkland families and friends know first-hand the pain associated with the sudden loss of a loved one – and have developed ways to cope with their grief.

“Whether that’s journaling, talking to a mental health professional, talking to a trusted friend, or parent or adult. Another thing that has helped me tremendously heal through this and a lot of our activism in this movement is advocacy,” said March For Our Lives advocate Olivia Solomon.

All three people say the top preventive measure to mass shootings like Lewiston is policy change.