Stephen King Calls Out 'Madness' After Maine Mass Shooting

Author Stephen King called out "madness" around gun control laws in the United States following two mass shootings in Maine Wednesday night.

A gunman opened fire at restaurant Schemengees Bar and Grille and bowling alley Sparetime Recreation in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday night before fleeing the scene, prompting a manhunt that continued into Thursday morning. The Associated Press reported 18 people were killed and 13 others were injured in the shootings, which rattled the state known for its low number of shootings in past years.

King, the famed horror author who hails from the state and sets many of his books there, responded to the shootings Thursday morning. The shootings occurred less than 50 miles from where he currently lives. He attended high school in nearby Lisbon, he wrote in a post to X, formerly Twitter.

He voiced concerns about gun laws that critics say are to blame for the high number of mass shootings that occur in the United States each year. There have been 565 mass shootings across the United States thus far in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which noted the shooting in Lewiston was the most deadly mass shooting of the year.

"It's the rapid-fire killing machines, people. This is madness in the name of freedom. Stop electing apologists for murder," he wrote, adding in a second post: "THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES."

Newsweek reached out to King's spokesperson for comment via email.

Debate over gun control typically follows mass shooting events in the United States, with critics saying more stringent gun laws would lead to less gun violence. Others, however, believe that laws restricting gun ownership would violate the Constitution's Second Amendment.

King has previously advocated for stronger gun laws, previously saying gun owners should support "responsible gun ownership." He penned an essay in 2013 calling for stronger gun safety measures.

No arrests had been made in the shootings as of Thursday morning. Police have identified 40-year-old Robert Card as a person of interest, and a manhunt was underway late Thursday morning. Maine Governor Janet Mills said during a press conference that the "full weight" of her administration is behind locating him.

"There are still many things we don't yet know about these attacks, but the full weight of my administration is behind law enforcement's efforts to capture the person of interest, Robert Card, to hold whoever is responsible for the atrocity accountable under the full force of state and federal law and to seek full justice for the victims and their families," she said. "We cannot, and we will not rest in this endeavor."