New England Patriots Bill Belichick Reacts Strongly to Maine Gun Violence: 'Not Over Yet!'

New Englanders, including Patriots coach Bill Belichick, continue to mourn the loss of the victims and share grief with those affected by the horrific shooting in Lewiston, Maine.

FOXBORO — New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick joined the legions of New Englanders who expressed both their condolences and support for those affected by the mass shooting which claimed the life of at least 16 people on Wednesday night in Maine.

“Just start by sending our – from the team, players have talked about this, captains yesterday, too – sending our thoughts and prayers to the people in Maine,” Belichick said to begin his conference with reporters on Friday morning.

“It’s obviously a tragic situation. They’re great fans of ours, great friends up there and Maine is a great place. I feel bad for the pain and situation that they’re going through. Both Lewiston and Bowdoin, a lot of connections and a lot of my friends went there. I know the area pretty well, it’s very sad and difficult. So, we’re thinking about you down here at the Patriots.”

The tragic events began to unfold Wednesday evening when a gunman opened fire at both a restaurant and a bowling alley in Lewiston. He fled into the night, sparking a massive search by hundreds of officers while frightened residents stayed locked in their homes.

Authorities first identified Robert Card, 40, as a “person of interest” with regard to the shooting. At present, they are continuing the manhunt for Card, who is the suspected shooter. He is still considered both at large, and dangerous.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick :: Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Unfortunately, New Englanders are no strangers to such catastrophic events. A deadly mass shooting took place in December 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, when 20-year-old Adam Lanza shot and killed 26 people, most of which were between the ages of 7 and 8. Less than one year later, two homemade pressure cooker bombs were detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Three people were killed and hundreds injured, including 17 who lost limbs.

Belichick acknowledged the unintentional correlation between such tragedies when asked a follow-up question regarding how such issues are acknowledged within the team. 

“It could be any community. We all know that,” Belichick said. “The fact that it’s our fans, our area. It’s kind of like the Connecticut situation a few years back, not the same, but it’s just sad, tragic, and sounds like it’s not over yet."

The Lewiston community is about 150 miles north up the Atlantic coast from Foxboro. Just one day earlier, team owner and CEO Robert Kraft issued a team statement, offering his thoughts and support for the victims, family and friends afflicted by this tragedy. 

The Patriots will remain in New England until Saturday, when they are scheduled to travel to Miami for their Week 8 matchup with the Miami Dolphins.