In the wake of the tragic shootings that left 18 people dead and 13 wounded in Lewiston on Oct. 25, many have been left wondering what can be done to ensure an attack like this never happens again.

As more information is revealed about the suspect, including his recent erratic behavior and threats to carry out mass shootings, it has become clear that opportunities existed to intervene, as two of us have noted to local and national media outlets.

We are heartened by the news that Gov. Janet Mills is forming an independent commission to fully examine the attacks, including how they happened, and what could have been done to stop them. It is unclear at this time what the composition of the commission will be, but Mills stated that the Attorney General’s Office will be involved and that legal, investigative and mental health experts may be included.

We feel this commission has the potential to be a major step forward in understanding this type of violence and taking real, actionable steps toward improving not just Maine’s public safety, but also the public safety of other jurisdictions in the United States and across the world. But it also has the potential to be a political ploy that does not move the needle in making concrete recommendations and taking actionable steps that people can see.

For this commission to truly be influential, it is imperative that it be composed of a variety of stakeholders representing different constituencies and points of view, but also experts who can inform the investigation without an agenda. Information and data, as well as insight on political processes at play, are essential to make this commission’s work meaningful and ensure that its recommendations have real teeth.

In 2018, after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in South Florida, a commission was formed to investigate the attack. The commission was the product of state legislation enacted by the legislature and signed by the governor. That commission included law enforcement, affected community members, legislators, mental health specialists and academics. The report that the commission published evaluated safety and security at the school, law enforcement response, a communication and systems assessment, and an evaluation of the perpetrator of the attack. The report ended with a set of recommendations to the legislature.

The Parkland Commission and report can serve as an example of the sort of work that Maine can accomplish in the coming days and weeks. But more can and should be done, which would position Maine as the standard.

Two of us are academics who have studied mass violence and have sought to inform the public regarding the Lewiston attack in the last two weeks, and the other is a Maine state representative of a district whose constituents were injured and killed in this deadly attack, and who knows that any commission must include the input of the legislative branch of government.

Given our collective backgrounds, and our experience in leading federal inter-agency working groups that prepared a report to President Biden on criminal justice statistics, we have several recommendations for the governor to consider as she puts the commission together and gives its charge that we feel would ensure its effectiveness.

First, it must incorporate people with expertise and experience with such attacks who are independent of the governor’s office. This includes academics such as ourselves, who can speak to the data and research on the topic. It should also include legislators who can inform the work to enact recommendations put forth by the commission. It should make room for public input and stakeholder engagement. It should seek the counsel and input of the newly formed White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. And it should regularly communicate the status of its work to the community.

Transparency will be important for this commission to have its work taken seriously.

Second, the commission should seek to create a detailed historical timeline of the case, starting with an in-depth examination of the suspect’s life and behavior leading up to the attack. This assessment will be important to determine motivation, causes and possible intervention points.

This is where a data-informed approach can be helpful. In some ways, this was a typical mass public shooting, involving a white man with a grievance. In other ways, it is unique, including the fact that the suspect escaped and was on the run for over a day. And sadly, there were a great many missed opportunities for serious intervention — for several months.

Third, a full analysis of the processes and procedure that can highlight what went right (and, contrary to popular media accounts, there was much about the response of which Maine and the nation can be proud) and what went wrong or could be improved. The totality of this is important because it can serve as a model for other jurisdictions that have to plan ahead for any potential event.

Maine is a unique state, with a very low homicide rate and traditionally hardworking folks who are willing to compromise. In the days after a tragedy such as the Lewiston shooting, people want something to happen. Yet, we often have conversations based on logic or emotion and wind up talking past one another. Here is where a commission, functionally and intelligently formed, can move us beyond the typical stalemate.

Those familiar with research can inform the commission regarding policy approaches that studies have shown to be effective. Legislators can use that information to determine what is politically feasible — and what is not, to pass into law. Mainers are pragmatic and respectful of each other’s rights, but they also want action to be taken. And we need to be mindful that some things may not happen as quickly as an overnight software update to one’s phone, but may take time. This needs to be communicated.

We have high hopes and expectations for the commission. Just as all Mainers do. We can collectively hope that this type of tragedy won’t happen again.

But if it does, we hope that what was learned and recommended by the governor’s commission will be put to use and save lives.

Michael Rocque is an associate professor of sociology at Bates College. He has studied mass public shootings for over a decade, and was recently co-principal investigator of a federally funded grant from the National Institute of Justice to examine such attacks in the United States. Rep. Adam R. Lee represents a part of Auburn in the Maine House serving on the Judiciary Committee, and is a local attorney representing individuals, businesses and municipalities as an appellate and trial litigator. Alex R. Piquero is a professor in the Department of Sociology & Criminology, and Arts and Sciences Distinguished Scholar at the University of Miami who previously served as director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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