President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are set to visit Lewiston, Maine, on Friday following last week’s mass shooting, according to a White House statement released Wednesday.
“The President and First Lady will pay respects to the victims of this horrific attack and grieve with families and community members. . .,” the statement said.
The shooting on Oct. 25 left 18 dead and injured at least a dozen others after gunman Robert R. Card II opened fire at a restaurant and bowling alley. The shooting is the deadliest in the US this year, officials have said.
The presidential couple also plans to meet with first responders, nurses, and other front line responders, the statement said.
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Maine Governor Janet Mills said in a statement she appreciates Biden’s “unwavering support” for Maine after last week’s “horrific tragedy.”
“By visiting us in our time of need, the President and First Lady are making clear that the entire nation stands with Lewiston and with Maine — and for that I am profoundly grateful,” said Mills, a Democrat.
The couple has traveled before to console the families of mass shooting victims. In May 2022, the Bidens traveled to Uvalde, Texas, to meet with the families of a school shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers.
Maeve Lawler can be reached at maeve.lawler@globe.com. Follow her @maeve_lawler.