“I am shocked, and deeply saddened by last night’s tragedy in my hometown, Lewiston, Maine,” Dempsey wrote in an emotional post.
The nation is still trying to process the horrific mass shooting that occurred in Lewiston, Maine on Wednesday, October 25th, where 18 lives were lost, and 13 more were injured.
Patrick Dempsey, known for his roles in popular television show Grey’s Anatomy extended his condolences to those affected by the tragedy and shares that he is “deeply saddened” by the events.
“I am shocked, and deeply saddened by last night’s tragedy in my hometown, Lewiston, Maine,” wrote the actor in an Instagram post on Thursday.
“Maine’s great strength is it’s sense of community, and now we are being asked to come together to support everyone that has been devastated by this senseless act. My family and I are heartbroken for the victims, their families, and the community,” the “Freedom Writers” actor continued.
Dempsey, who was born in Lewiston according to his official website, is quite familiar with the nearby towns of Turner and Buckfield, because of his upbringing.
The 57-year-old actor founded the Dempsey Center in Lewiston back in 2008 as a tribute to his mother, Amanda, who battled ovarian cancer.
The center “provides personalized and comprehensive cancer care at no cost,” according to its website. The organization also has a location in South Portland, Maine.
Dempsey, whose mother passed in 2014, told People earlier this year that his mother is the “real inspiration” behind the center.
“There was nothing in the community that would be supporting her like we do,” Dempsey said. “This is the purpose for living, building this out and building awareness,” he said of the center during an event hosted by SurvivorNet.
The center’s Lewiston and South Portland locations closed temporarily “out of an abundance of caution” on Thursday in response to the shootings.
The actor’s comments were posted before officials located the body of suspect Robert Card, a U.S. Army reservist who led authorities on a manhunt following the shootings.
Card was deemed “armed and dangerous,” prompting Maine State Police to tell the residents of Lewiston, the state’s second-largest city, to shelter in place.
This incident is one of the 566 mass shootings that have taken place in America so far this year according to the Gun Violence Archive. To add, over 35,000 people have died this year as a result of gun violence in the country.
Dempsey’s comments are welcome during this difficult time. Our condolences to the victims families and anyone else effected.