ASL-Interpreted Videos for “Breakdown” Podcast Investigating Deadly Maine Shooting

In a few brief moments in October 2023, 18 lives were lost in Lewiston, Maine — including four members of the deaf community.

The limited podcast series Breakdown: Turning Anguish Into Action from Maine Public Radio, the Portland Press Herald and FRONTLINE explores the missed opportunities to prevent the Lewiston shootings, the role of guns and hunting in Maine’s politics, and the aftermath of the tragedy for victims, some of whom were deaf and hard of hearing. As the series reports, deaf victims and their families faced both accessibility constraints and communication and information barriers in the aftermath.

As part of an effort to make this award-winning investigative podcast accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing community, FRONTLINE, Maine Public Radio and the Portland Press Herald are publishing American Sign Language (ASL)-interpreted videos for each episode of the podcast. Watch them all below.

The joint reporting was borne out of FRONTLINE’s Local Journalism Initiative and also includes the documentary Breakdown in Maine and text stories published online and in print.

Ep. 1: ‘Did We Really Survive This?’

Ep. 2: ‘I Believe He Is Going To Snap’

Ep. 3: ‘Dereliction of Duty’

Ep. 4: ‘They Controlled It All’

Ep. 5: ‘We’re Still Here’

Ep. 6: ‘I Think There’s Hope’

Read the investigation: Breakdown: Investigating Maine’s Deadliest Shooting

Watch the documentary Breakdown in Maine: