VASSALBORO — Two men who died trying to stop the gunman during the Oct. 25, 2023, mass shooting in Lewiston have been recognized by Maine State Police with an award named in their honor.

Unveiled at the department’s annual Merit and Citation Awards Ceremony, the Walker-Deslauriers Memorial Award is named in memory of Jason Walker and Michael Deslauriers II who charged the shooter at Just-In-Time Recreation after his rifle malfunctioned. The award recognizes citizens who place themselves in harm’s way to protect others.

“There was just such an influx of heroism from every angle,” said Maj. Scott Gosselin, who was involved in the initial investigation, about the day of the shooting. “You looked at Lewiston PD’s response, the sheriff’s department, Lisbon Police Department, the Warden Service, Maine Drug Enforcement — there was heroism everywhere.”

What Walker and Deslauriers did, though, stood apart, he said.

Few law enforcement officials viewed the Just-In-Time Recreation surveillance footage of the shooting, Gosselin said, and he was one of them. The events of Oct. 25 left too many officers and officials traumatized to justify putting anyone through watching the footage unless they were actively investigating the shootings, Gosselin added.

About eight months after the shootings, the partner of one of the victims approached Gosselin asking if she was remembering the events of that evening correctly. Gosselin knew he was going to have to view the footage to help the woman through the grieving process.

Walker and Deslauriers were bowling near the entrance of Just-In-Time Recreation when the gunman entered and opened fire. The shooter’s weapon immediately jammed, giving the men a brief window to take action, Gosselin said.

Walker and Deslauriers ran toward the shooter, covering a distance of about 30 to 40 feet, in an effort to stop the attack.

“Jason Walker jumps up and tries to kick the rifle out of his hands,” Gosselin said. “But before Jason is able to hit the ground, this guy pulls the trigger … and ends up shooting Jason, who dropped to the ground. And now Michael, who’s right behind Jason, is totally committed, and right on top of the shooter — who shoots him right there as well.”

Gosselin said the actions of the two men gave others inside the bowling alley a few crucial moments to escape.

“There’s not a doubt in my mind that they probably gave those folks … an additional 10 seconds of time to run, hide, find a place to survive,” he said. “They gave the gift of time.”

Gosselin said while the department has always recognized law enforcement with annual awards, this year, they wanted to name a civilian award — and knew immediately to whom it should honor.

“For this year’s awards ceremony, we wanted to name our civilian award after those two guys,” he said. “Because we just felt like they both put themselves in peril for their families and did not survive it because of that.”

The first recipient of the Walker-Deslauriers Memorial Award is William Daniel, who stopped to help a state police corporal injured in a highway crash. On July 20, 2024, Cpl. Pat Flanagan was conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 95 in Biddeford when his cruiser was rear-ended by another vehicle.

The impact spun the cruiser into the vehicle he had pulled over. Daniel stopped and rendered aid at the scene, assisting the injured trooper despite the dangerous conditions.

According to a post from state police, Flanagan was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver who struck him was issued as summons.

Maine State Police Memorial Scholarship awardees were Allison Casavant (daughter of Lt. Mathew Casavant); Christopher Crawford (son of Sgt. Christopher Crawford); Taylor Gonneville (daughter of retired Trooper Tom Gonneville); Audrey Holmquist (daughter of retired Lt. Mark Holmquist); Grace Wesbrock (daughter of Cpl. Jeremiah Wesbrock); and Wyatt Worcester (son of Trooper Daniel Worcester).

Winners of the Colonel’s Award were Sgt. John Darcy; Sgt. Chris Crawford and K9 Marley; Sgt. Josh Lander; Detective Jennifer Fiske; Patrick and Robbin Brewer; Diana Coulombe; Travis and Tammy Delisle and James Jandreau; Lynn Storen; Lauren Hrubowchak; Samantha Ward; and Emma Wallace.

Awarded the Special Award of Commendation were Sgt. GJ Neagle and K9 Junior; Detective Einar Mattson; Trooper Noah Castonguay; and Trooper Gerald Lowe.

Meritorious Service Award winners were Sgt. Tyler Harrington and Trooper Dalton Favreau. The Bravery Award went to Sgt. Jonathan Russell, Specialist Andrew Hardy, Specialist Patrick Flanagan and K9 Preacher. The Wounds Received Award went to Sgt. Adam Schmidt. The Wes Hussey Leadership Award went to Lt. Jason Richards and Legendary Trooper of the Year Award to retired Trooper John T. York.

The Charles Black Trooper of the Year Award went to Cpl. Ian Dunn. Nominees included Trooper Jarid Leonard of the Northern Field Troop; Trooper Ryan Jackson of the Central Field Troop; Trooper Ewan Kiernan-Richards of the Southern Field Troop; Trooper Noah Castonguay of Troop F; Cpl. Ricci Cote of Troop G; Trooper Titus Kaewthong of Troop I; Detective Cpl. Jason Fowler of Major Crimes Unit North; Detective Einar Mattson of Major Crimes Unit Central; Detective Conner Walton of Major Crimes Unit South; and Trooper Joseph Parker of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement.