Patrick Dempsey says he's 'heartbroken' about Maine mass killing in hometown

Stars are reacting to mass killing in Lewiston, Maine, the deadliest in the country this year.

An "armed and dangerous" suspect, who remains at large as of Friday morning, opened fire inside a bar and a bowling alley, killing 18 people and wounding 13, Maine Gov. Janet Mills said at a news conference Thursday.

Hundreds of law enforcement agents are searching communities surrounding Lewiston for 40-year-old firearms instructor and Army reservist Robert Card, whom police named as the suspect in the mass killing. Thousands of residents across Lewiston and other areas of southern Maine were under shelter-in-place orders extended from Thursday, and multiple schools districts canceled classes as the manhunt continues.

Pete Davidson and John Mulaney postponed comedy shows in Maine this weekend after two deadly shootings that killed over a dozen people Wednesday evening.

Author Stephen King shared his thoughts on the shooting on X, formerly Twitter, urging Americans to "stop electing apologists for murder."

And "Grey's Anatomy" star Patrick Dempsey, who was born in Lewiston, reacted to the tragedy on Instagram, saying he was "heartbroken."

Patrick Dempsey reacts to mass killing In Maine hometown: 'Heartbroken'

Dempsey shared his reaction to the mass killing in his hometown in a post on Instagram.

"I am shocked, and deeply saddened by last night’s tragedy in my hometown, Lewiston, Maine," wrote the actor, 57, in a post on Thursday. "Maine's great strength is its 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."

Dempsey starred as neurosurgeon Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd in "Grey's Anatomy" and is also known for his role in the Disney film "Enchanted."

Stephen King reacts to mass killing: 'Stop electing apologists for murder'

King reacted to the mass killing in Maine and gun violence in general on X, putting the blame on guns, calling them "rapid-fire killing machines."

"The shootings occurred less than 50 miles from where I live. I went to high school in Lisbon," said King, who grew up in Maine. "It's the rapid-fire killing machines, people. This is madness in the name of freedom. Stop electing apologists for murder."

In a later post on X, King wrote, "THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES." Replying to another post putting the blame on current culture, he wrote, "It's the guns AND the culture."

King has long spoken out about gun violence, criticizing lawmakers for their inaction on the issue.

Pete Davidson, John Mulaney postpone Maine shows after mass killing

Davidson and Mulaney have postponed their stand-up comedy shows in Maine this weekend.

"We are devastated by the events in Lewiston," Mulaney shared in an Instagram Story on Thursday. "Shows scheduled for this weekend in Maine on Saturday, 10/28 and Sunday, 10/29 have been postponed."

"We are thinking of you all," the joint message signed by Mulaney and Davidson reads.

Mulaney and Davidson have performed multiple shows (with an occasional appearance by Jon Stewart) in recent months. The Maine dates were part of the John & (Jon or Pete) tour, which included Midwest, East Coast and Canadian cities.

New dates for the "Saturday Night Live" alums' shows "will be shared in the near future by your point of purchase," according to social media posts for the venues. Ticketholders are urged to check the venues' websites and social accounts for updates.

The two comedians were scheduled to perform at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine, on Saturday night and Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine, on Sunday. Portland is located around 35 miles south of Lewiston, while Bangor is approximately 105 miles north.

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The mass shooting in Lewiston became the deadliest mass killing this year in the U.S., but it was far from the first. Before the rampage in Maine, 35 mass killings had already unfolded across the nation in 2023, according to a database maintained by USA TODAY and The Associated Press in partnership with Northeastern University.

With more than two months left in the year, the nation has witnessed the third-most mass-killing events in a single year since 2006, the year the database launched.

Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, Eric Lagatta, Christopher Cann Jorge L. Ortiz and Camille Fine

What we know so far: 18 die in Maine rampage; suspect sought

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Maine shooting: Patrick Dempsey, Stephen King, more speak out