Lewiston Maine shooting LIVE: Suspect found dead as police investigate motive

Robert Card, the suspected gunman in the Maine mass shooting in which 18 people were murdered and 13 others were injured has been found dead in an area of woodland, near to the scenes of the brutal attacks.

Card is believed to have taken his own life after being the subject of a dayslong manhunt after the shocking violence in the city of Lewiston, Maine, and his death was confirmed by law enforcement sources.

The victims, who were officially identified by authorities, ranged in age from 14 to 76 years old.

On Friday morning it was revealed that a note had been found but its content was not disclosed.

Divers had also been searching the river beside which Mr Card’s SUV was found and at one point a lettuce farm was cleared after reports of a gunshot.

A shelter-in-place order was lifted allowing residents of Lewiston, Lisbon, and Bowdoin to leave home for the first time since Wednesday night.

“Americans should not have to live like this,” President Biden said in a statement on Saturday, urging Congress to act to “end this gun violence epidemic.”

Sheila Flynn and Andrea Blanco reporting from Lewiston.

Key points

• All 18 victims of Maine mass-shooting identified by authorities

• Ten-year-old girl injured in Maine bowling alley shooting asks heartbreaking question

• 14-year-old boy identified as victim of Lewiston mass shooting

• Map of Maine shooting locations as manhunt continues

• Police confirm that Robert Card has been found dead, ending manhunt

• Maine shooting suspect’s former boss told police where to look for him after two failed searches

19:00 , Kelly Rissman

The city of Lewiston mourns the 18 lives lost

On Friday, Alex McMahan returned with “a truckload of flowers” to expand the memorials.

“All of those locations have grown; people have been bringing flowers and poems and prayers and pictures and crosses,” he said Saturday.

Near Just-In-Time Recreation, mourners were also leaving Jack-o-lanterns – because Mr Conrad had been “planning on doing a pumpkin carving at the bowling alley for his nine-year-old daughter and for some of the kids in the community,” Mr McMahan said.

18:30 , Kelly Rissman

Faces of the victims

18:00 , Kelly Rissman

Heartbreaking final text to Maine shooting victim who died trying to take down shooter, revealed

Thomas “Tommy” Conrad had been planning on doing a pumpkin carving at the bowling alley for the kids in the Lewiston community before a gunman opened fire in a mass shooting that claimed the lives of 18 people.

Now, mourners are leaving Jack-o-lanterns outside Just-In-Time Recreation as a tribute for the 34-year-old manager, who was killed in the attack while trying to take down the shooter.

As news of the massacre broke, Alex McMahan, who co-owns a chain of dispensaries in the area, texted his longtime customer and buddy Conrad: “Are you okay, brother?”

“And he obviously didn’t text back,” Mr McMahan told The Independent.

Read the full story...

Friend shares heartbreaking final text to ‘hero’ Maine shooting victim

17:30 , Kelly Rissman

Major warning sign ahead of Lewiston shooting, revealed

A statewide awareness alert was issued in mid-September to watch for Robert Card after he made threats against the base in Saco, Maine and fellow soldiers, the Associated Press reported. After searching for Card at his home and the base without success, the agencies moved on.

“We added extra patrols, we did that for about two weeks…The guy never showed up,” said Saco Police Chief Jack Clements.

Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry said he sent the awareness alert to every law enforcement agency in the state after his deputy conducted a welfare check to Card’s home without any sign of Card.

“We couldn’t locate him,” Sheriff Merry said, adding that he couldn’t recall if there was any follow-up because “I don’t have any reports in front of me.”

Read the full story...

Maine police reveal major warning sign ahead of Lewiston shooting

17:15 , Kelly Rissman

Gun safety group founder weighs in

Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, outlined the state’s lack of so-called ‘red flag laws’ and how that could have contributed to the tragedy.

17:00 , Kelly Rissman

Donations to victims can be made through the Maine Community Foundation

Dear friends of Maine,

As we awoke and began a late October Thursday, we found horrific news from Lewiston, where gun violence has struck disturbingly close to home. There are no words to express the grief, terror, and sadness that grip all of Maine today, not least our friends, colleagues, and neighbors in the Lewiston-Auburn area.

We grieve with the residents of Lewiston, and I want you to know that we are already hard at work to support recovery efforts for this wonderful community that will need our expertise, networks, and resources during the long road ahead. We will respond to this tragedy with direction from the affected community, including Maine Community Foundation’s Androscoggin County Committee and other community partners.

MaineCF has created the Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund to address current and emerging needs associated with this tragedy. With MaineCF as a conduit, 100% of every dollar donated will be allocated to people impacted and the organizations that will help guide Lewiston-Auburn through the process of healing.

Donations may be made to victims and survivors or to the broader recovery effort at the link above; checks may be sent to:

Lewiston-Auburn Area Response FundMaine Community Foundation245 Main StreetEllsworth, Maine 04605(207)-667-9735

16:30 , Kelly Rissman

The mysterious note

The public safety commissioner said the suspect left a note for “a loved one,” which contained information like the passcode for Card’s phone and bank account numbers.

Mr Sauschuck clarified that although this was “not explicit suicide note,” the “tone and tenor was that the individual was not going to be around.”

Read more here...

Maine shooting suspect’s relatives called police to name him before official ID

16:08 , Kelly Rissman

Maine’s first mass shooting

Kayleigh Morris, 33, works “right behind” the bowling alley and, like the rest of Lewiston, was struggling to come to terms on Saturday with the fact a mass shooting had been brought to the doorstep of the quiet town – in a famously peaceful state.

“This is our first mass shooting in this state,” the mother of two told The Independent. “This was our first one ever, and it is number 10 in the worst mass shootings in America.”

Up until Wednesday, the 10th-largest number of fatalities during a US mass shooting had been 17, an inglorious distinction tied by the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre and a 1966 shooting at the University of Texas.

15:45 , Kelly Rissman

A glimpse into the Lewiston life

Much of the gossip and social life for years has centred on pub sports – darts, pool and, importantly, cornhole, with residents avidly playing in leagues and following tournaments.

“When I first moved out to Maine, one thing that I was really surprised by was the fact that everybody up here is really good at pool and at darts and at cornhole – everybody’s pretty competitive, but they’re also really good,” Alex McMahan, who co-owns a chain of dispensaries and moved to the state from South Carolina, told The Independent.

“Places like Schemengees, where it’s got the pool, the darts and the cornhole, it is the quintessential place to be in a city like Lewiston … pretty much everybody frequented it.”

Reporting from Lewiston, The Independent’s Andrea Blanco and Sheila Flynn have the full story...

Lewiston locals untangle grief and relief in the wake of Maine’s first mass shooting

15:30 , Kelly Rissman

WATCH: Maine shooting suspect’s former boss told police where to look for him after two failed searches

15:00 , Kelly Rissman

ICYMI: What we know about Card’s death

Police on Friday night said they had found Card’s body after a 48-hour-long manhunt. He is believed to have died by suicide.

The 40-year-old suspect was found in a box trailer in the overflow lot of Maine Recycling Corporation. Maine State Police found Card’s body after the owner of the recycling plant reportedly called in, urging police to look at the 55 to 60 trailers in the lot. Police said they had “cleared” the area twice before getting the call from the owner, who was reportedly Card’s ex-boss.

Two firearms were recovered from the scene and a third firearm — a long gun — was recovered from a white Subaru station wagon, which officials had identified as belonging to Card on Wednesday night. The “vehicle of interest” had been found at a boat landing in Lisbon.

“He is dead,” Maine governor Janet Mills said at a news conference, as she thanked the officers involved in the manhunt.

“Like many people, I am breathing a sign of relief tonight, knowing that Robert Card is no longer a threat to anyone... Now is the time to heal.”

14:30 , Kelly Rissman

Bravery as shots were fired

Thomas Giberti now has seven bullet wounds after being struck in Wednesday’s attacks at the bowling alley, Just-In-Time Recreation.

He was trying to shepherd children at the bowling alley to safety but was struck by gunfire in the back doorway, his nephew said. Instinctively swinging his legs out of the way, he managed to pull himself against a corner and sat there until a paramedic found him and made a tourniquet with Mr Giberti’s own belt to stop the bleeding.

“He’s a very humble person and doesn’t like the spotlight at all,” Mr Bourgault, Mr Giberti’s nephew, told The Independent. “He said, ‘I’m not a hero, I just reacted,’ ... And I told him, ‘Tom, that’s what heroes do. You could have run out the back door yourself, but you didn’t. You chose to go into the bowling alley where the gunfire was coming from and get those kids.’”

Sheila Flynn and Andrea Blanco have the full story...

Lewiston locals untangle grief and relief in the wake of Maine’s first mass shooting

14:00 , Kelly Rissman

Ominous timing: The Senate passed a relevant amendment just before the shooting

Mere hours before Robert Card, a US army reservist, allegedly began his shooting spree on Wednesday, the Senate approved an amendment that would cut down background check requirements for some veterans and service members with mental health issues.

The amendment aims to prevent veterans from losing their gun rights, and prevents the Department of Veterans Affairs from reporting certain veterans to the National Criminal Background Check system when their finances are being managed by a conservator at the VA.

Reports have suggested that Card had been hearing voices and was upset by them. Officials also said at Saturday’s press conference that there is a “strong mental health cloud over what happened,” but dismissed the theory that he had been hearing voices.

13:30 , Kelly Rissman

Robert Card had attempted to buy a silencer months before the mass shooting

The suspect tried to buy a silencer for a rifle at a local firearms store, the owner told ABC News.

“He came in and filled out the form, he checked off a box that incriminated himself saying that he was in an institution,” Rick LaChapelle, owner of Coastal Defense Firearms, said. “Our staff was fantastic, let him finish filling out the form, and said, ‘I’m sorry, Mr. Card, we cannot give you this… at this point in time, we cannot release this silencer to you because of the answers that you’ve given us.”

Mr LaChapelle added “we did what we were supposed to do and hopefully saved a lot of lives by the proper, just following the proper procedures.”

13:00 , Kelly Rissman

The victims of the tragedy

Wednesday’s gruesome attacks claimed 18 lives and left 13 others injured. The shootings broke out in a close-knit community in Maine, where people were just living their day-to-day lives at a bowling alley and a restaurant.

A vigil will be held on Sunday for the victims.

In order to remember them, Andrea Cavallier and Rachel Sharp have the full story on who they were...

12:00 , Kelly Rissman

Victim’s relative speaks to Chris Cuomo about harrowing events

Haley Breton, the sister of 23-year-old Justin Karcher who remains in the ICU in critical condition after Wednesday’s shooting, told Cuomo on NewsNation that her brother didn’t know the shooter.

She said that her brother “went to the bar, he was playing pool. The shooter came in and started shooting out.”

Although Ms Breton said she is still fuzzy on some of the details, “I know when the EMTs brought him in, they did tell the surgeon that he was the first one that was shot and he was the first one in surgery.”

She launched a GoFundMe page for her brother, writing: “he is fighting his way to make it threw and we are blessed with him still being here with her, sadly with him being in icu bills are off the wall with surgery’s, X-rays, cat scans, and much more that comes along with it.” It has already raised over $26,000.

11:00 , Kelly Rissman

The suspect’s relatives were notified before the public of his death

The family of the man suspected of carrying out a mass shooting in Maine were told of his death before officials publicly made the announcement.

Robert Card, 40, was found dead in an area near a recycling facility where he used to work and had recently been fired.

He is suspected to have killed 18 and injured 13 at two locations in Lewiston, Maine, in the deadliest mass shooting ever witnessed in the state.

Card is believed to have taken his own life, officials said at a press conference on Friday evening. The announcement concluded a 48-hour-long manhunt after Wednesday night’s attacks.

Read the full story...

Maine massacre suspect’s family told of his death before public announcement

10:00 , Kelly Rissman

Maine gun laws under scrutiny

Under the state’s “yellow flag” law, a medical professional is required to assess whether the person in question “presents a likelihood of foreseeable harm,” and if this person does, the professional must notify law enforcement.

This assessment is then presented to law enforcement, who take it to a judge to determine whether that person should be able to possess a firearm.

Sen Susan Collins addressed the law in question on Thursday. “The fact that the suspect was hospitalized for two weeks for mental illness should have triggered the yellow flag law. He should have been separated from his weapons,” Ms Collins said. “I’m sure that after the fact, that it’s going to be looked at very closely.”

The public safety commissioner also emphasised on Saturday that authorities have not found any evidence to suggest Card was forciblytaken into a mental health facility, as reports have claimed that he spent weeks at a facility over the summer.

If this is the case, it raises the question of whether this tragedy could spark a change in the state’s gun laws.

09:00 , Kelly Rissman

Who are the victims? Bob and Lucy Violette were tragically killed in Wednesday’s attacks

Bob Violette, a 76-year-old retired Sears mechanic and avid bowler, was identified by his daughter-in-law Cassandra as one of the victims, she told the Portland Press Herald.

Mr Violette, who was a native of Lewiston and ran a youth bowling league, was reportedly killed trying to protect the kids he was responsible for on Wednesday night.

Both he and his wife Lucy were keen bowlers, having started the youth bowling league at Sparetime Recreation, for which Mr Violette was recently inducted into the Maine Bowling Hall of Fame.

“He wouldn’t let you walk out the door without giving him a hug, and a kiss on the check. He was just there for everything,” Cassandra said.

She said he had a special bond with his grandkids and was a doting husband to his wife Lucy, who was injured in the shooting. However, her condition is unknown.

“His first thought every day was her,” Cassandra added.

Lucy Violette was later confirmed to have also died following the shooting, during Friday’s press conference.

08:00 , Kelly Rissman

How did Robert Card get from place to place?

• The two locations of the shootings — the bowling alley and restaurant — are just four miles, or a 10-minute drive, apart in Lewiston, Maine.

• Hours after reports of the active shooting, police located a white Suburu station wagon belonging to Card near a boat landing in Lisbon. The vehicle contained a long gun.

• Card’s body was found in a box trailer in the overflow lot of Maine Recycling Corporation.

• Police said there is a “natural connection” between the boat landing and the recycling plant via a trail.

• Details are yet to be solidified, but officials said on Saturday morning that there is no evidence suggesting Card did anything but walk along the trail that linked the two locations.

07:00 , Kelly Rissman

The firearms in question

Two firearms were recovered from the scene and a third firearm — a long gun — was recovered from a white Subaru station wagon, which officials had identified as belonging to Card on Wednesday night. The “vehicle of interest” had been found at a boat landing in Lisbon.

In addition to the recycling corporation owner calling police, Mr Sauschuck also revealed that three family members “positively identified” Card after photos were posted of him wielding what appeared to be an AR-15-style weapon. These weapons were “legally purchased,” police said.

06:00 , Kelly Rissman

Resources have been put in place for victims and those traumatised by the shooting

05:00 , Kelly Rissman

The aftermath: what we know

Maine shooting suspect Robert Card’s body was found at a recycling centre after a tip from the owner prompted police to search it for the third time.

Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck held a press conference on Saturday morning to provide new details on the discovery of the suspected shooter’s body following a multi-day manhunt after 18 people were killed and 13 injured in Lewiston.

He revealed that investigators “cleared” the Maine Recycling Corporation’s overflow lot twice before the owner of the plant reached out.

The owner reportedly said “this individual knows the property” and urged authorities to examine the trailers in the overflow lot, Mr Sauschuck said.

04:00 , Kelly Rissman

WATCH: A Maine Democrat reversed his position on gun laws after tragedy broke out this week

03:00 , Kelly Rissman

Who was Robert Card?

After identifying Robert Card as the “person of interest”, the sheriff’s office made photos of him public for identification. He could be seen in the images wearing brown clothes and brandishing a high-powered assault-style rifle.

The law enforcement also unveiled a picture of the vehicle under investigation – a compact white SUV featuring a front bumper painted black. It was a car that the Maine State Police confirmed as belonging to the shooter.

Card, 40, served as a firearms instructor in the US Army Reserve.

As a Sgt 1st class and Petroleum Supply Specialist, he joined in 2002 and had no combat deployments.

He recently disclosed mental health issues, citing experiences of auditory hallucinations including hearing voices and threats to shoot up the National Guard Base in Saco, according to a Maine law enforcement bulletin seen by the Associated Press.

He was also committed to a mental health facility for two weeks during the summer of 2023. Card’s family members have revealed their shock, with the 40-year-old’s sister-in-law telling The Daily Beast that they are “shaken” by the news.

“I have known Rob my whole life,” Card said on Thursday. “He is quiet but the most loving, hardworking, and kind person that I know. But in the past year, he had an acute episode of mental health, and it’s been a struggle.”

She explained that her brother-in-law had begun wearing hearing aids and was convinced he could hear people talking about him at the two locations of the shooting.

“He truly believed he was hearing people say things,” she said. “This all just happened within the last few months.”

John Miller, chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst for CNN, described the weapon as an AR15-style rifle with a possible telescopic sight. He noted that the gunman was wearing blue tactical pants with “bulging” pockets, suggesting the possibility that he was carrying extra ammunition.

02:00 , Kelly Rissman

The suspect’s social media posts: unveiled

The suspect showed an interest in right-wing pundits and politics on X, formerly Twitter, before his account was deleted by the company.

He liked posts from Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr, Tucker Carlson and Jordan Peterson. He appeared to focus on content that expressed anti-trans views, as well as on gun rights, the coronavirus and the economy.

Liking a post does not necessarily signify that he agreed with the content, and there is no indication that it was a political attack.

The suspect’s account on X was captured by Heavy.com before it was deleted by the platform, as per its policy. The profile picture on that account appears to match photographs released by law enforcement.

In March, he liked a tweet from Trump Jnr that said:

“Given the incredible rise of trans/non-binary mass shooters in the last few years… by far the largest group committing as a percentage of population… maybe, rather than talking about guns we should be talking about lunatics pushing their gender affirming bulls*** on our kids?”

Mike Bedigan has the full story...

Robert Card: What we know about suspect in Maine mass shooting

01:00 , Kelly Rissman

Details emerge after suspected shooter’s death, showing family helped identify Robert Card

Police previously said that shortly after photos of the suspected shooter were released to the public — which were posted just an hour after a 911 of the first shooting — Lewiston Police Department received a call identifying the man in photos as 40-year-old Card.

Hours after Card was found dead from an apparent suicide following a dayslong manhunt, officials confirmed that his family members had identified him in the photos.

“This family has been incredibly cooperative,” said Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck at a Saturday morning press conference.

Read the full story...

Maine shooting suspect’s relatives called police to name him before official ID

01:00 , Kelly Rissman

Scenes from Lewiston in the aftermath of the shooting

Sunday 29 October 2023 00:00 , Kelly Rissman

ICYMI: What happened during the dayslong manhunt for Robert Card

An intensive manhunt began for Robert Card, who was named as a suspect in the shootings.

Police identified Mr Card as a person of interest after posting terrifying surveillance footage grabs on Facebook of the shooter entering the bowling alley armed with a rifle.

Lewiston police also shared a photo of a white SUV wanted in connection to the shooting and asked the public to contact authorities if they saw it.

At around 11.30pm, police confirmed that Mr Card’s car had been found in Lisbon – around eight miles from Lewiston – but that he remained missing.

In Thursday’s press conference, police confirmed that the vehicle had been found close to a boat landing point in Lisbon.

Saturday 28 October 2023 23:00 , Kelly Rissman

Mapping out the mass shooting

Around 7pm, law enforcement received calls about a gunman who had opened fire at a local bowling alley called Sparetime Recreation. Minutes later, calls came in reporting a shooting at a restaurant called Schemengees Bar & Grille, just four miles away.

A shelter-in-place was extended to the town of Bowdoin, located in Sagadahoc County, on Thursday after a “vehicle of interest” was found there.

Ariana Baio has the full story...

Saturday 28 October 2023 22:00 , Kelly Rissman

Biden in the aftermath of the shooting

Saturday 28 October 2023 21:30 , Kelly Rissman

What was in the mysterious note found by officials?

Maine mass shooting suspect Robert Card left behind a mystery note after he allegedly went on a killing rampage at a bowling alley and bar in the small town of Lewiston. Police said it was addressed to a “loved one.”

Maine’s Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck confirmed in a press conference on Friday that a note had been recovered in the wake of Wednesday’s attacks which left 18 victims dead and another 13 wounded.

However, Mr Sauschuck refused to reveal the contents of the note, hinting that it may point to a possible motive for the killings.

Rachel Sharp has the full story...

Mystery note left behind by Maine mass shooting suspect revealed

Saturday 28 October 2023 21:15 , Kelly Rissman

A timeline of the tragedy that left 18 dead and 13 injured

Months before the deadly attacks, Card, a US Army reservist, was reportedly held in a mental facility for weeks over the summer. He was taken by police in July for evaluation at the urging of concerned military officials. In the same vein, Karen Card, the suspect’s sister-in-law, revealed to The Daily Beast that “in the past year, he had an acute episode of mental health, and it’s been a struggle.” Since his release from the facility, she added, “things have kind of gone downhill recently.”

Minutes before 7pm on Wednesday night, shots were fired at Just-in-Time Recreation, a bowling alley on Mollison Way in Lewiston, Maine.

At 7.08pm, multiple 911 calls reported an active shooter at Schemengees Bar and Grill on Lincoln Street, just four miles from the bowling alley.

Just after 8pm, Maine State Police urged Lewiston residents to shelter in place. “Please stay inside your home with the doors locked. Law enforcement is currently investigating at multiple locations,” the department wrote.

At 8.06pm, police released a photo of the shooter to the media, and an hour and a half later, the Lewiston Police Department received a call identifying the man in photos as Card.

Two hours later, at 9.56pm, state police officers alerted that they had found a “vehicle of interest” in Lisbon at Pejepscot Boat Launch, prompting the shelter-in-place advisory to extend to Lisbon. The Lewiston Police posted a photo on Wednesday night of a white Subaru. That vehicle was registered to Card, police said.

Police didn’t find Card until 7.45pm on Friday.

Here’s the full story...

Timeline of the Maine mass shooting that has left 18 people dead

Saturday 28 October 2023 21:00 , Kelly Rissman

GoFundMe pages started for victims

Funds are pouring in to support families and funeral services for the victims of the mass shooting, that claimed 18 lives and injured 13 others.

• The fundraiser for Joseph Walker has already surpassed its goal of $20,000 and has raised over $27,000.

• Aaron and Bill Young’s fundraiser has earned over $105,000.

• The fundraiser for Peyton Brewer Ross has accumulated over $57,000.

• Bob and Lucy Violette’s GoFundMe page has earned nearly $12,000.

• The page for Joshua Seal has earned over $200,000.

The sheer amount of cash flowing into the fundraisers seems to demonstrate not only sympathy for the families affected by the tragedy, but also perhaps for a desire to end the gun violence epidemic.

Saturday 28 October 2023 20:45 , Kelly Rissman

A Maine Democratic congressman flips his position on gun laws in the wake of the mass shooting

Saturday 28 October 2023 20:30 , Kelly Rissman

The vice president calls to ban assault weapons

Saturday 28 October 2023 20:15 , Kelly Rissman

Lewiston is returning to normal after a shooting followed by a manhunt plagued the community

Since city services were suspended under the shelter-in-place, including trash, rubbish has been piling up throughout Lewiston. Some grocery stores and schools had been temporarily closed out of safety precaution.

Now, after the 48-hour-long manhunt has concluded and the shooting suspect was found dead, the city is beginning to come back to life.

On Saturday, a few Halloween and other events were resuming, and there was a steady stream of traffic at a River Road solid waste facility.

Read the full story...

‘We’re praying for him’: Lewiston begins to heal after 48 hours of fear

Saturday 28 October 2023 20:00 , Kelly Rissman

Heroes emerge in the face of fear

Michael Deslauriers Sr wrote a touching Facebook post about his son’s and his friend’s bravery during the shooting:

“I have the hardest news for a father to ever have to share. My son Michael Deslauriers II and his dearest friend Jason Walker were murdered last night at the bowling alley. They made sure their wives and several young children were under cover then they charged the shooter.”

Saturday 28 October 2023 19:45 , Kelly Rissman

The victims of the shooting identified

Robert Card was accused of fatally shooting 18 people during Wednesday night’s attack in Lewiston, Maine.

The victims were living their day-to-day lives at local hotspots — a bowling alley and a bar — when tragedy struck. They range in age from 14 to 76 years old.

Vigils are being held over the weekend.

Andrea Cavallier and Rachel Sharp have the full story...

‘Innocent people’ enjoying their Wednesday night: The Maine shooting victims

Saturday 28 October 2023 19:30 , Kelly Rissman

Maine gun laws under scrutiny

Under the state’s “yellow flag” law, a medical professional is required to assess whether the person in question “presents a likelihood of foreseeable harm,” and if this person does, the professional must notify law enforcement.

This assessment is then presented to law enforcement, who take it to a judge to determine whether that person should be able to possess a firearm.

Sen Susan Collins addressed the law in question on Thursday. “The fact that the suspect was hospitalized for two weeks for mental illness should have triggered the yellow flag law. He should have been separated from his weapons,” Ms Collins said. “I’m sure that after the fact, that it’s going to be looked at very closely.”

The public safety commissioner also emphasised on Saturday that authorities have not found any evidence to suggest Card was forcibly taken into a mental health facility, as reports have claimed that he spent weeks at a facility over the summer.

If this is the case, it raises the question of whether this tragedy could spark a change in the state’s gun laws.

Saturday 28 October 2023 19:15 , Kelly Rissman

Debunking theories

At Saturday morning’s press conference, the public safety commissioner laid to rest some theories floating around about now-deceased shooting suspect Robert Card.

• Theory: The 40-year-old was hanging out at the bar playing cornhole, where he later opened fire.

  • What officials are saying: The officials said he “hasn’t seen video of him playing cornhole at the bar.”

• Theory: Reports have claimed that Card felt like people were talking about him and heard voices; Card’s sister-in-law said as much to The Daily Beast.

  • What officials are saying: The commissioner said we “don’t believe any of that is accurate.” They are still investigating Card’s motive, but did clarify that there is a “strong mental health cloud over what happened.”

• Theory: Card dropped off his white Subaru near the boat landing and got into another vehicle.

  • What officials are saying: Police previously quashed that claim as “unsubstantiated.” Officials said on Saturday that Card likely walked from the boat landing to the Maine Recycling Corporation, where he was found dead.

Saturday 28 October 2023 19:00 , Kelly Rissman

Scenes from Lewiston

Saturday 28 October 2023 18:45 , Kelly Rissman

Resources for victims of the tragic shooting, per Maine Gov Janet Mills

Saturday 28 October 2023 18:30 , Kelly Rissman

Who was Robert Card?

After identifying Robert Card as the “person of interest”, the sheriff’s office made photos of him public for identification. He could be seen in the images wearing brown clothes and brandishing a high-powered assault-style rifle.

The law enforcement also unveiled a picture of the vehicle under investigation – a compact white SUV featuring a front bumper painted black. It was a car that the Maine State Police confirmed as belonging to the shooter.

Card, 40, served as a firearms instructor in the US Army Reserve.

As a Sgt 1st class and Petroleum Supply Specialist, he joined in 2002 and had no combat deployments.

He recently disclosed mental health issues, citing experiences of auditory hallucinations including hearing voices and threats to shoot up the National Guard Base in Saco, according to a Maine law enforcement bulletin seen by the Associated Press.

He was also committed to a mental health facility for two weeks during the summer of 2023.

Saturday 28 October 2023 18:15 , Kelly Rissman

Details of the search

How did Maine shooting suspect Robert Card get to the recycling plant in Lisbon? Although police have yet to confirm exactly how or why he got from place to place, here’s what we know so far:

• Card began his deadly rampage on Wednesday evening at Just-in-Time Recreation bowling alley in Lewiston before heading to Schemengees Bar and Grill four miles away to fire more shots.

• His car was found at a boat landing in Lisbon.

• He was found dead at Maine Recycling Corporation in Lisbon days later on Friday evening.

• Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck said a “natural connection” exists between the two Lisbon locations, as there is a trail that he could have traversed.

• He added that there is no information to lead police to believe he did anything other than walk to the recycling plant after ditching his car.

Saturday 28 October 2023 18:00 , Kelly Rissman

Lewiston community can finally leave home — mourning — after fear ends with shooting suspect’s death

“We knew some of the victims, and we live in Lisbon Falls; about two miles from us was where his body was found,” Pamela Sullivan told The Independent. “And we’ve just been under lockdown ... we’ve been going through a lot. We had some pretty close people in our lives who were just taken away, so we’ve been grieving a lot.”

She said the dead included classmates of her children, and one tragic victim had been looking forward to welcoming his third child with his eight-months-pregnant wife.

“It’s absolutely awful ... and we’re just going to band together as a community,” she said. “We have already, and we’re showing great support for one another and love.”

Sheila Flynn and Andrea Blanco report on the aftermath from Lewiston. Read the full story...

‘We’re praying for him’: Lewiston begins to heal after 48 hours of fear

Saturday 28 October 2023 17:45 , Kelly Rissman

New details revealed about how Card was identified

Police previously said that shortly after photos of the suspected shooter were released to the public — which were posted just an hour after a 911 of the first shooting — Lewiston Police Department received a call identifying the man in photos as 40-year-old Card.

Hours after Card was found dead from an apparent suicide following a dayslong manhunt, officials confirmed that his family members had identified him in the photos.

Read the full story...

Maine shooting suspect’s relatives called police to name him before official ID

Saturday 28 October 2023 17:18 , Kelly Rissman

Victim’s relative speaks to Chris Cuomo about harrowing events

Haley Breton, the sister of 23-year-old Justin Karcher who remains in the ICU in critical condition after Wednesday’s shooting, told Cuomo on NewsNation that her brother didn’t know the shooter.

She said that her brother “went to the bar, he was playing pool. The shooter came in and started shooting out.”

Although Ms Breton said she is still fuzzy on some of the details, “I know when the EMTs brought him in, they did tell the surgeon that he was the first one that was shot and he was the first one in surgery.”

She launched a GoFundMe page for her brother, writing: “he is fighting his way to make it threw and we are blessed with him still being here with her, sadly with him being in icu bills are off the wall with surgery’s, X-rays, cat scans, and much more that comes along with it.” It has already raised over $26,000.

Saturday 28 October 2023 16:30 , Kelly Rissman

Resources for victims set up, FBI says

Victims of the shootings in Lewiston, Maine, will have a place to go to receive help and support. Officials are setting up a Family Assistance Center (FAC) at the Lewiston Armory located at 65 Central Avenue, Lewiston, ME. They are creating one central space for victims and their loved ones to gather so they don’t have to make multiple stops as they seek assistance. This space is also open for those individuals who were present at the shooting sites, but not physically injured. Media will not be allowed to enter the FAC out of concern for privacy of victims.

The Maine State Police in conjunction with the Maine Attorney General’s Office, the Red Cross, and the FBI Victim Services Division will open the space on Saturday, 10/28. The hours of the FAC will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The FAC will remain open for an adequate period of time to allow access for all victims.

A separate site providing mental health assistance at the Ramada Inn in Lewiston, ME, has been created for the larger community. For more information, please visit the City of Lewiston’s Facebook page.

Victims and their loved ones will be able to access a number of resources to include mental health services, financial aid, spiritual care, and access to victim advocacy and support services.

There will be a significant police presence at the FAC to address security concerns.

Saturday 28 October 2023 16:15 , Sheila Flynn, Andrea Blanco

Locals grieve after gunman found dead

Lewiston’s Governor’s Bakery and Restaurant in Lewiston manager Brittany Peterson opened up about the gruelling days her community has endured after a gunman opened fire at two different locations, killing 18 people and injuring a dozen others.

Forty-eight hours after the violence unfolded, and authorities found the suspected shooter, Ms Peterson said she hopes locals can now begin to grieve collectively after they were asked to shelter in place in the aftermath of the shootings.

“It was a very quiet couple of days out here. There was no movement, the only movement that you heard were police sirens and helicopters,” the restaurant owner said. “For the past few days, it was helicopters going overhead for about every hour on the hour.”

Sheila Flynn and Andrea Blanco report from Lewiston, Maine.

Saturday 28 October 2023 16:00 , Kelly Rissman

The details in the mystery note revealed

Maine’s Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck confirmed in a press conference on Friday that a note had been recovered in the wake of Wednesday’s attacks. However, he refused to reveal the contents of the note, hinting that it may point to a possible motive for the killings.

Police sources had previously told ABC News that a “suicide note” addressed to his son had been found inside Mr Card’s home during a search.

Rachel Sharp has the full story...

Mystery note left behind by Maine mass shooting suspect revealed

Saturday 28 October 2023 15:15 , Kelly Rissman

A GoFundMe page launched for bar manager killed in shooting spree

A fundraiser page was created for Joseph Walker, who was the bar manager at Schemengees Bar and Grill and was tragically killed during Wednesday’s attack.

He was at the bar that night to play “cornhole with friends and family.”

Before we knew it our world changed. A husband, father, grandpa, son, and friend was lost. Please help support Joseph’s family as we make arrangements over the coming weeks,” the GoFundMe page said. It has already raised nearly $25,000.

Saturday 28 October 2023 15:00 , Kelly Rissman

The suspect’s family went into hiding during the fatal rampage: report

Robert Card’s ex-wife and their 18-year-old son allegedly went into hiding as the suspected shooter was still at large, The New York Post reported.

Ms Lamb was not at her last known address on Friday; a neighbor said he hadn’t seen her.

The pair were married in 2005 and filed for divorce in 2007. This reporting of what Card’s family could have been up to as hundreds of investigators searched for him comes after speculation that Card could have been looking for his ex-wife.

Saturday 28 October 2023 14:45 , Kelly Rissman

‘Americans should not have to live like this’: President Joe Biden speaks in the wake of the tragedy

This was a tragic two days for the families in Maine who have been devastated by gun violence. At least eighteen souls brutally slain and more injured, and scores of family and friends praying and experiencing trauma no one ever wants to imagine. We’re grateful that Lewiston and surrounding communities are now safe. I thank the brave law enforcement officers who worked around the clock to find this suspect.

Americans should not have to live like this. I call on Republicans in Congress to fulfill their obligation to keep Americans safe. And I will continue doing everything in my power to end this gun violence epidemic. The Lewiston community, and all Americans, deserve nothing less.

Saturday 28 October 2023 14:30 , Kelly Rissman

What the Maine Governor is saying

After police reported that the mass shooting suspect, 40-year-old Robert Card was found dead in Lisbon on Friday, the state’s governor Janet Mills reacted.

“Like many people, I’m breathing a sigh of relief tonight knowing that Robert Card is no longer a threat to anyone,” she said at a news conference on Friday evening. “I know there are some people – many people – who share that sentiment, but I also know that his death might not bring solace to many.”

All victims officially identified by authorities

Saturday 28 October 2023 14:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The victims of Wednesday night’s shootings were named as Ronald Morin, 55; Peyton Brewer Ross, 40; Joshua Seal, 36; Bryan MacFarlane, 41; Joseph Walker, 47; Arthur Strout, 42; Maxx Hathaway, 35; Stephen Vozzella, 45; Thomas Conrad, 34; Michael Deslauriers, 51; Jason Walker, 51; Tricia Asselin, 53; William Brackett, 48; and Keith Macneir, 64.

Father and son William and Aaron Young, 44 and 14, respectively were also named by police, as were husband and wife Bob and Lucy Violette, 76 and 73, respectively

All 18 victims of Lewiston, Maine mass shooting identified

Timeline: Maine mass shooting that left 18 dead

Saturday 28 October 2023 13:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Robert Card, 40, is being sought by local and federal law enforcement after at least 18 people were killed and 13 others were wounded in the deadliest mass shooting of the year.

Parts of Maine, like Lewiston and Bowdoin, are under shelter-in-place advisories, as the community is rattled by the tragedy — and waits for Card to be caught. Police said he should be considered “armed and dangerous”.

He is believed to be carrying a high-powered assault-style rifle and possibly extra ammunition. Investigators are still on the hunt for Card, as of Thursday afternoon.

Kelly Rissman looks at how the tragedy unfolded.

Timeline of the Maine mass shooting that has left 18 people dead

Suspect’s ties to Maine shooting sites revealed by stunned relative

Saturday 28 October 2023 13:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The suspect had recently started wearing hearing aids for his hearing loss, and ever since, he has claimed that he has heard others speaking ill of him – including at the bowling alley and restaurant where he is accused of shooting 18 dead.

“This all just happened within the last few months,” his sister-in-law told The Daily Beast.

Robert Card’s ties to Maine shooting sites revealed by stunned relative

When a man began shooting in Maine, some froze while others ran. Now they're left with questions

Saturday 28 October 2023 12:22 , Anuj Pant

The first loud noise 10-year-old Toni Asselin heard sounded like the thwack of a ball being hit hard across a pool table. She thought the second might have been someone dropping a bowling ball.

“The third one, when I walked over to see if someone was hurt, I saw a person get shot and fall off their stool,” Asselin said.

It was just before 7 p.m. Wednesday at Just-in-Time Recreation, a 34-lane bowling alley where the $75 “Pizza, Pins and Pepsi” special included a large pizza, a pitcher of soda and two hours of bowling for six people.

One bowler had just removed his shoes when he thought he heard a balloon popping some 15 feet (4.5 meters) behind him. He turned toward the door, saw a man holding a gun, and took off running down one of the lanes.

“I slid basically into where the pins are and climbed up into the machine,” he said.

Read more below.

‘Why do people do this?’ asks 10-year-old survivor

Saturday 28 October 2023 12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A 10-year-old girl who was wounded in the mass shooting at a Maine bowling alley has asked a heartbreaking question about the state of America’s gun violence.

Zoey Levesque was attending practice with her youth league at Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday night when a gunman stormed the building and opened fire.

One of the bullets grazed the little girl as she and her mother Meghan Hutchinson ran for cover and desperately barricaded themselves in a back room.

Speaking to ABC News on Thursday, the 10-year-old was struggling to come to terms with the fact that she is now among a growing list of victims and survivors of mass shootings.

“Why do people do this?” she asked.

Girl, 10, injured in Maine bowling alley shooting asks heartbreaking question

What was in the mysterious note found by officials?

Saturday 28 October 2023 11:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Maine mass shooting suspect Robert Card left behind a mystery note after he allegedly went on a killing rampage at a bowling alley and bar in the small town of Lewiston.

Maine’s Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck confirmed in a press conference on Friday that a note had been recovered in the wake of Wednesday’s attacks which left 18 victims dead and another 13 wounded.

However, Mr Sauschuck refused to reveal the contents of the note, hinting that it may point to a possible motive for the killings.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Mystery note left behind by Maine mass shooting suspect revealed

Maine massacre suspect Robert Card’s family told of his death before public announcement

Saturday 28 October 2023 10:04 , Anuj Pant

The family of the man suspected of carrying out a mass shooting in Maine were told of his death before officials publicly made the announcement.

Robert Card, 40, was found dead in an area near a recycling facility where he used to work and had recently been fired.

He is suspected to have killed 18 and injured 13 at two locations in Lewiston, Maine, in the deadliest mass shooting ever witnessed in the state.

Card is believed to have taken his own life, officials said at a press conference on Friday evening. The announcement concluded a 48-hour-long manhunt after Wednesday night’s attacks.

Maine’s public safety commissioner Mike Sauschuck said authorities had contacted the families of the victims as well as Card’s family prior to Friday’s media briefing. Mr Sauschuck said the body had been found at 7.45pm ET.

Read more below.

Maine massacre suspect’s family told of his death before public announcement

A children’s party, an Army Reservist and 18 dead: What we know about the Maine mass shooting

Saturday 28 October 2023 10:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Children were playing games at a party in a bowling alley.

Locals were drinking and dining at a restaurant.

It was by all accounts a normal Wednesday night – until it was rocked by the latest horrific act of gun violence in America.

A gunman entered two locations in the town of Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday night and opened fire, killing 18 people and injuring 13 others.

Now, a manhunt is underway to catch Robert Card – the “armed and dangerous” suspect wanted in connection to the shootings.

Residents across Maine are hunkering down in their homes and businesses as the search continues for the US Army Reserve firearms instructor who had allegedly threatened to shoot up a National Guard post and had recently complained about hearing voices.

Here’s what we know so far:

Maine mass shooting: What we know after 18 killed in Lewiston

Inside the Maine hospital that treated shooting victims

Saturday 28 October 2023 08:00 , Reuters

Dr Richard King was driving home from the Central Maine Medical Center on Wednesday night when he received an urgent call from a fellow trauma surgeon alerting him that victims of a mass casualty event were flooding the hospital.

King, the trauma medical director, immediately turned around and sped through Lewiston’s streets with his hazard lights flashing, arriving to discover what he later described in an interview as a nightmarish scene. The emergency room was overflowing with wounded and bleeding patients, casualties of the latest mass shooting to hit an American city.

Within minutes, King went to work performing a “damage control” surgery on one gunshot victim to stop their bleeding and save their life before hustling into a different operating room to begin work on another.

“It was a situation of organized chaos,” King said. “It was really quite surreal. We read about these events all too frequently, and then to be a part of one ...”

The staff of Central Maine Medical Center on Wednesday joined a growing list of fellow doctors, nurses, orderlies and technicians working in cities from Colorado Springs, Colorado to Highland Park, Illinois and El Paso, Texas, who have seen their hospitals upended by incessant mass shootings in recent years.

King told Reuters by phone from inside the heavily guarded hospital that the 250-bed medical centre had never seen anything resembling the fallout from the Lewiston shooting, which left 18 people dead and more than a dozen wounded.

Lewiston, a former textile hub, is home to only about 38,000 people but still stands as the second largest city in Maine, the state ranked by the FBI as the least violent in the nation.

The number of those killed on Wednesday was only slightly below the average number of homicides in Maine for an entire year.

But King said the medical centre’s staff has undergone mass casualty event training and that it felt like “the entire hospital” rushed into the facility to help out. Eight shooting victims, including five who are stable and three in critical condition, remained in the hospital on Thursday.

“We really just did what we would normally do, just at maximum capacity and with maximum effort,” King said. “It was inspiring to see how all our staff responded, how everybody stepped up to the plate.”

While there is one on-call after-hours surgeon, upward of 30 surgeons were on site within minutes of the first ambulances arriving at the hospital, King said.

As one victim after another was rushed into the emergency room - more than a dozen gunshot victims eventually arrived - doctors grew concerned that the medical centre’s blood supply would not hold out. That forced King and other surgeons to do everything medically possible to stem the loss of blood among patients.

Supplies held out, King said, in large part due to work by the medical centre’s trauma program manager, Tammy Lachance, to quickly secure extra blood from nearby hospitals.

In the aftermath of the shooting, King said the most difficult thing for him and other staff members, some of whom had family and loved ones who were killed, is coming to terms with the loss of life and tragedy that befell Lewiston, especially as the adrenaline of treating victims wears off.

With the shooter still at large on Thursday, law enforcement officers outside the hospital carrying long guns and wearing bulletproof vests were seen guarding entrances and keeping onlookers away.

“This is a close-knit community. Maine is fairly small, everybody knows everybody to some extent,” King said. “This shooting hits really hard in a city like Lewiston and a state like Maine.”

Biden says Maine shooting and manhunt for gunman suspect tragic ‘for our entire country’

Saturday 28 October 2023 06:20 , Anuj Pant

Joe Biden has said the Maine shooting has been tragic for the families of the victims who have died after a gunman opened fire at a bowling alley and then at a bar in Lewiston city.

He also called on Republicans for help in keeping Americans safe from gun violence and praised police efforts to track the suspected Maine gunman Robert Card.

Card, an Army reservist, allegedly opened fire and killed 18 and injured 13. Officials on Friday said Card’s body was found in the woodlands. He is believed to have taken his own life.

Mr Biden, in a statement late on Friday, said the shooting left “scores of family and friends praying and experiencing trauma no one ever wants to imagine”.

“Numerous brave law enforcement officers have worked around the clock to find this suspect and prevent the loss of more innocent life – all while risking their own. They are the best of us,” he said.

He also thanked Maine’s governor Janet Mills for “her steady leadership during this time of crisis”.

“Americans should not have to live like this,” the US president said.

“I once again call on Republicans in Congress to fulfill their obligation to keep the American people safe. Until that day comes, I will continue to do everything in my power to end this gun violence epidemic. The Lewiston community - and all Americans - deserve nothing less.”

Everything we know so far about suspect Robert Card

Saturday 28 October 2023 06:00 , Oliver O'Connell

On Wednesday night the city of Lewiston, Maine, was shaken after a gunman opened fire in a bowling alley and a bar. Police scrambled to find the shooter, urging residents and local businesses to lock down immediately.

Maine law enforcement officials later announced that Robert Card, a 40-year-old Sgt 1st class in the Army Reserve, is wanted as a suspect in the shootings that left 18 dead and 13 others injured.

Here’s what we know so far about the accused gunman:

Robert Card: What we know about suspect in Maine mass shooting

ICYMI: Maine’s relaxed gun laws under scrutiny as suspected Lewiston shooter’s past revealed

Saturday 28 October 2023 05:48 , Anuj Pant

In Maine, where 18 people were killed and 13 others were injured during a mass shooting on Wednesday, residents can obtain a firearm without undergoing a background check or waiting period and there are no “red flag” laws in place.

The state, which possesses some extremely relaxed gun laws, is the site of the deadliest mass shooting to occur in the US so far this year.

The suspected gunman, who police have named as 40-year-old Robert Card, entered a bowling alley and then a local restaurant seemingly armed with an AR-15-style rifle to carry out the shooting.

In Maine, anyone 21 or older can conceal carry a handgun without a permit or prior firearm training – people 18 or older can do so if a person is on active duty or honorably discharged from the Armed Forces.

Read more below.

‘Innocent people’ enjoying their Wednesday night: The Maine shooting victims

Saturday 28 October 2023 05:00 , Mike Bedigan

A bar manager, four deaf friends and a teenage bowler were among the 18 victims who were formally identified by police on Friday.

The ages of those caught up in the violence ranged from 14 to 76 years old. Some who died reportedly put themselves in the line of fire to protect others.

Here is the list of the victims as identified by police:

‘Innocent people’ enjoying their Wednesday night: The Maine shooting victims

Robert Card, suspect in Maine mass shooting, found dead in woods

Saturday 28 October 2023 04:58 , Anuj Pant

Robert Card, the suspected gunman in the Maine mass shooting in which 18 people were murdered and 13 wounded, has been found dead by a river.

Card was the subject of a days-long manhunt after the shocking violence in the city of Lewiston, Maine, and his death was confirmed by law enforcement and the state’s governor on Friday night.

Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office first confirmed the death in a Facebook post, stating: “The suspect in Wednesday night’s shootings has been located and is deceased.”

Card, 40, was found dead at 7.45pm local time in an area near a river in Lisbon Falls, around 10 miles from Lewiston, said Commissioner Mike Sauschuck of the state’s Department of Public Safety.

Governor Janet Mills said that she was “breathing a sigh of relief” at the discovery of Card’s body.

Read more below.

Robert Card, suspect in Maine mass shooting, found dead in woods

Maine officials informed Robert Card’s family he was dead before revealing news

Saturday 28 October 2023 04:49 , Anuj Pant

Officials said they had informed Robert Card’s family of his death before publicly announcing that they had found the suspected Maine gunman’s body.

The families of the victims of the Lewiston, Maine shooting in which 18 were killed and 13 injured, were informed prior to the press conference as well, said Maine Department of Public Safety commissioner Mike Sauschuck.

“They lost a loved one in this scenario, and there were many of that family that was very cooperative with us throughout. So they deserved that phone call,” Mr Sauschuck said.

Robert Card: What we know about the suspect in Maine mass shooting

Saturday 28 October 2023 04:32 , Anuj Pant

On Wednesday night the city of Lewiston, Maine, was shaken after a gunman opened fire in a bowling alley and a bar. Police scrambled to find the shooter, urging residents and local businesses to lock down immediately.

Maine law enforcement officials later announced that Robert Card, a 40-year-old Sgt 1st class in the Army Reserve, was wanted as a suspect in the shootings that left 18 dead and 13 others injured.

On Friday evening it was revealed that his body had been found in woodlands close to a recycling centre where he used to work in the town of Lisbon.

Read more below.

Robert Card: What we know about suspect in Maine mass shooting

Watch: Maine police hold press conference after shooting suspect found dead

Saturday 28 October 2023 04:24 , Anuj Pant

Officials at a press conference said Robert Card was found dead in the woods.

The suspected gunman in the Maine mass shooting in which 18 people were murdered had become the subject of a 48-hour-long manhunt.

Watch below.

Watch: Maine police hold press conference after shooting suspect found dead

On the ground: A deserted Lewiston creeps along in shock as shooter manhunt continues

Saturday 28 October 2023 04:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The Independent’s Andrea Blanco and Sheila Flynn report from Lewiston, Maine, now at the centre of a manhunt following Wednesday’s mass shooting tragedy.

A deserted Lewiston creeps along in shock as shooter manhunt intensifies

Maine Police to hold further news conference on Saturday morning

Saturday 28 October 2023 03:51 , Mike Bedigan

Maine Department of Public Safety commissioner Mike Sauschuck said a further news conference would be held on Saturday morning at 10am ET.

Mr Sauschuck said that more information would be provided about the developing situation at that time.

Public Safety Commissioner says Card’s body found at 7.45pm ET

Saturday 28 October 2023 03:29 , Mike Bedigan

Maine Department of Public Safety commissioner Mike Sauschuck said that the families of the victims of the mass shooting in Lewiston had been informed of the death of Robert Card “as close to first as anybody else.”

Mr Sauschuck said that Card’s body had been found at 7.45pm ET, and that he had also called the gunman’s family prior to the press conference.

“They lost a loved one in this scenario, and there were many of that family that was very cooperative with us throughout. So they deserved that phone call,” he said.

Maine Governor confirms death of Robert Card

Saturday 28 October 2023 03:22 , Mike Bedigan

Maine Governor Janet Mills has confirmed the death of 40-year-old Robert Card, the man sought in connection with the mass shootings in Lewiston on Wednesday.

At a press conference on Friday evening, Ms Mills said she had informed president Joe Biden of the news.

“Like many people, I’m breathing a sigh of relief tonight knowing that Robert Card is no longer a threat to anyone,” she said.

“I know there are some people are many people who share that sentiment but I also know that his death may not bring solace to many. But now is the time to heal.

“And with this search concluded I know that law enforcement continues to fully investigate all the facts. So we can bring what closure we can to the victims and their families.”

Speaker Mike Johnson says guns ‘not the problem’ amid manhunt for Maine suspect

Saturday 28 October 2023 03:00 , Mike Bedigan

Maine State Police to hold a news conference at 10pm ET

Saturday 28 October 2023 02:43 , Mike Bedigan

The Maine State Police plan to hold a news conference at 10 pm ET, following reports that suspect Robert Card has been found dead.

If true, the news will bring together a manhunt that has lasted over two days. Residents in Lewiston, Maine, had previously been under a shelter-in-place order, which was lifted on Friday afternoon.

The attack – in which 18 people were killed and 13 more were injured – was the deadliest US mass shooting since last year’s massacre at a school in Uvalde, Texas.

Man sought by police over Maine mass shootings found dead, CNN reports

Saturday 28 October 2023 02:40 , Mike Bedigan

CNN has reported that Robert Card, the man sought in connection with two shootings in Maine that resulted the death of 18 people, has been found dead.

The outlet cited multiple sources, and said the US Army reserve is believed to have taken his own life.

Mr Card, 40, was found dead in the woods near Lisbon, some 8 miles from Lewiston, where Wednesday’s shooting happened, the same sources told CNN.

His death was also confirmed by law enforcement sources to NBC News.

Robert Card, suspect in Maine mass shooting, found dead in woods, report says

Lewiston residents brave the streets amid manhunt after shelter-in-place lifted: ‘You’ve got to live’

Saturday 28 October 2023 02:30 , Mike Bedigan

Locals began returning to daily life after Maine authorities lifted a shelter-in-place order following the deadly mass shooting at a Lewiston bar and bowling alley – but the armed and dangerous suspect remains at large.

Andrea Blanco and Sheila Flynn report from Maine.

Lewiston locals brave the streets after shelter-in-place order lifted

Mystery motive, missing gunman and anxious manhunt: Key questions around the Maine shooting

Saturday 28 October 2023 02:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Rachel Sharp reports on how almost 48 hours after a mass shooting left 18 dead in Maine, there are many unanswered questions. The suspect is still at large, the motive for the massacre is unknown, and whether it could have been prevented is now the focus of debate, both locally and in Washington, DC.

Mystery motive and anxious manhunt: Key questions around the Maine shooting

Special centre to open in Lewiston to help shooting victims

Saturday 28 October 2023 01:27 , Mike Bedigan

Victims of the mass shootings in Lewiston can receive help and support from a new assistance center, officials said Friday evening.

The centre will provide “one central space for victims and their support persons to gather so they don’t have to make multiple stops as they seek assistance,” said Shannon Moss, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

The space also is open for people who were there at the shooting sites, but not physically injured. Media will not be allowed to enter in order to protect the privacy of the victims.

Ms Moss added there would be “a significant police presence” there to address security concerns.

Earlier: Divers join search for Maine shooting suspect in river

Saturday 28 October 2023 01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Divers will be joining the extensive search for the Maine mass shooting suspect, law enforcement said in a press conference on Friday morning.

Nearly 36 hours after a gunman killed 18 people and 13 others at a bowling alley and a local restaurant in Lewiston, Maine, police are still looking for 40-year-old suspect Robert Card.

Divers are the newest addition to the manhunt and will be tasked with checking for evidence as well as “potential bodies” in the Androscoggin River, Maine’s public safety commissioner Michael Sauschuck said.

A vehicle connected to the suspected gunman was found in Lisbon near a boat ramp on the Androscoggin River, which flows into the Kennebec River, on Thursday.

Ariana Baio reports.

Divers join search for Maine shooting suspect in river

Video shows House Speaker blaming mass shootings on divorce and abortion

Saturday 28 October 2023 00:30 , Mike Bedigan

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/mike-johnson-speaker-shootings-abortion-b2437378.htm

A mass shooting in Maine this week that killed 18 people and wounded another 13 is drawing attention to new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s controversial past comments on gun violence.

In a clip resurfaced by liberal political groups, Mr Johnson tells a Louisiana congregation in 2016 that mass shootings are the result of no-fault divorce, feminism, abortion, and other expansions of social rights that took place in the 20th century.

Neighbourhood deserted as manhunt continues for Maine mass shooting suspect

Saturday 28 October 2023 00:13 , Mike Bedigan

Teenage boy and father identified as victims of shooter

Saturday 28 October 2023 00:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A 14-year-old boy who had gone to the bowling alley with his father has now been identified among the victims of the Lewiston mass shooting.

Aaron Young, 14, was with his father Bill Young at the Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley for an evening with their bowling league on Wednesday night, Bill’s brother Rob Young told Reuters.

Just before 7pm, a gunman entered the popular, family-friendly establishment and opened fire on the innocent victims inside.

Seven people including one female and six males died in the attack at the bowling alley, before the gunman moved on to his second target – the Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant.

Seven males were killed inside and one male was killed outside of the restaurant while three other victims died from their injuries in hospital.

Boy, 14, is identified as victim of Lewiston mass shooting

Maine officials have not seen shooting suspect since manhunt began

Friday 27 October 2023 23:45 , Mike Bedigan

Maine's close-knit deaf community is grieving in the wake of shootings that killed 4 beloved members

Friday 27 October 2023 23:30 , AP

Maine’s close-knit community of deaf and hard of hearing people is grieving in the wake of the Lewiston shootings that killed beloved members, many of whom were ardent advocates.

The shootings, at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, killed at least four people in the deaf community, the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf said Friday. The shootings killed 18 people in total and injured 13 others.

Maine's close-knit deaf community is grieving in the wake of shootings that killed 4 beloved members

Friday 27 October 2023 23:19 , Mike Bedigan

CNN reports that the gun that investigators believe Robert Card used to carry out the mass shootings was purchased legally just days before he was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation – citing law enforcement sources.

The outlet said that New York State Police were called to the military base where Mr Card was serving in mid-July, due to reports that he was acting “belligerently and possibly intoxicated”.

A National Guard spokesperson confirmed to CNN that Mr Card was transported to the nearby Keller Army Community Hospital at the United States Military Academy for “medical evaluation”.

His encounter with police and National Guard superiors reportedly occurred just 10 days after Mr Card had purchased a high-powered assault rifle at a Maine gun store, according to law enforcement sources.

WATCH: Maine suspect still at large as shelter-in-place order lifted

Friday 27 October 2023 23:15 , Mike Bedigan

Patrick Dempsey reacts to ‘senseless’ shooting in his hometown

Friday 27 October 2023 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Patrick Dempsey has shared his devastated reaction to the mass shooting in his hometown of Lewiston, Maine.

The manhunt to catch shooting suspect Robert Card is now in its third day after the gunman opened fire on civilians, killing 18 people and injuring 13 others.

The Grey’s Anatomy star, 57, posted a statement on Instagram on Thursday.

Patrick Dempsey reacts to ‘senseless’ shooting in his Maine hometown

Shelter-in-place order lifted

Friday 27 October 2023 22:37 , Oliver O'Connell

The shelter-in-place order for Lewiston and nearby communities has been lifted but the manhunt for mass shooting suspect Robert Card continues.

Public safety director Mike Soshchok made the announcement during an early evening news conference in which all 18 of the victims of Wednesday’s shooting were officially identified.

There have been no sightings of Mr Card and while the search continues, there has been a focus on the river beside which his SUV was found.

One restriction remains in the immediate area of the towns of Lewiston, Lisbon, Bowdoin, and Monmouth — residents are not allowed to go hunting on “Maine Resident Only Day”, the state’s biggest day for hunting which kicks off deer hunting season tomorrow.

Another press conference is scheduled for 10am on Saturday.

All victims officially identified

Friday 27 October 2023 22:28 , Oliver O'Connell

The victims of Wednesday night’s shootings were named as Ronald Morin, 55; Peyton Brewer Ross, 40; Joshua Seal, 36; Bryan MacFarlane, 41; Joseph Walker, 47; Arthur Strout, 42; Maxx Hathaway, 35; Stephen Vozzella, 45; Thomas Conrad, 34; Michael Deslauriers, 51; Jason Walker, 51; Tricia Asselin, 53; William Brackett, 48; and Keith Macneir, 64.

Father and son William and Aaron Young, 44 and 14, respectively were also named by police, as were husband and wife Bob and Lucy Violette, 76 and 73, respectively.

All 18 victims of Maine mass-shooting identified by authorities

Watch LIVE: Maine officials hold press conference

Friday 27 October 2023 21:55 , Oliver O'Connell

Watch live: Maine officials hold press conference as manhunt continues

What was in the mysterious note found by officials?

Friday 27 October 2023 21:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Maine mass shooting suspect Robert Card left behind a mystery note after he allegedly went on a killing rampage at a bowling alley and bar in the small town of Lewiston.

Maine’s Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck confirmed in a press conference on Friday that a note had been recovered in the wake of Wednesday’s attacks which left 18 victims dead and another 13 wounded.

However, Mr Sauschuck refused to reveal the contents of the note, hinting that it may point to a possible motive for the killings.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Mystery note left behind by Maine mass shooting suspect revealed

All 18 people killed in Maine mass shooting ID’d, range in age from 14 to 76, medical examiner says

Friday 27 October 2023 21:43 , AP

All 18 of the people who died in a mass shooting in Maine have been identified, according to the state medical examiner

The 16 males and two females killed Wednesday night ranged in age from 14 to 76, the medical examiner said Friday.

According to Maine State Police, seven people died at Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley and eight more died at Schemengees Bar and Grille. Three others died after being taken to hospitals.

Authorities have not released the victims’ names, but their family members have been confirming their deaths.

As new press briefing nears, here’s everything we know so far...

Friday 27 October 2023 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

On Wednesday night the city of Lewiston, Maine, was shaken after a gunman opened fire in a bowling alley and a bar. Police scrambled to find the shooter, urging residents and local businesses to lock down immediately.

Maine law enforcement officials later announced that Robert Card, a 40-year-old Sgt 1st class in the Army Reserve, is wanted as a suspect in the shootings that left 18 dead and 13 others injured.

Here’s what we know so far about the accused gunman:

Robert Card: What we know about suspect in Maine mass shooting

Earlier: Divers join search for Maine shooting suspect in river

Friday 27 October 2023 21:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Divers will be joining the extensive search for the Maine mass shooting suspect, law enforcement said in a press conference on Friday morning.

Nearly 36 hours after a gunman killed 18 people and 13 others at a bowling alley and a local restaurant in Lewiston, Maine, police are still looking for 40-year-old suspect Robert Card.

Divers are the newest addition to the manhunt and will be tasked with checking for evidence as well as “potential bodies” in the Androscoggin River, Maine’s public safety commissioner Michael Sauschuck said.

A vehicle connected to the suspected gunman was found in Lisbon near a boat ramp on the Androscoggin River, which flows into the Kennebec River, on Thursday.

Ariana Baio reports.

Divers join search for Maine shooting suspect in river

All 18 victims have now been identified

Friday 27 October 2023 21:02 , Oliver O'Connell

All 18 victims of the two mass shootings on Wednesday evening in Maine have now been identified.

Lindsey Chasteen of the Maine Medical Examiner's Office informed The Independent that all those killed in the shootings have now been properly identified.

Maine State Police continues to notify victims’ families.

Hospital updates on condition of injured

Friday 27 October 2023 21:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Central Maine Medical Center says it still has four of the 14 wounded brought to the facility under its care following Wednesday’s mass shooting. Three of them are in critical condition and one is stable.

One patient was released on Thursday, and two on Wednesday, following treatment.

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website