What to Know About the Lewiston, Maine Mass Shooting?
A massive search is underway for 40-year-old Robert Card, the man accused of being the gunman who left 18 people dead in a mass killing at a restaurant and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine. Residents in Lewiston and nearby towns are being urged to stay home and remain locked down until he has been arrested. Police said Card should be considered armed and dangerous.
The shooting at Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley and Schemengees Bar and Grille on Wednesday evening left 18 people dead and over 13 injured, some of them while fleeing the scene. Eight of the dead have been identified and family notified, while authorities are still working to identify the other 10.
"This is a dark day for Maine," Gov. Janet Mills said Thursday morning at a press conference. "I know it’s hard for us to think about healing when our hearts are broken, but I want every person in Maine to know that we will heal together. We are strong, we are resilient, we are a very caring people, and in the days and weeks ahead, we will need to lean on those qualities more than ever before."
An arrest warrant has now been issued for Robert Card. He is a 40-year-old from Bowdoin with a military background. Card is facing eight counts of murder only because the other 10 victims have not yet been identified. Law enforcement sources previously said that at least 60 people were hurt, some of them while fleeing the scene and not during the actual shooting.
Maine State Police announced shortly after 6 a.m. Thursday that the shelter in place and school closings had been expanded to the town of Bowdoin, where Card is from. People are being told to stay inside their homes while investigators continue their search.
Public schools in Lewiston, Lisbon, New Gloucester, Oxford Hills and Portland are also closed Thursday. Bates College, which is located in Lewiston, remains on lockdown. The school said Thursday morning that one of its employees was present at one of the shooting locations and was injured, but is expected to make a full recovery. Two students were also near one of the crime scenes but were unharmed.
Bowdoin College in nearby Brunswick also canceled in-person classes Thurday due to the ongoing search for the Lewiston shooter. The campus remains in "lockout" mode until further notice.
Emergency officials in neighboring New Hampshire said they are also monitoring the shootings and sharing information with local, state and federal partners.
"We stand with our friends and partners in Maine during this time," said Commissioner Robert Quinn of the New Hampshire Department of Safety. "We are asking all New Hampshire residents to stay vigilant. If you see something suspicious, report it to local authorities or 911."
Maine State Police said at a press conference Thursday morning that hundreds of officers were involved in the search and over 350 law enforcement personnel are now involved in the search. Sgt. 1st Class Card is a petroleum supply specialist who enlisted in December 2002, according to Army spokesperson Bryce Dubee. His awards include the Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal x2, Humanitarian Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.
The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office had yet to retract its advice that all businesses in the area lock down or close. A vehicle of interest was found at the Presumpscot Boat Launch in Lisbon Wednesday night, and, like in nearby Lewiston, town offices there were closed Thursday as officials issued a shelter-in-place order there as well.
President Joe Biden spoke by phone to Mills and the state’s Senate and House members, offering "full federal support in the wake of this horrific attack," a White House statement said. He issued a statement on Thursday condemning
