A mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine has left an estimated 20 people dead, with the suspected gunman, Robert Card, still on the run. The 40-year-old suspect, identified as a former army firearms instructor with 20 years of military service, was recently treated for mental health issues.
Authorities have urged residents to remain indoors, locking their doors, as they probe “two active shooter events” that took place in the state. Surveillance images depicting a man wielding a military-style assault rifle in a bowling alley have been released by the police, pinpointing Card as “armed and dangerous”.
Internal police notices disclosed that Card had previously been admitted to a mental health facility after he reported hearing voices.
Initial reports suggest a death toll between 15 to 20 people with more reported as injured.
The incidents reportedly occurred around 7pm on Wednesday at two separate locations: Schemengees Bar and Grille and Sparetime Recreation bowling alley, which are about four miles apart. Law enforcement is also in search of a white Subaru in connection with the shooting, which was later found in the nearby town of Lisbon.
Hospitals, even those 35 miles south in Portland, are on alert to assist with the inflow of victims. Mike Sauschuck, Maine’s public health commissioner, confirmed multiple casualties but did not offer an exact count. He also noted that “hundreds” of police officers are searching for Card.
Additional details suggest that Card, who possibly had ties with the US Army Reserve, might have struggled with mental health problems and had threatened a shooting at a Maine national guard base. Questions about his possession of a powerful weapon are being raised.
US President Joe Biden has been informed about the situation and offered full federal support, the White House confirmed.
In response to the crisis, Governor Janet Mills advised residents to stay off the streets, urging businesses to remain locked or shut. Schools in the area will remain closed on Thursday.
Background checks indicate that Robert Card was trained as a firearms instructor and might have had affiliations with the Army Reserve. He reportedly had expressed intentions of attacking the National Guard Base in Saco, Maine, and was briefly admitted to a mental health facility this summer.
Lewiston, a city in the far northeast US with around 35,000 residents, boasts one of the nation’s lowest murder rates per capita. The state recorded 29 homicides in 2022. This recent tragedy is the most severe mass shooting in 2023 since the incident in Monterey Park, California, where 11 individuals were killed.