Today so far
A suspect in the killing of 18 people and wounding of 13 in two shootings in Maine was on the run on Thursday as authorities issued arrest warrants for multiple counts of murder.
Police named 40-year-old Robert Card, an army reservist and firearms instructor, as the suspect in the Wednesday-night killings at a bowling alley and restaurant in Lewiston. Card, who has a history of mental illness, was described as “armed and dangerous”.
His car was discovered shortly before midnight in Lisbon, about 8 miles from the murder scenes. Officials urged residents in both towns and surrounding areas to shelter in place as a multistate manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement personnel continued searching forests, waterways and small towns.
Card’s car was found near a boat ramp. The coast guard was searching the Kennebec River though authorities would not comment on whether they suspected he had escaped by water.
Janet Mills, the Democratic governor, said the community was just beginning to come to terms with the murders.“This is a dark day for Maine,” she said.
Card’s family is reportedly working with law enforcement and has urged him to surrender.
Seven of the victims, six male and one female, were killed at the alley, Ross said. Eight others, all male, died at the restaurant. Three more died in the hospital. John Alexander, the chief medical officer of Central Maine Healthcare, said three of the wounded were in critical condition.
Agents from federal agencies including the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and theDepartment of Homeland Security (DHS) arrived in Maine to join the search and investigation.
Updated
Bryan MacFarlane, 40, loved his motorbike and his dog
Details have started to emerge of the victims of the largest mass shooting of 2023 so far. Here’s what we know about them.
Bryan MacFarlane
Bryan MacFarlane, 40, was killed at Schemengees Bar & Grille while playing cornhole, his sister Keri told CNN. She said he was part of the “tight-knit” local deaf community who gather there on Wednesdays to play the game.
MacFarlane, who also loved his motorbike and his dog, was one of the first deaf people in Vermont to get a commercial truck driving license. “Many states don’t let deaf drive trucks so I’m very proud of him for achieving that. He worked as a truck driver for several years,” Brooks said.
– Guardian staff and agencies
Bill Brackett, Steven Vozzella, Joseph Walker
Details have started to emerge of the victims of the largest mass shooting of 2023 so far. Here’s what we know about them.
Bill Brackett
Bill Brackett was confirmed as one of the victims by his father, William Bracket. His father told ABC News that Bill was part of a gathering of deaf people playing cornhole at Schemengees Bar & Grill.
Steven Vozzella
Steven Vozzella was confirmed as one of the victims by his brother Nick Vozzella to ABC News. He too was at the gathering for deaf people.
Joseph Walker
Joseph Walker, 56, was confirmed as one of the victims by his father Leroy Walker Sr. Joseph was the manager at Schemengees Bar & Grill.
Walker was a husband, father and grandfather, Leroy Walker, said on MSNBC.
The elder Walker said his son frequently put on tournaments to raise money for local causes had been planning a corn hole tournament to help veterans when he was shot and killed on Wednesday.
Walker Sr said son attempted to go after the gunman but he was shot twice in the stomach. Leroy said everyone called Joseph “Cueball” because he had his head shaved for years.
– Staff and agencies
Tricia Asselin, 53: 'She was going to try and help'
Details have started to emerge of the victims of the largest mass shooting of 2023 so far. Here’s what we know about them.
Tricia Asselin
Tricia Asselin, 53, was confirmed as one of the victims who died at Just-in-Time Recreation, her brother, who asked not to be named, confirmed to ABC News. She was a part-time employee at the bowling alley.
She trying to call 911 when the gunman shot and killed her, her brother told CNN. “She wasn’t going to run,” her brother said. “She was going to try and help.”
“It’s very emotional, but Tricia is the type of person who would have done anything for children and anybody,” her mother, Alicia Lachance, told Rolling Stone.
– Staff and agencies
Updated
Bob Violette, 76, was an avid bowler
Details have started to emerge of the victims of the largest mass shooting of 2023 so far. Here’s what we know about them.
Bob Violette
The Portland Press Herald has identified 76-year-old Bob Violette as one of the victims killed Wednesday night in Lewiston. Violette was a retired Sears mechanic and avid bowler, according to his daughter-in-law.
The Portland Press Herald reported: “Violette was born and raised in Lewiston and grew up speaking French and attending Catholic church … a life-long Lewiston resident, Bob had deep ties to the community and was the type of person who made everyone feel comfortable and cared for”, his daughter-in-law, Cassandra, said.
“He wouldn’t let you walk out the door without giving him a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. He was just there for everything,” she said.
He loved kids and had a special bond with his grandkids. His eldest grandsons regularly participated in youth bowling nights with him on Wednesdays, and he and his oldest grandson shared a love of Chinese Food.
– Staff and agencies
David Hogg, a survivor of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting and co-founder of March For Our Lives, called the shooting “an American nightmare.”
“How many times do young people have to say enough?” Hogg said. “It bears repeating again and again – these tragedies, these shootings, this senseless loss of life, is preventable. We have the solutions, and we know they work. We just need leaders who will do more than peddle bullshit and put people over their own ambitions.”
Trevon Bosley, who chairs the gun control advocacy group’s board, said that the shooting showed a “sad reality in America today.”
“What was supposed to be a fun night during the week, grabbing some food with friends and a family outing at the bowling alley, turned deadly as people jumped behind tables and hid behind pins and bowling balls to dodge bullets,” he said. Whether it’s schools, movie theaters, parks, convenience stores, and now restaurants and bowling alleys – nowhere is safe, especially not for our children or our young people.”
The Coast Guard is searching the Kennebec River, according to multiple reports.
A Coast Guard official confirmed to CBS and The New York Times that it has deployed resources to search for the suspect in the River, after a vehicle was found near a boat launch.
The Guardian has yet to independently confirm this development.
Susan Collins , a Republican of Maine, spoke on the Senate floor to thank the president for mobilizing resources to help find the suspect in the Lewiston shooting.
She said:
I am grateful for the expressions of support, and offers of help and condolences that I’ve received from my colleagues and friends across the nation, as well as from the Administration. I’ve had conversations, both last night [and] throughout the night, and early this morning with President Biden, Secretary [of Homeland Security Alejandro] Mayorkas, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Special Adviser to the President Tom Perez, who has been particularly helpful in mobilizing resources for the State of Maine so that this killer can be captured.”
Collins’ has received harsh backlash for her previous votes against gun control measures. My colleague Gloria Oladipo reports:
In her 26-year career as senator, Collins has voted down several Senate amendments on gun control, according to data from Vote Smart, a nonpartisan non-profit that collects data on candidates’ voting records.
In 2013, Collins rejected two Senate amendments that would have banned the sale of assault rifles and limited access to firearm magazine capacity.
Collins has also supported allowing loaded guns in state parks and the concealed carrying of firearms across state lines, two Senate amendments she voted for in 2009.
More recently, Collins was one of 15 Republicans who voted for the 2022 bipartisan gun bill, which ended nearly three decades of congressional inaction on the issue.
Here are some images coming through the newswires of Maine residents and others across the nation mourning the victims of last night’s shooting (which the Gun Violence Archive declared as the worst mass shooting of 2023):
A U.S. flag is seen at half mast, following a deadly mass shooting in Lewiston, in Lisbon Falls, Maine, U.S. October 26, 2023. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
A patient that was tranfered from Central Maine Medical Center to Maine Medical Center has been discharged, CNN reports.
“On Oct. 25, Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) transferred one patient injured in the Lewiston shootings to Maine Medical Center (MMC). That patient has since been discharged. No other MaineHealth hospitals received patients from CMMC,” MaineHealth said, CNN reports.
“No other MaineHealth hospitals received patients from CMMC,” it added.
Here are some images coming through the newswires of the manhunt currently under way for the Lewiston shooting suspect:
Law enforcement members patrol near a Lisbon school, following a deadly mass shooting in Lewiston, in Lisbon Falls, Maine, U.S. October 26, 2023. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
The CEO of Central Maine Healthcare, Steve Littleson, has issued the following statement in response to last night’s shootings where numerous victims were transported to Central Maine Medical Center:
“On behalf of the doctors, nurses and team members at Central Maine Medical Center we extend our deepest condolences to everyone affected by the tragedy last evening.
Words cannot describe our collective sense of loss.
I want to acknowledge the heroic efforts of our community partners who, along with the entire Central Maine Healthcare team, responded together to provide expert and compassionate care during the most challenging event in recent history.
We will share more details as we can do so. In the meantime, we join our community in prayers for all.”
Army confirms suspect is a petroleum supply specialist: reports
The US army has confirmed that Robert Card, the 40-year old suspect in the Lewiston shootings, is a petroleum supply specialist, the Portland Press Herald reports.
According to army spokesperson Bryce Dubee, Card’s rank in the army reserve is Sgt. 1st Class, the outlet reports. It adds that Card is a petroleum supply specialist who enlisted in 2002 and has not been deployed in combat.
“Dubee said Card has received awards for his service, including the Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon,” the Portland Press Herald reports.
California’s Democratic representative Adam Schiff – a staunch gun control advocate – has issued his condolences to the victims killed in the Lewiston shootings, saying:
“My heart breaks for their families and loved ones, and yet another community torn apart. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can stop this. We must stop this.”
Simply horrible. At least 16 killed and dozens more injured in a mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) October 26, 2023
My heart breaks for their families and loved ones, and yet another community torn apart.
It doesn’t have to be this way. We can stop this. We must stop this.
Bates College has postponed its presidential inauguration for its new president Garry W Jenkins in the wake of the shootings that left one of its college employees injured.
In an update issued on Thursday, Geoffrey Swift, vice-president for finance and administration, said:
“One college employee was present at one of the shooting locations and was injured, but is expected to make a full recovery. To the best of our knowledge, two students were also near one of the crime scenes but were unharmed.”
He also added that Friday’s classes have been canceled as a result of the shelter-in-place order.
“If the lockdown is lifted overnight, we intend for the campus to open on Friday, with classes canceled so that we can be together in community and to support one another,” he said.
Updated
White House: New speaker must find 'common ground' on gun reform
Over at the White House, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has been urging new House speaker Mike Johnson to find “common ground” on gun reforms following the killing of 18 people in two shootings in Maine.
Echoing Joe Biden’s statement earlier, in which the president said “this is not normal, and we cannot accept it”, Jean-Pierre told reporters at her afternoon press briefing:
It’s within Congress’s power to pass legislation that will make our streets safer, that will make our community safer, that will make our schools safer.
The House has a new speaker. He said he’s ready to get to work, and to find common ground. Now is the time to find common ground. Let’s work together to ban assault weapons, and high capacity magazines.
Let’s work together to enact universal background checks, require safe storage of guns and keep guns out of the hands of criminals and dangerous individuals who have no business being armed with a weapon of war.
Republicans have been fiercely resistive of proposals to pass meaningful gun safety changes, although moderate reforms such as an expansion of red flag laws and background checks for young gun purchasers were contained in a bipartisan bill he signed into law last year.
Jean-Pierre reiterated Biden’s assertion that executive action alone “is just not enough”:
There have been literally hundreds of mass shootings in the last year alone, leaving empty seats at dinner tables across the country and leaving those who survive these heinous acts both physically and mentally scarred.
And while we have made progress since the president signed the bipartisan safer communities act into law, much more must be done.
Lewiston, Maine, was still under partial lockdown on Thursday morning, roads in town blocked by law enforcement searching for Robert Card, identified as the murder suspect in a mass shooting that killed 18 and wounded dozens more.
At J&H Variety on the edge of town, one of the few stores open, local residents all seemed to know some who had been killed or injured.
“It’s scary – this is a tight-knit community,” said Heather Thurlow. “We’re a little on edge because this kind of thing doesn’t happen round here. It was frightening – there were 50 cop cars driving up and down”
Hunter Karcher, 12, said his brother Justin, aged 22, had been shot four times and is currently in the ICU. “They won’t tell us anything except that he got shot four times.”
A property manager who gave his name as Bill said the community around Lewiston was self-sufficient, showing an assault rifle in the back of his Jeep.
“This a community takes care of itself,” he said. This is a second-amendment community, and this shooting not a firearms issue – it’s a mental health issue.” But, he added, “it’s unreal and a little overwhelming.”
As of Thursday morning, with the suspect still at large, he added, “Most people are carrying now.”
Rumours about the suspect are rude – that he’s a survivalist, ex-special forces, and had recently lost his job. Card’s family, they said, had been helping law enforcement on Wednesday evening when the shootings occurred.
“It’s been sketchy but if he’s still in the area he’ll get purged out,” Bill said, theorizing that Card may have gone inland from the coast, or taken off along the rocky coastline.
Many gave names of the fatally injured, but those have not been formally released. They included a FedEx employee and a young woman who worked at the bowling alley.
Tim Whitney, 23, said his grandmother’s husband Alan Nickerson had been shot in the pelvis. “He’s doing good in the hospital,” Whitney said.
Updated
The Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, has issued his condolences on last night’s shootings.
McConnell, a staunch gun rights advocate who opposed numerous federal gun control measures in the past decade, said:
“I was devastated to hear the news last night of a deadly shooting in Lewiston, Maine … We pray especially for the victims of this senseless violence, for their families, and for the law enforcement personnel working tirelessly to save lives and bring the suspect to justice.”
Updated
New House speaker Mike Johnson has spoken with reporters on Capitol Hill, offering his prayers for those killed or wounded in Lewiston.
“This is a dark time in America, we have a lot of problems and we’re really, really hopeful and prayerful,” he said.
“Prayer is appropriate in a time like this, that the evil can end, and this senseless violence can stop. And that’s the statement this morning on behalf of the entire House of Representatives. Everyone wants this to end.”
Johnson, however, did not specify how he thought lawmakers might act. Many Republicans in Congress have been vocal in their opposition to gun reforms proposed by Democrats.
Maine state police have released a rough timeline of the Lewiston shooting.
From their Facebook page:
- At 6.56pm, Wednesday 25 October 2023, Auburn Communications Center was notified that a man walked into the Spare Time Recreation on Mollison Street in Lewiston and began shooting. This was confirmed by multiple 911 calls that followed.
- At 7.08pm, the Auburn Communications Center received multiple calls that a man had come into Schemengees Bar and Grille Restaurant on Lincoln Street and began shooting.
- Multiple law enforcement agencies and emergency medical personnel were dispatched to the scenes.
- At 8.06pm, police released a photo of the shooter to the media.
- At 9.26pm, the Lewiston police department received a call identifying the man in the distributed photos as Robert Card, age 40, of Bowdoin, Maine.
- At 9.56pm, the Lisbon police department notified Lewiston police that they had located a white Subaru at the Pejepscot Boat Launch in Lisbon. The vehicle was identified as belonging to Robert Card.
- Police have confirmed that there were seven people killed at Sparetime Recreation, and eight people killed at Schemengees Bar and Grille. Three addition people died after being transported to Central Maine Medical Hospital in Lewiston for treatment. An additional 13 people were injured in the shootings.
- Names of the victims are not available at this time as police continue to identify victims and contact family members.
- Currently there are over 350 law enforcement personnel involved in the search for Robert Card, comprised of officers from all over the state, and national agencies as well.
Updated
Kamala Harris, who was named last month by Joe Biden to oversee the new White House office of gun violence prevention, has been speaking about the Maine shootings during an event at the state department.
The vice-president echoed Biden’s calls for Republicans to work together with Democrats in Congress to enact meaningful firearms reforms, including an assault weapons ban:
Last night Lewiston became yet another community torn apart by senseless gun violence. Once again, routine gatherings, this time at a bowling alley and a restaurant, have been turned into scenes of horrific carnage.
Doug and I mourn for those who were killed. We pray for those who were injured and grieve with so many whose lives are forever changed and impacted by what happened.
The Biden-Harris administration will continue to provide full support to local authorities. And as we gather details, we must continue to speak truth about the moment we are in.
In our country today the leading cause of death of American children is gun violence. Gun violence has terrorized and traumatized so many of our communities in this country. And let us be clear, it does not have to be this way.
Updated
The gun used in Maine’s mass shooting was legally purchased, NBC News reports.
The rifle used in Maine’s shooting was purchased legally this year, NBC News reported citing two unnamed senior law enforcement officials.
In Maine, no permit, background check or firearms registration is required from a private individual to purchase a hand gun, according to the US Concealed Carry Association.
Suspect's family reportedly working with law enforcement
The family of the suspected shooter in Maine has asked him to surrender, CNN reports.
The brother of 40-year-old Robert Card told CNN via text that Card’s family has “helped law enforcement in anyway possible” in the search for Card.
Police are still looking for Card, and have issued an arrest warrant for eight counts of murder, said Maine state police colonel William Ross during a Thursday press conference.
“The police have been given anything that we can offer to facilitate their efforts,” Ryan said to CNN.
“…There are many people hurting out there, please focus on them … this is many people’s worst nightmare,” he added.
Updated
A manhunt is under way for the suspected gunman after 18 killed in Lewiston
A widespread manhunt is under way for a suspected gunman after 18 people were killed in multiple shootings in Lewiston, Maine on Wednesday night.
The suspect has been identified as 40-year-old Robert Card who authorities said is “presumed to be armed, certainly dangerous”.
Seven people were killed at the Just-In-Time bowling center (known locally by its former name Sparetime) and eight more were killed at the Schemengee Bar and Grill establishment.
According to Maine state police colonel William Ross, multiple people were transferred to nearby hospitals and three people that were transferred have died, bringing the total number of victims to 18.
Approximately eight people at this point have been identified, he said, adding 10 more victims still need to be identified.
“Currently, there is an arrest warrant for eight counts of murder for Mr Card and the reason it’s eight counts because 10 people have not yet been identified as those people are identified, the counts will probably go to the total of 18,” he said. FBI teams have been working alongside state and local law enforcement officials following the incident.
Joe Biden has mourned the victims and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff.
“Today, in the wake of yet another tragedy, I urge Republican lawmakers in Congress to fulfill their duty to protect the American people. Work with us to pass a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, to enact universal background checks, to require safe storage of guns, and end immunity from liability for gun manufacturers,” Biden said.
Updated
Attorney general Merrick Garland issued a statement on the shootings, saying:
“I am heartbroken for those who have lost loved ones, for those who have been injured, and for the entire Lewiston community.
The FBI, ATF, and US Marshals are on the ground to provide investigative support and victims assistance services to our law enforcement partners in Maine.”
Bob Violette, 76, identified as a victim: reports
The Portland Press Herald has identified 76-year-old Bob Violette as one of the victims killed last night in Lewiston.
Violette was a retired Sears mechanic and avid bowler, according to his daughter-in-law.
The Portland Press Herald reports:
Violette was born and raised in Lewiston and grew up speaking French and attending Catholic church. He married Lucy Violette almost 50 years ago and had three sons, Andrew, Tom, and John, and six grandchildren.
He bowled most weekday mornings and participated in a couples’ bowling league with his wife. Lucy and Bob started bowling in retirement because it was something they could do together … Many years ago, Bob started running a youth bowling league at Sparetime recreation, for which he was recently inducted into the Maine Bowling Hall of Fame.
A life-long Lewiston resident, Bob had deep ties to the community and was the type of person who made everyone feel comfortable and cared for, his daughter-in-law, Cassandra, said.
“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,” she said.
He loved kids and had a special bond with his grandkids. His eldest grandsons regularly participated in youth bowling nights with him on Wednesdays, and he and his oldest grandson shared a love of Chinese Food.
Bob was a doting husband who set timers on his phone to make sure his wife never missed her medication.
“His first thought every day was her,” said Cassandra. Bob saved up to buy new iPads and iPhones so he could get good videos of the kids in his league bowling and help them improve. “He loved those kids, all of them,” said Cassandra.
Bob was reportedly killed trying to protect the kids he was responsible for on Wednesday night. His wife Lucy was injured but it is unknown what her condition is.
Updated
Joe Biden: 'A shooting such as this reopens deep and painful wounds'
Joe Biden has mourned the victims involved in last night’s shootings and urged Republican lawmakers to pass assault weapons bans.
In a statement released on Thursday, Biden said:
“Once again, our nation is in mourning after yet another senseless and tragic mass shooting … For countless Americans who have survived gun violence and been traumatized by it, a shooting such as this reopens deep and painful wounds.
Far too many Americans have now had a family member killed or injured as a result of gun violence. That is not normal, and we cannot accept it …
Today, in the wake of yet another tragedy, I urge Republican lawmakers in Congress to fulfill their duty to protect the American people.
Work with us to pass a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, to enact universal background checks, to require safe storage of guns, and end immunity from liability for gun manufacturers.
This is the very least we owe every American who will now bear the scars – physical and mental – of this latest attack.”
Updated
Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer has also ordered the flags at the US Capitol to half-staff in the wake of Wednesday night’s shootings.
In a tweet on Thursday, the New York Democrat said, “We must do everything we can to stop the epidemic of gun violence in our country.”
I’ve ordered the flags at the U.S. Capitol to half-staff as we remember those we lost to the senseless mass shooting in Maine, those who were injured, all their families, and the people of Maine. We must do everything we can to stop the epidemic of gun violence in our country.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 26, 2023
The FBI is currently working alongside its local partners and has its evidence response team processing “very sensitive scenes”, said Jodi Cohen, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Boston field office.
Cohen added that the FBI is providing tactical and investigative support, as well as victim specialists to work with those affected by the shooting.
“The FBI will carry out this investigative case with rigor. We will work day and night alongside our law enforcement partners to get the answers to the questions this community deserves,” said Cohen.
Updated
“He should be considered armed and dangerous,” Ross said of the gunman.
“Based on our investigation, we believe this is someone that should not be approached … If you come into any contact with this individual or someone that you think looks like this individual, you are to call 911,” he added.
Updated
Arrest warrant issued for suspect for eight counts of murder
Several of the victims have been identified and families and next of kin have been notified, said Ross.
Approximately eight people at this point have been identified, he said, adding 10 more victims still need to be identified.
“Currently, there is an arrest warrant for eight counts of murder for Mr Card and the reason it’s eight counts because 10 people have not yet been identified as those people are identified, the counts will probably go to the total of 18,” he said.
Updated
Seven people were killed at the Just-In-Time bowling alley establishment, said Ross, including one female and six males.
All victims died from apparent gunshot wounds, he said.
Ross added that eight people were killed in the Schemengee Bar and Grill establishment, including seven males inside the establishment and one male outside the establishment.
All had apparent gunshot wounds.
Ross added that multiple people were transferred to nearby hospitals.
“Three people that were transferred to those hospitals are deceased, for a total of 18 people deceased at this time,” he said.
“This is an ongoing homicide investigation and a search for the person that is responsible for it,” said Maine state police colonel William Ross.
“We want to get ahead of ourselves,” he said, adding, “This is a very fluid situation … We are currently looking for Mr Card right now.”
Updated
“I’m so deeply saddened,” said Mills, adding that Lewiston is where she worked for years and where she met and married her husband.
She added that Lewiston is where her children went to school.
“Our small state of just 1.3 million people has long been known as one of the safest … in the nation. This attack strikes at the very heart of who we are and the values we hold dear for this precious place we call home,” Mills said.
All Maine people are sharing in the sorrow of the families who lost loved ones last night … I wish I could take the pain off your hearts and your shoulders. I promise you, we will all help you carry that grief,” she said.
Updated
“There’s still many things we don’t yet know about these attacks,” said Mills, adding that the “weight of my administration is behind law enforcement efforts to capture the person of interest”.
“My administration is coordinating closely with local, regional and federal officials to respond to this shooting,” she said.
Mills said that she has spoken with Joe Biden twice and also spoke with the vice-president, Kamala Harris, as well as the homeland security secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas.
Updated
Maine governor Janet Mills: 18 dead, 13 injured in Lewiston shootings
The governor of Maine, Janet Mills, is now speaking at the press conference.
“I am profoundly saddened to stand before you today to report 18 people lost their lives and 13 people [were] injured in last night’s attacks,” Mills said.
“Mr Card’s considered armed and dangerous and police advised … people should not approach him under any circumstances,” she added.
Updated
Law enforcement officials are set to hold a news conference shortly in Lewiston to provide updates on last night’s shooting.
A manhunt for the gunman remains under way.
Updated
Joe Biden orders flags to be flown at half-staff
Joe Biden has ordered US flags to be flown at half-staff to honor the victims killed in last night’s shooting.
In a proclamation issued on Thursday, Biden said:
“I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the federal government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its territories and possessions until sunset, October 30, 2023.
I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.”
Here is a graphic produced by the Guardian’s visuals team on the location of the shootings in Lewiston last night.
The gunman initially opened fire at the bowling alley known locally as Sparetime before moving on to Schemengees Bar and Grille Restaurant.
The bowling alley Just-In-Time Recreation, known locally by its former name Sparetime, said that it is “devastated for our community and our staff” following the killings at its center.
“None of this seems real, but unfortunately it is. We are devastated for our community and our staff. We lost some amazing and whole hearted people from our bowling family and community last night.
There are no words to fix this or make it better. We praying for everyone who has been affected by this horrific tragedy. We love you all and hold you close in our hearts,” the center said in a statement on Facebook.
The Maine Gun Safety Coalition has called on lawmakers to pass an assault weapons ban in response to Wednesday night’s shootings.
In a statement released on Thursday, board chair Camilla Shannon said:
The Maine Gun Safety Coalition grieves with the families and friends who lost loved ones in the mass shooting last night. We watched in horror as the tragedy in Lewiston, Maine happened before our eyes – the result of our weak gun laws.
We call on our elected officials tonight to stop bowing to the gun lobby and look squarely at the face of what has happened in Maine’s second largest city.
At a minimum, The Maine Gun Safety Coalition believes an assault weapons ban is necessary to try to prevent more such tragedies in our state.
The acclaimed author Stephen King, who was born in Maine, has responded to the shooting by calling it “madness in the name of freedom”.
“The shootings occurred less than 50 miles from where I live. I went to high school in Lisbon. It’s the rapid-fire killing machines, people. This is madness in the name of freedom. Stop electing apologists for murder,” King tweeted on Thursday.
The shootings occurred less than 50 miles from where I live. I went to high school in Lisbon. It’s the rapid-fire killing machines, people. This is madness in the name of freedom. Stop electing apologists for murder.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) October 26, 2023
“THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES,” he added.
THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) October 26, 2023
Updated
Bates College remains in lockdown, the Lewiston-based liberal arts college said in an update on Thursday morning.
“The shelter-in-place mandate was extended to the towns of Bowdoin and Lisbon, Maine, earlier this morning,” the college said.
There has so far been no reports of any Bates student or employee fatalities.
For employees who are on campus, we acknowledge the challenges of your situation, and we deeply appreciate your commitment to following guidance from authorities to stay off the roads and on campus …
For students who are on campus, we acknowledge the challenges of this situation for you, too, and the anxiety of being asked to stay in your residences … A shelter-in-place order presents obvious challenges for dining, as we cannot staff Commons at this moment, and students are unable to go to Commons for meals.
Our goal is to be able to provide food and community as soon as determined we can safely do so in coordination with the Lewiston police department,” the college added.
Updated
Auburn mayor: Confused witnesses initially thought 'pops' were 'Halloween joke'
Jason Levesque, the mayor of nearby town Auburn, said that residents have been instructed to shelter in place and that all schools have been closed in the area.
Speaking to the Today show, Levesque said:
“We have a very large law enforcement presence throughout the entire region right now – air and ground assets. But we’re telling all of our residents just to shelter in place, we canceled all the schools in the area so there will be no school today.
Stay home, keep your doors locked, have good situational awareness, stay vigilant, report anything that seems out of the ordinary at this point.”
Levesque said that the current situation is “like a mosaic …there’s a lot of different snippets here and there.”
He added that he heard from locals that they initially thought it was “some sort of Halloween joke … the initial pops … until everything started escalating quite rapidly and that’s where everything really kind of got blurry for a lot of folks.”
Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque spoke to TODAY’s @hodakotb and @savannahguthrie about the latest details in the Lewiston, Maine, shootings, how they are handling the on-going manhunt for the person of interest and how the community is feeling. pic.twitter.com/ZnPznI1fLz
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) October 26, 2023
Updated
Maine-based Hannaford Supermarkets has announced that all of its stores in the state will be closed until at least 10am today.
In a Facebook announcement, the supermarket chain said:
Our stores are following all shelter in place advisories and guidance from law enforcement. This is an evolving situation and we will provide updates as soon as possible. The health and safety of our associates and customers is our top priority. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of our associates and community members as we collectively cope with this heartbreaking tragedy.
Maine's gun laws: What to know
With a widespread manhunt under way for the shooting suspect, here’s a look at Maine’s gun laws.
No permit, background check or firearms registration is required to purchase a handgun from a private individual, according to the US Concealed Carry Association.
Additionally, open and concealed carry are legal in Maine without a permit, USCCA reports.
It also reports the state does not have any extreme risk protection order laws, or red flag laws, that would allow law enforcement to restrict access to firearms for individuals with high risk of harming themselves or others.
Maine also has no laws restricting assault weapons, according to the Giffords Law Center which tracks gun laws across the country.
The state also has no law imposing a waiting period before purchasing a firearm. In June, the state senate rejected a 72-hour waiting period for gun purchases.
In regard to mental health reporting, Maine does require courts to transmit an abstract of any order for involuntary commitment issued by the court to its public safety department and its state bureau of identification, Giffords reports.
According to Giffords, in 2019, the state established a procedure where firearm restrictions can be imposed upon a person taken into protective custody.
“Under this law, when an individual is taken into protective custody, a medical practitioner shall assess whether the individual presents ‘a likelihood of foreseeable harm’. That assessment is then provided to law enforcement, and, if endorsed by a judge, results in a temporary restriction that prevents the individual from possessing or acquiring a firearm,” it reports.
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The Central Maine medical center in Lewiston is reported to be very active at the moment.
Video posted online shows armed police officers standing at the hospital’s entrances. NewsNation’s Alex Caprariello reports that the hospital is on lockdown and that no visitor can come in and check on their family members.
MASS SHOOTING UPDATE: The Central Maine Medical Center is very active right now. Armed police officers stand at attention at every entrance, many of them carrying high powered rifles. The hospital is in lockdown. No visitors can come in to check on their family members. An… pic.twitter.com/Lb4cbZwJ31
— Alex Caprariello (@alcaprari23) October 26, 2023
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Shelter-in-place advisory extended as over 100 investigators hunt gunman
Maine state police are extending the shelter-in-place advisory to include the town of Bowdoin. In a message posted to social media, the police said:
We are expanding the shelter in place advisory and school closings to include the town of Bowdoin. Please stay inside your homes while more than 100 investigators, both local and federal work to locate Robert Card who is a person of interest in the Lewiston shootings.
We are expanding the shelter in place advisory and school closings to include the town of Bowdoin. Please stay inside your homes while more than 100 investigators, both local and federal work to locate Robert Card who is a person of interest in the Lewiston shootings. pic.twitter.com/dqixmXbJAX
— Maine State Police (@MEStatePolice) October 26, 2023
Bowdoin is located slightly to the south-east of Lewiston and Lisbon, where residents have already been told to stay indoors. It is about 14 miles away from the location of the shootings, and lies between I-95 and I-295.
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ABC News has been carrying an interview with a witness to the shooting at the bowling alley in Lewiston. Riley Dumont said that she was there because her daughter was participating in a children’s bowling league.
She told the network “it felt like it lasted a lifetime … I just remember people sobbing and crying, and the people around me were not screaming, but, like whimpering, and my mom and I were just trying to keep everybody quiet.”
She said that her father, who is a retired police officer, “just went into action in that moment, and just kind of corralled us all, and made sure we are all safe. He put protection in front of us, like tables and a big bench, that the kids were hiding behind.”
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Residents of Lisbon in Maine have been asked by police to remain sheltering-in-place in the morning. NBC News quotes officials saying:
Your cooperation with this recommendation is greatly appreciated as we work with several other law enforcement agencies to assure the residents and businesses in the community can go about their daily activities safely.
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What we know so far
It is 5.30am in Maine, where police are looking for a “person of interest” in connection with a mass shooting at two locations in Lewiston that have left at least 16 people dead and many more wounded. Here is what we know so far:
The death toll is expected to rise, with some media sources already suggesting more than 20 people are dead. CNN reports that law enforcement sources have told it “another 50 to 60 people were injured” on top of the fatalities.
The “person of interest” has been named by police as Robert Card, a 40-year-old man. Card is a firearms instructor at a US army reserve training facility in Maine, according to a state police bulletin seen by the AP news agency. Hundreds of police have been taking part in an overnight manhunt.
Residents of Lewiston and the nearby town of Lisbon remain under shelter-in-place orders, with authorities advising people to stay inside with their doors locked, and to regard Card as “armed and dangerous”. They have been warned not to approach him if they see him. All municipal buildings in Lewiston will be closed on Thursday.
The locations of the two shootings have been given as the Sparetime Recreation bowling alley, and Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant.
Central Maine Medical Center said its staff were “reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter event” and were coordinating with area hospitals to take in patients.
Joe Biden has spoken by phone individually to Maine governor Janet Mills, as well as Maine senators Angus King and Susan Collins, and congressman Jared Golden, the White House said.
The shooting in Lewiston is the United States’ 36th mass killing this year, according to a database maintained by the Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
Law enforcement agencies will hold a media conference at 10.30am local time.
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AP is reporting a little bit here about the information released so far about the “person of interest” in the Lewiston shootings. It writes:
A police bulletin identified Robert Card, 40, as a person of interest in the attack that sent panicked bowlers scrambling behind pins when shots rang out around 7pm. Card was described as a firearms instructor believed to be in the Army Reserve and assigned to a training facility in Saco, Maine.
The document, circulated to law enforcement officials, said Card had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks in the summer of 2023. It did not provide details about his treatment or condition but said Card had reported “hearing voices and threats to shoot up” the military base. A telephone number listed for Card in public records was not in service.
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Here is a rough idea of the timeline of events during the evening in Maine, where at least 16 people have been killed.
Two shootings were reported with multiple casualties in Lewiston around 7pm. An hour later, Androscoggin county sheriff’s office released photos of an armed suspect, and Maine state police said there was “an active shooter in Lewiston” and ordered people to shelter-in-place. At around 11pm local time the police named Robert Card as a “person of interest”. At around 11.30pm authorities said a “vehicle of interest” was found in Lisbon, which is about eight miles away from Lewiston. Lisbon authorities have told people to keep sheltering in place.
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Law enforcement forces have announced there will be a press conference about the shooting at 10.30am local time – that is in just under six-and-a-half hours’ time.
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The Schemengees Bar and Grill, which was the second shooting location, has posted to Facebook to express grief about the shootings, writing:
“My heart is crushed. I am at a loss for words. In a split second your world gets turn upside down for no good reason. We lost great people in this community. How can we make any sense of this. Sending out prayers to everyone.”
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Here are some of the latest images we have been sent over the news wires from Lewiston in Maine, where a mass shooting has taken place, leaving at least 16 people dead.
Police are searching for a 40-year-old names Robert Card and his white SUV. He has been named as a “person of interest”.
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About an hour ago the Lewiston Maine police department announced road closures in the vicinity of the mass shooting.
It wrote on Facebook, “Due to the ongoing investigation, Mollison Way will be closed until further notice. River Rd will be closed from Locust St to South Ave. Residents of River Rd will be allowed into the closed area.”
Mollison Way is close to Sparetime Recreation, the bowling alley that was scene of one of the shootings.
Updated
It’s now 2.15am in Lewiston, Maine. The search for person of interest Robert Card is ongoing with police saying hundreds of officers are taking part.
At least 16 people have been reportedly killed in the two shootings in the city, with police sources saying that number is likely to rise.
The citizens of Lewiston and the nearby town of Lisbon remain under shelter in place orders, with authorities advising people to stay inside with their doors locked.
We’re going to pause our live blog now, but for all the latest details you can read our wrap of the evening’s events here:
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The mayor of Auburn – Lewiston’s sister city located on the other side of the Androscoggin river – has spoken about the shooting.
Jason Levesque said he spoke to witnesses of the shootings, saying that there were people of all ages in the immediate vicinity of the shootings. He described the “trauma and turmoil” of the witnesses.
You can train for this, but you can never be completely prepared. But I’ve been talking to a lot of our officers tonight and we should all be very proud of them””
Levesque was speaking outside the reunification centre where family members could collect people affected by the shooting.
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Watch: Maine’s public safety commissioner names person of interest in Lewiston mass shooting
Mike Sauschuck addresses the media to confirm that Robert Card is being sought as a “person of interest” with hundreds of police taking part in the manhunt.
Biden offers full federal support to Maine
US president Joe Biden spoke by phone individually to Maine governor Janet Mills, as well as Maine senators Angus King and Susan Collins, and congressman Jared Golden, the White House said.
The president offered full federal support in the wake of the shooting that left at least 16 people dead, according to police sources.
Hundreds of police are taking part in a manhunt for person of interest Robert Card while residents in Lewiston and the neighbouring town of Lisbon have been ordered to shelter in place.
Two law enforcement officials told the Associated Press news agency that the death toll was expected to rise. However, Michael Sauschuck, commissioner of the Maine Department of Public Safety, declined to provide a specific estimate at a news conference, calling it a “fluid situation.”
Updated
Lewiston municipal buildings closed Thursday
All municipal building in Lewiston will be closed on Thursday, according to the city’s official Facebook account, as the manhunt for the suspect behind Wednesdays shootings continues.
Lewiston’s city hall is among the buildings closed and the city advises that all programs and events are cancelled as well.
Non-emergency personnel have been advised to stay at home.
Updated
A resident of Lewiston has told the BBC that she’s never seen so much activity in the city, after it was placed under lockdown following the shootings earlier on Wednesday.
Billie Jayne Cooke said she was leaving a public event on Wednesday evening when she first heard of the attack.
The entire ride home was just solid sirens, one siren after another. Helicopters, sirens, I’ve never heard so much activity in my life in this city.
We have police from all over the state, from out of the state, coming up … It just crazy. I can’t process this because it just seems so unimaginable.”
A witness to the shooting at the bowling alley in Lewiston has told CNN there was a large police presence outside Sparetime Recreation after the incident.
Nichoel Wyman Arel said she saw officers patting people down as they came out of the bowling alley. She said she saw a person who looked as if they “had blood all over them” but couldn’t tell if they were injured themselves.
Arel said there were “families pouring out of [the bowling alley].”
Hundreds of police are continuing to search for “person of interest” Robert Card. Residents of Lewiston and the nearby town of Lisbon have been told to shelter in place while the manhunt is ongoing.
Summary
It’s now 1am in Lewiston, Maine. Here’s what we know so far about the shootings there:
At least 16 people have been reported killed and dozens wounded after a gunman opening fire at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, the second-largest city in Maine, on Wednesday evening.
Lewiston police have named Robert Card as a “person of interest” and said he should be considered “armed and dangerous”. An active manhunt involving hundreds of officer is under way.
Card is a firearms instructor at a US army reserve training facility in Maine, according to a state police bulletin seen by the AP news agency.
Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office released two photos of a suspect on its Facebook page that showed a shooter walking into an establishment with a weapon raised to their shoulder.
Authorities asked residents to stay inside with their doors locked and to keep off the roads to allow emergency responders to get to hospitals. A vehicle belonging to Card was located in the town of Lisbon, a few kilometres outside Lewiston. Authorities have extended the shelter in place orders to the town.
Central Maine Medical Center said its staff were “reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter event” and were coordinating with area hospitals to take in patients.
US president Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting and offered full federal support to the state, a White House official said.
A spokesperson for Walmart has told US media that there was no shooting at one of the company’s distribution centres in Lewiston on Wednesday.
Some media had reported that the Walmart centre was the site of a third shooting, but the spokesperson said that the building was locked down and later given an all clear by police after no suspects or victims were found.
Lewiston Police confirmed there were shootings at Schemengees Bar and Grille and Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley.
Updated
Maine’s Sun Journal reports that Lewiston schools went into lockdown while parent-teacher conferences were taking place on Wednesday evening.
The newspaper reports that most schools in the area will be closed on Thursday, including those in Lewiston, Auburn, Lisbon, Durham, Brunswic, Mt Ararat, Poland, Minot, Mechanic Falls and Winthrop.
Bates College in Lewiston also remained on lockdown Wednesday night and cancelled classes for the following day, according to the Sun Journal.
Here are some of the images coming out of Lewiston tonight.
Updated
Former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, founder of the gun violence prevention organization Giffords, has called the Lewiston shooting “a senseless act of gun violence.”
Giffords was seriously injured in a mass shooting in Tucson, Arizona, in 2011, and has gone on to be a prominent adovcate for gun control in the United States.
It doesn’t have to be this way and it shouldn’t be this way. Entire communities shouldn’t have to live in fear of an active shooting. My heart breaks for the Lewiston community, the victims, and the survivors. Earlier this week, I visited Uvalde and met with the families and survivors of that mass shooting. I’m angry that yet another community has to experience this pain. Our leaders must act.”
Updated
St. Mary’s Health System, a medical centre in Maine, has said in an updated on Facebook that it has activated its emergency response plans and called in all available staff.
The centre says it is “collaborating closely with local partners to ensure a unified effort in treating those impacted by the events that have taken place tonight.”
We will continue to prioritize the safety and care of our patients, and we are working diligently to ensure the hospital environment remains secure. All elective procedures and surgeries scheduled for tomorrow morning have been cancelled, and practices will be closed. We will be reaching out to those with appointments to reschedule.”
Shelter in place order extended to the town of Lisbon
Maine state police have just issued an update confirming that the car of person of interest, Robert Card, has been located in the town of Lisbon, just outside Lewiston, and the shelter in place order has been extended to people living in the area.
The shelter in place order stands in Lewiston and a reunification centre has been set up at Auburn Middle School which is located at 38 Falcon Drive in Auburn.
Caution to the public.
— Maine State Police (@MEStatePolice) October 26, 2023
A shooting incident with multiple casualties has occurred in multiple locations in Lewiston. Police are currently searching for Robert R. Card (04/04/83) of Bowdoin. Card is considered armed and dangerous. If seen people should not approach Card or https://t.co/UzToVkLGkq
The shooting in Lewiston is the United States’ 36th mass killing this year, according to a database maintained by the Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
At least 188 people have died in those killings, which are defined as incidents in which four or more people have died within a 24-hour period, not including the killer – the same definition used by the FBI.
So far this year, the US has witnessed the second-highest number of mass killings and deaths on record. Only 2019 had more mass killings by this point in the year.
Research group Everytown for Gun Safety ranks Maine’s gun safety laws as being “weak”.
“Maine has very few foundational gun safety laws,” according to their research.
Everytown says that Maine lacks most basic laws “including background checks for all gun sales, an Extreme Risk law, and waiting periods.”
Maine is also a permitless carry state meaning no permit is needed to carry a concealed firearm.
Updated
Officials confirm multiple casualties as suspect remains on the run
Officials in Lewiston have just given a press conference confirming “multiple casualties” after the two shootings.
Maine’s public safety commissioner, Mike Sauschuck, told reporters that hundreds of police officers were searching for Robert Card, who was described as a “person of interest”.
When asked about the number of victims, Sauschuck said it was a “fluid situation” and he could not give a specific number right now.
Sauschuck said that Card’s vehicle had been found in Lisbon, a town a few kilometres out of Lewiston.
Person of interest in Lewiston shootings is an instructor for the US army reserve – AP
Robert Card, the man identified as a person of interest in the Lewiston shootings, is a firearms instructor trained by the military, according to a state police bulletin seen by the Associated Press.
The police intelligence bulletin was being circulated to law enforcement officials on Wednesday night after the shootings that left at least 16 people dead.
The bulletin says Card had been trained as a firearms instructor at a US army reserve training facility in Maine.
Updated
Melinda Small, the owner of a bar close to the Sparetime Recreation bowling alley, has told the Associated Press that her staff immediately locked their doors and moved all 25 customers and employees away from the doors after a customer reported hearing about the shooting at the bowling alley.
She said the police flooded the roadway and a police officer eventually escorted everyone out of the building four at a time. Everyone in the bar is reported to be safe.
“I am honestly in a state of shock. I am blessed that my team responded quickly and everyone is safe,” Small told the Associated Press. “But the same time, my heart is broken for this area and for what everyone is dealing with. I just feel numb.”
Updated
Maine’s Sun Journal is reporting that police issued an alert about 9.20pm local time for all law enforcement to be on the lookout for possible suspect Robert Card.
The paper reports that the car police believed he was driving, a white Subaru Outback, was found a few kilometres out from the centre of Lewiston and police were seen by witnesses knocking on doors of nearby homes.
Updated
Lewiston police name Robert Card as a person of interest
The Lewiston police department has issued an update on Facebook, naming Robert Card as a “person of interest”.
The statement says that Card, 40, should be considered “armed and dangerous”, and asks that anyone aware of his location contacts law enforcement.
Earlier, the police posted a picture of a white car and asked anyone who recognised the vehicle to contact them.
Updated
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting in Maine and will continue to receive updates, a US official in Washington has told the Reuters news agency.
The president spoke to the governor of Maine and offered full federal support to the state, according to the White House.
Death toll reportedly rises to 16
The Associated Press, citing anonymous law enforcement officials, is reporting that at least 16 people have been killed in the Lewiston shootings. Two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press dozens of people also had been wounded.
Local officials continue to encourage people in Lewiston to lock their doors and shelter in place. A county wide alert was sent out in the last hour.
The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office has released two photos of the suspect on its Facebook page. The images show a gunman walking into a building with a weapon raised to his shoulder.
On its website, Central Maine Medical Center said staff were “reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter event” and were coordinating with area hospitals to take in patients.
Updated
Officials in Lewiston have just issued a county wide shelter in place order, according to Lee Horton, an editor with the Sun Journal.
Horton wrote on Twitter that his phone had just received the order.
The public safety alert says that updates from officials will be forthcoming.
https://t.co/ZMuvYcVz2Z pic.twitter.com/dWjttz5MsY
— Lee Horton (@LeeHortonSJ) October 26, 2023
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Schools in Lewiston will not open on Thursday, according to the Supt of Lewiston Public Schools.
Jake Langlais said on Twitter that there remain “a lot of unknowns at this time” and urged people to shelter in place or get to safety.
Hello, There will not be school tomorrow. At this time, there will be no activity at Lewiston Schools Thursday October 26, 2023. There remains a lot of unknowns at this time. Information moves quickly but not always accurately. Please continue to shelter in place or get to safety
— Jake Langlais (@kjlanglais) October 26, 2023
Maine’s Sun Journal has spoken to the co-owner of Schemengees Bar and Grille, a business that was reportedly the site of one of the shootings.
Kathy Lebel said she was not at the restaurant at the time of the shooting but was told a person walked into the restaurant and “started shooting.” The staff ran out, she said.
“It was just a fun night playing cornhole … it’s the last thing you’re expecting, right?” Lebel said. “I still feel like this whole thing is a nightmare.”
Updated
Lewiston police said in an earlier Facebook post that they were dealing with an active shooter incident at Schemengees Bar and Grille and Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley.
Lewiston is Maine’s second largest city and part of Androscoggin County.
Maine’s governor, Janet Mills, said in a statement she had been briefed on the situation.
Updated
Death toll in shooting expected to rise, AP reports citing police officials
The death toll in Lewiston is expected to rise, two law enforcement officials have told the Associated Press news agency.
The officials said multiple people had also been wounded and investigators were still processing the crime scenes and working to gather evidence.
The officials were not authorised to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
There are currently conflicting reports on the number of fatalities across US media, with some reporting that more than 10 people have been killed.
Maine senator Angus King, an independent, said he was “deeply sad for the city of Lewiston and all those worried about their family, friends and neighbors” and was monitoring the situation.
King’s office said the senator would be headed directly home to Maine once the Senate’s final vote is held Thursday afternoon.
A statement on the reports of an active shooter in Lewiston: pic.twitter.com/c3HXmowOMh
— Senator Angus King (@SenAngusKing) October 26, 2023
Updated
Sheriff's office release picture of suspect
The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office has released images of the suspected shooter, saying he remains at large.
The county sheriff asked for the public’s help in identifying the pictured suspect, a bearded man in a long-sleeved shirt and jeans holding a rifle in the firing position.
Maine state police have urged people in Lewiston to shelter in place and stay inside their homes with their doors locked.
The police say that investigations are under way at multiple locations.
There is an active shooter in Lewiston. We ask people to shelter in place. Please stay inside your home with the doors locked. Law enforcement is currently investigating at multiple locations. If you see any suspicious activity or individuals please call 911. Updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/RrGMG6AvSI
— Maine State Police (@MEStatePolice) October 26, 2023
At least 10 feared dead in Maine shootings, US media report
At least 10 people were feared dead and 50 to 60 wounded in a mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine, according to a number of US media reports citing multiple law enforcement sources.
Maine State Police and a county sheriff previously reported there had been an active shooter on Wednesday night but did not provide further details of casualties.
The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office posted two photographs of the suspect on Facebook, saying he was at large.
The county sheriff asked for the public’s help in identifying the pictured suspect, a bearded man in a long-sleeved shirt and jeans holding a rifle in the firing position.
The Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston issued a statement saying it was “reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter event” and coordinating with area hospitals to take patients.
