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.
Here’s what we know so far about the accused gunman:
Who is 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.
Robert Card— (AP)
He was also committed to a mental health facility for two weeks during the summer of 2023. According to a report by Macra, Card has a history of arrests for domestic violence and other crimes.
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.
What we know about Card’s death
Police on Friday night said they had found Card’s body after a 48-hour-long manhunt.
“The suspect in Wednesday night’s shootings has been located and is deceased,” said the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office in a Facebook post.
The 40-year-old suspect is believed to have taken his own life in an area near a recycling facility where he used to work and had recently been fired, reported CNN.
“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.”
The development comes a day after a dramatic raid was executed at Card’s home in Bowdoin on Thursday night, with Maine police and FBI agents heard shouting “FBI! Open the door!”
Officials, however, had found no sign there of the US Army Reservist.
What happened in the Lewiston shooting?
Police, fire and rescue personnel first descended on Just-In-Time Recreation on Mollison Way, in Lewiston, about 7pm local time following a report of an active shooter, police said.
Minutes later, 911 calls came in for shootings at a local bar and restaurant – Schemengees Bar and Grille – on nearby Lincoln Street.
In total, 18 people were killed while another 13 were injured in the attacks, Maine Governor Janet Mills confirmed in a press conference on Thursday.
Among the victims, seven people including one female and six males were found dead from gunshot wounds at the bowling alley.
Gunman caught on surveillance footage— (Androscoggin County Sheriff's Of)
Seven males were killed inside the Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant and one male was killed outside.
Three other victims died after they were taken to a local hospital.
The conditions of those injured remains unclear.
A city councillor had previously told CNN that 22 people were thought to have been killed and up to 60 others injured.
Maine Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck refused to give a specific number of fatalities on Wednesday night, saying: “This is a very fluid situation. I don’t have firm numbers and when I do, I will be happy to share with you... I don’t think it’s helpful.”
Initial reports had also suggested that there may have been a shooting in a third location at a Walmart Distribution Centre but this later turned out to be incorrect.
Walmart released a statement late on Wednesday saying: “There was no shooting on Walmart’s property. The distribution center was locked down and police searched the facility. They did not find anything and no one was hurt.”
The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s office later released two pictures of the person of interest entering a bowling alley – appearing to confirm reports on the first location.
What do we know about the suspect from social media posts?
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?”
He also liked a video post in March from by Carlson, the former Fox News commentator, which was accompanied by the text: “The trans movement, it turns out, is the mirror image of Christianity, and therefore its natural enemy. People who believe they’re God can’t stand to be reminded that they’re not.”
Another theme that drew the suspect’s attention was the coronavirus. He liked several posts that expressed scepticism over vaccines and public health lockdowns.
The suspect followed only a few accounts on the platform, among them a pro-Donald Trump ‘MAGA’ page called Proud Patriots, X owner Musk, Mark Cuban, the business network CNBC and Joe Rogan, according to Heavy.com. He also interacted with a number of accounts of Republican politicians, such as former House speaker Kevin McCarthy and Jim Jordan.
The suspect liked at least two posts from President Joe Biden’s account, relating to his administration’s efforts to tackle inflation and taxes. He also liked several by Jim Cramer, the CNBC host.
What happened in the initial aftermath of the shooting?
Video shared online showed multiple police vehicles in the local area.
A message put out online by Maine State Police advised members of the public to “shelter in place”.
“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,” the force said.
“If you see any suspicious activity or individuals please call 911. Updates to follow.”
A text sent out by Lewiston Public Schools urged anyone near or at the school for conferences to get in a safe place.
”We are going into lockdown. I will provide more information as it is available and appropriate,” the alert read.
Searches for Card continued throughout Thursday, with Maine police holding a press conference in the evening – though little new information was provided about the gunman’s whereabouts.
On Friday, police said that searches were still being expanded as Card remained at large, with diving teams being deployed in in the Androscoggin River.
Maine’s public safety commissioner Michael Sauschuck told a press conference that law enforcement is still “days away” from completing their investigation into the crime scenes where the shootings took place.
He asked for the public’s respect and patience as police work to finish processing the scenes, identifying victims and contacting families.
He said a press conference would be held every day at 10am ET until the suspect was found – just hours before Card’s body was located.
How is Lewiston dealing with the tragedy?
Local schools announced they would cancel classes on Thursday.
“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. We will continue to update you with information and next steps as appropriate,” Lewiston Public Schools said.
“Stay close to your loved ones. Embrace them. Our prayers go out to those who lost someone tonight. Our prayers go out to all those working to stop further loss of life.”
Town offices in Lisbon, which neighbours Lewiston, were also closed on Thursday.
Maine Governor Ms Mill said in Thursday’s press conference that Maine is “one of the safest states in the nation” as she vowed to hold the person responsible accountable.
“I hold these families and this city in my heart,” she said.
“I wish I could take that pain off your hearts, off your shoulders but I promise you this – we will all help you carry that grief.”
The county of Androscoggin as well as the northern portion of Sagadahoc County are under shelter-in-place orders as police try to locate the gunman. Many businesses and schools in nearby areas remained closed on Friday.
With a population of only 1.3 million people, Maine has one of the country’s lowest murder rates with just 29 killings in all of 2022.
What has been the wider reaction?
The attacks have been roundly condemned by politicians and gun safety advocacy groups, as well as Maine native and author Stephen King.
“This heinous attack, which has robbed the lives of at least 18 Mainers and injured so many more, the worst mass shooting that the state of Maine has ever experienced — and could ever imagine,” Senator Collins said at a news conference on Thursday evening.
President Joe Biden ordered all US flags to be flown at half-mast, writing online: “Once again, our nation mourns after another senseless and tragic mass shooting. Today, Jill and I pray for the Americans in Maine who’ve lost their lives, those in critical care, and the families, survivors, and community members enduring shock and grief.”
In her own statement vice president Kamala Harris called for tighter gun safety laws, telling reporters: “President Biden and I are not waiting around. Through the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, we will continue to work to save lives.
“We do not have a moment to spare, nor a life to spare.”
The White House also asked newly-elected House speaker Mike Johnson to “work together” on gun legislation in the wake of the incident. “The House has a new speaker, who has said he is ready to get to work and find common ground,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in her afternoon briefing.
“Now is the time to find common ground. Let us work together to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.”
Earlier, Mr Johnson – who was elected on Wednesday – faced criticism after simply offering “prayers” following the mass shooting, which he described as a “horrific tragedy”.
“This is a dark time in America, we have a lot of problems and we’re really, really hopeful and prayerful. Prayer is appropriate in a time like this, that the evil can end and this senseless violence can stop,” he said.
“And so that’s that’s the statement this morning on behalf of the entire House of Representatives. Everyone wants this to end and I’ll leave it there.”
Meanwhile, Republican frontrunner and former president Donald Trump made a short statement on Truth Social saying, “A terrible situation going on in Maine. At least 22 dead. It just seems to never end for the USA!”
GOP candidate Nikki Haley blamed a majority of mass shootings on mental health crises saying that “80 per cent of our mass shootings are mental health-related.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed the shooting on Thursday— (Reuters)
“One in three Americans suffers from mental health, if treated they can live a perfectly normal life if not it spirals out,” Ms Haley said calling on the US to enact more mental health resources.
Similarly, Florida governor and 2024 candidate Ron DeSantis suggested mental health could be the catalyst for the shooting saying, “This could be another example of a failure of our nation’s mental health system.” He offered thoughts and prayers to those involved.
Vivek Ramaswamy said the US should “remove these violent, psychiatrically deranged people from their communities and be willing to involuntarily commit them.”
He also suggested a solution could be a revival of mental health institutions and implementing “faith-based approaches” to those suffering from mental health problems rather than using medication.
Doug Burgum called the shooting “devastating” and offered prayers to Maine.
Democratic-turned-Independent candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr asked people to “pause” before using the situation in their “narratives on gun control, mental health, terroism, or anything else.”
Who are the victims?
All 18 of the victims killed in the shootings have been identified – including a 14-year-old boy who had gone to the bowling alley with his father that tragic night.
Aaron Young, 14, was with his father Bill Young at the Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley for an evening with their bowling league when the shooting unfolded, Bill’s brother Rob Young told Reuters.
For hours, Aaron and Bill’s family did not know what had happened to their loved ones. The search then ended tragically on Thursday afternoon when the family learned that both the father and son had been killed.
Bill’s cousin Kim McConville told NBC News prior to learning of their deaths that they were just “innocent people” enjoying a night together at the bowling alley.
Aaron Young— (NBC Boston)
“Just innocent people out for a night of bowling,” she said. “This was a children’s event. You know, who expects a shooter to go into a children’s event? But you know, this is a crazy world that we live in today.”
A 76-year-old retired Sears mechanic who was an avid bowler was also identified by his daughter-in-law Cassandra as one of the victims from the bowling alley, she told the Portland Press Herald.
Bob 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 avid bowlers, with Mr Violette starting the youth bowling league at Sparetime Recreation, for which he 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.
Tommy Conrad, 34, worked as a manager at the bowling alley. He now leaves behind a nine-year-old daughter after he too was killed in the attack.
Two friends Michael Deslauriers and Jason Walker died saving their family members from the gunfire at the bowling alley and then charging at the shooter, it has been revealed.
Michael Deslauriers and Jason Walker— (Facebook)
In a heartbreaking post on the Sabattus Historical Society’s Facebook page, Deslauriers’ father Michael Deslauriers Sr described how the two men leaped into action to try to save others and stop the killings.
“This is Michael Deslauriers Sr and I have the hardest news for a father to ever have to share,” he wrote.
“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.”
Tricia Asselin worked part time at Just-In-Time Recreation and was there bowling on a night off when the gunman came in and opened fire.
Her sister Bobbi Nichols was also there but lost her sibling in the chaos. She made it out alive whereas Asselin did not.
At the second location – Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant – one of the victims was identified as the bar manager Joseph Walker.
Billy Brackett— (Facebook)
Several other victims at the bar were attending a deaf cornhole tournament there at the time.
Joshua Seal worked as an American Sign Language interpreter for the Pine Tree Society and was hosting the event for members of the deaf community when the shooting unfolded.
His wife Elizabeth confirmed his death in a post on Facebook: “He was also a wonderful boss, an incredible interpreter, a great friend, a loving son, brother, uncle, and grandson. He loved his family and always put them first.”
Bryan MacFarlane’s sister told CNN that he usually went to the bar on Wednesdays for a weekly cornhole sessions and to hang out with his friends. She learned that he also died in the attack.
Bill Brackett and Steven Vozzella were also part of the community event for deaf people when they were killed, their loved ones confirmed.
Meanwhile, Arthur Strout, a 42-year-old father-of-five, had just told his father he was going to stay for a couple more games when the shooting took place.
Arthur Barnard told WCVB that he had been at the bar with his son that night and had left just 10 minutes earlier.
“I left 10 minutes before this happened. He was supposed to leave with me and he decided he wanted to stay for a couple more games,” he said. He added: “People loved him. They just loved him.”
The Maine AFL-CIO – a state federation of over 160 local labor unions – announced that one of its members, Peyton Brewer Ross was among those killed.
Ross was a new father and “loved by his community” the federation wrote on X, sharing a picture of Mr Ross smiling and holding a young child. Mr Ross was a member of the Machinists Local S6 union.
Ron Morin’s family confirmed he was also among the victims, paying tribute to him in a Facebook post, writing: “Rest in Paradise, Ronnie. “This smile and your energy will forever be loved and missed.”
