Mass Shooting in Lewiston, Maine Leaves 18 Dead and Over a Dozen Injured

The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office released two photos of the suspect on its Facebook page that showed a gunman walking into an establishment with a weapon raised to his shoulder. | Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office

A horrifying mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, has resulted in at least 18 casualties, as per Maine Governor Janet Mills’ statement on Thursday morning. More than a dozen people were injured during the rampage, which has left the community in shock. State Police are actively searching for a person of interest connected to the shooting, who remains at large.

The Incident

The mass shooting took place shortly before 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, at various locations across Lewiston, Maine. The shooters targeted multiple areas, leaving residents and law enforcement in a state of shock. The scale of the violence prompted an urgent response from authorities.

Person of Interest

The person of interest in the case is identified as 40-year-old Robert R. Card. He was associated with the U.S. Army Reserve and believed to be stationed in Saco, Maine. Although an earlier bulletin had stated that Card was a trained firearms instructor, updated information has refuted this claim. The law enforcement bulletin mentioned Card’s recent struggles with mental health issues, including reporting auditory hallucinations and making threats related to a military base. He had spent two weeks in a mental health facility during the summer of 2023.

Heavily armed police stand at the ambulance entrance to the Central Maine Medical Center on Oct. 26, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine, where many of the shooting victims were brought.

Citywide Response

The search for the person of interest has resulted in an extensive manhunt and an advisory to shelter in place for residents in Lewiston. Additionally, the shelter-in-place advisory has been extended to Bowdoin, Maine, Card’s hometown. Nearby communities, such as Auburn, have also issued similar advisories, and schools in the region have closed out of caution.

National Response and Support

The tragic incident has not gone unnoticed at the national level, with President Joe Biden offering full federal support. The White House confirmed that the President had been briefed on the mass shooting in Lewiston. Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, are actively involved in the response efforts.

The entire community of Lewiston is reeling from this devastating event, as the nation watches closely to see how the situation unfolds.

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