Shootings in Maine Leave at Least 18 Dead, 13 Injured

  • By Matt Jones
  • October 26, 2023

National news reports that a multistate manhunt is underway for a suspect who killed 18 people and injured 13 more at a bowling alley and bar in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday night.

Authorities have issued a shelter-in-place advisory during the hunt for 40-year-old Robert Card, a U.S. Army reservist who military officials said underwent a mental health evaluation “after he began acting erratically during training,” according to a U.S. official.

The shootings took place at Schemengees Bar and Grille and at Sparetime Recreation, which are about four miles apart, according to AP News. The attack began at Sparetime during a children’s bowling league event. Less than 15 minutes later, authorities began receiving 9-1-1 calls from Schemengees.

Police have identified eight of the 18 victims, along with associated murder warrants for Card. Maine State Police Col. William Ross said that ten more will “likely be issued” once the names of the rest of the dead have been confirmed.

Authorities say there have been no reported sightings of Card since the shootings on Wednesday night. The Coast Guard deployed a patrol boat along the Kennebec River on Thursday morning but found “nothing out of the ordinary” after hours of searching, said Chief Petty Officer Ryan smith.

Card’s car was discovered near a boat launch by the Androscoggin River, and his 15-foot boat remains unaccounted for, said Smith. However, Smith added that authorities have not received any specific intelligence that Card used his boat during the escape.

Nearby K–12 schools closed for the day, and higher education institutions were put on lockdown for the day. Students at Bates College in Lewiston have been advised to stay in their dorms with window blinds closed.

Card spent two weeks in a mental health facility this summer after “hearing voices and threats to shoot up” a military base, AP News reports. He was evaluated at the Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at [email protected]

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