What we know about the Maine mass shooting: A children’s party, an Army Reservist and 18 dead
It was by all accounts a normal Wednesday night in Lewiston, Maine – until it was rocked by the latest horrific act of gun violence in America, Rachel Sharp reports. WARNING: Disturbing images
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Children were playing games at a party in a bowling alley.
Locals were drinking and dining at a restaurant.
It was by all accounts a normal Wednesday night – until it was rocked by the latest horrific act of gun violence in America.
A gunman entered two locations in the town of Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday night and opened fire, killing 18 people and injuring 13 others.
On Friday evening, after a two-day manhunt to catch Robert Card – the “armed and dangerous” suspect wanted in connection to the shootings – a body was found in a box trailer in an overflow lot of a recycling centre where he used to work. Authorities believe he took his on life.
Residents across Maine spent two days hunkering down in their homes and businesses as the search continued for the US Army Reserve firearms instructor who had allegedly threatened to shoot up a National Guard post and had recently complained about hearing voices.
Here’s what we know:
The shooting
The horror shootings unfolded at around 6.56pm on Wednesday night when a gunman stormed two locations in Lewiston and opened fire on people inside.
The first location targeted was Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley popular among families and children.
Lewiston city councilor Robert McCarthy said that there was a children’s party going on there at the time.
The second shooting took place around four miles away at the Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant – a large restaurant complete with 10 pool tables and TVs to play major sports events – with multiple 911 calls coming in at around 7.08pm.
The restaurant had posted on Facebook that it was hosting an “industry night” that night.
“INDUSTRY NIGHT TONIGHT!! You work in the bar/restaurant industry? You get 25% your bill !!!!” it said.
Police received reports of shooting incidents and responded to find multiple casualties.
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.
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.
Ms Mill said 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 shoulers but I promise you this – we will all help you carry that grief.”
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 manhunt
On Friday evening, Maine State Police found Card’s body in a box trailer in the overflow lot of Maine Recycling Corporation. They were led to this location after the owner of the plant — who was allegedly Card’s former boss — urged police to look for someone hiding in those trailers, since he was familiar with the property. Shockingly, police said on Saturday morning that they had already “cleared” that area twice before returning to find the body and looking within 55 to 60 trailers.
He is believed to have died by suicide. Two firearms were recovered from the scene.
For days prior, an intensive manhunt was underway for Robert Card, who was named as a suspect in the shootings.
Police identified Mr Card as a person of interest after posting terrifying surveillance footage grabs on Facebook of the shooter entering the bowling alley armed with a rifle.
Lewiston police also shared a photo of a white SUV wanted in connection to the shooting and asked the public to contact authorities if they saw it.
At around 11.30pm, police confirmed that Mr Card’s car had been found in Lisbon – around eight miles from Lewiston – but that he remained missing.
In Thursday’s press conference, police confirmed that the vehicle had been found close to a boat landing point in Lisbon. It was later revealed that this vehicle contained a long gun.
Residents in Auburn, Bowdoin Lewiston and Lisbon had been urged to shelter in place and businesses told to shutter as the manhunt was underway.
Mr Card was described as “armed and dangerous” and members of the public were warned not to approach him if they saw him.
On Thursday evening – around 24 hours after the incidents first occurred – a major search was carried out by the FBI at a property belonging to Mr Card in nearby Bowdoin. A spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson previously told CNN that law enforcement was “not positive” Mr Card was in the house and that police were doing their “due diligence.”
On Thursday afternoon local time multiple police vehicles were seen in the vicinity of Card’s home in the vicinity of Bowdoin, with CNN reporting a series of loud bangs.
There was speculation that the noise could have been flash bangs used by police in stand-offs with armed suspects. Shortly after, a video emerged of law enforcement outside a property with a loudhailer heard to announce: “FBI! Open the door!”
Around 8.45pm local time tactical police vehicles were pictured moving in convoy away from the property.
As the search for Mr Card crept over the 36-hour mark, police said that efforts were being expanded, with the diving teams being deployed. Teams were tasked with checking for evidence as well as “potential bodies” in the Androscoggin River, Maine’s public safety commissioner Michael Sauschuck said at a press conference on Friday morning.
A vehicle connected to the suspected gunman was found in Lisbon near a boat ramp on the Androscoggin River, which flows into the Kennebec River, on Thursday.
Mr Sauschuck said the search around the river will extend to a ground search of the surrounding area as well as an aerial search via helicopters to determine where divers should look specifically – the Maine State Police will be leading the initiative.
During the press conference, Mr Sauschuck added that law enforcement was 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.
The gunman
Just hours after the shootings, Robert Card was named as a person of interest by police.
On Thursday morning, officials confirmed that he was now a suspect in the killings and that a warrant was out for his arrest on eight counts of murder (as 10 victims are yet to be identified).
Mr Card, 40, was a US Army Reservist and a certified firearms instructor, meaning he was well-trained in the use of firearms.
The US Army confirmed that he joined in 2002 and had no combat deployments. At the time of the shootings he was currently a Sgt 1st class and Petroleum Supply Specialist.
Law enforcement officials said that Mr Card had recently made threats to carry out a shooting at a National Guard facility in Saco and had reported mental health issues including hearing voices.
He spent two weeks in a mental health facility this summer. However, officials clarified at Saturday’s press conference that there were no records indicating he had been forcibly commited for treatment. The public safety commissioner also said there was a “strong mental health cloud over what happened,” although he said he has also not found anything to corroborate the theory that he had been hearing voices. Police are now investigating the motive.
Another detail came to light in the aftermath of the suspect’s death: Card’s relatives were among the first to identify him to police after photos of the shooter were posted. The public safety commissioner remarked that the family had been “very cooperative” with police.
Before he was found, Mr Card’s family members revealed their shock, with the 40-year-old’s sister-in-law telling The Daily Beast that they were “shaken” by the news.
“I am with police right now and my children [are] terrified and shaken, so I do not have a comment on anything right now,” she said.
At a Friday press conference, police revealed they had discovered a note in Mr Card’s home during searches of the property. The contents of the note were not specified, leading to speculation that it may point to a possible motive for the killings.
Officials have admitted they still do not know what the motives were behind the mass shootings.
Police sources had previously told ABC News that a “suicide note” addressed to his son had been found inside Mr Card’s home during a search, though authorities have not confirmed this. Officials did confirm on Saturday that the note was addressed to a “loved one.”
The note contained the suspect’s phone passcode and bank account details, officials said.
The victims
All 18 victims killed in the shootings have now been identified and named publicly by police with the consent of their families. They include a 14-year-old boy who had gone to the bowling alley with his father.
Aaron Young, 14, was with his father Bill Young at the Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley for an evening with their bowling league on Wednesday night, 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 were killed in the attack.
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.
“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 cheek. He was just there for everything,” Cassandra said. Lucy Violette was later named by police as having also died in the attacks.
Tommy Conrad, 34, worked as a manager at the bowling alley. He leaves behind a nine-year-old daughter.
Two friends, Michael Deslauriers and Jason Walker, died saving their family members from the gunfire at the bowling alley and charging at the shooter, it has been revealed.
Mr Deslauriers’ father Michael Deslauriers Sr said that his son and Mr Walker were at the bowling alley on Wednesday night when the shooting began.
In a heartbreaking post on the Sabattus Historical Society’s Facebook page, Mr Deslauriers Sr described how the two men leapt 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 Wednesday night when the gunman came in and opened fire.
Her sister Bobbi Lynn-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.
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 session and to hang out with his friends. She learned that he 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.
A tribute was paid to Mr Vozella, 45, by the National Association of Letter Carriers, which said it was “heartbroken” by the news of his death.
Arthur Strout, a 42-year-old father-of-five, had just told his father he was going to stay for a couple more games.
Arthur Barnard told WCVB that he had been at the bar with his son that night and had left shortly before the shooting began.
“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 labour 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.”
Maxx Hathaway and Keith Macneir were also named among the dead during Friday’s press conference.
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