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Horrific Mass Shooting in Maine Leaves At Least 18 Dead, Dozens Wounded

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  October 25, 2023 11:05 PM

Disturbing reports are coming out of Lewiston, Maine, of a mass shooting event where dozens have been shot. There are reports of at least ten dead. CNN has the death toll at 16 people [See UPDATES Below]. The suspect is still at large. The shooter attacked multiple locations. Lewiston, the second-largest city in Maine, is on lockdown (via Associated Press): 

Maine State Police ordered residents in the state’s second-largest city to shelter in place Wednesday night because of an active shooter situation. 

The alert for Lewiston was made shortly after 8 p.m. as the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office reported that law enforcement agencies were investigating “two active shooter events.” The sheriff’s office said the suspect was still at large. 

“We are encouraging all businesses to lock down and or close while we investigate,” the sheriff’s office reported.


We’ll keep you updated.

***

UPDATE: The death toll has risen to 22. There are reports of a suspect in custody. We have not been able to confirm that. Other reports have this search for the suspect being reclassified as a manhunt. A picture of the suspect's car has been released. The locations of the shooting are Schemengees, a bar/restaurant, and Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley. A Walmart distribution center is the reported third location. [See Update Below]. ATF agents from Boston are en route. The FBI is now involved in the manhunt. President Joe Biden and Maine Gov. Janet Mills have been briefed on the situation. 

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UPDATE II: Lewiston public schools are closed tomorrow. Bates College is on lockdown. The suspect is known to law enforcement (via NBC News): 

Police believe they know who the shooting suspect is, NBC News chief justice contributor Jonathan Dienst said on-air. 

"They believe they have him identified, and they are actively seeking him and the vehicle they believe he’s driving,” Dienst said in an NBC News special report about the shooting. 

“They have a pretty good idea who this suspect is,” Dienst said. a source said the person may have a criminal history, he said. 

"But as per motive, there is no indication as to why this shooting has taken place," Dienst said. 

Bulletins and briefings to various law enforcement agencies have had different numbers of deaths, he said.

UPDATE III: It's been confirmed that Robert Card has been identified as a person of interest. He is a firearm instructor suffering from severe mental health issues, including hearing voices and threatening to attack the local National Guard base in Saco. He was committed to a mental health facility for two weeks this past summer. 

UPDATE IV: Walmart representatives say their distribution center in Lewiston was not the site of the third shooting. Initial reports were incorrect. 

UPDATE V: Something to keep an eye on regarding the bowling alley: many kids were there. A youth bowling league was underway when shots were fired.