LEWISTON, Maine. A horrific mass shooting in Maine has left at least 16 people dead, and law enforcement officials have identified a person of interest in the case, as reported in a police intelligence bulletin. The individual in question, Robert Card, is a firearms instructor with military training and had recently undergone treatment in a mental health facility.
The police bulletin, reviewed by The Associated Press, is now being circulated among law enforcement agencies. It reveals that Robert Card, a former firearms instructor at a U.S. Army Reserve training facility in Maine, had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks during the summer of 2023. The document does not provide specific details regarding his treatment or condition but does mention that Card reported hearing voices and had made threats related to a potential shooting at the military training base in Saco, Maine.
Robert Card is currently sought by the police as a person of interest in the devastating shootings that occurred on Wednesday. His listed telephone number in public records is not in service.
In a Facebook post, Lewiston Police confirmed Card’s status as a person of interest in the shooting and urged the public to consider him armed and dangerous. The shooting took place at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, plunging the state’s second-largest city into chaos.
Local authorities have ordered residents and business owners to remain indoors and off the streets. According to two anonymous law enforcement officials who spoke with The Associated Press, dozens of people were also wounded in the shootings. Central Maine Medical Center is coordinating with area hospitals to handle the influx of patients due to this mass casualty event.
Melinda Small, the owner of Legends Sports Bar and Grill, described the swift response of her staff to ensure the safety of customers and employees. Her establishment is located close to the scene of the shooting, and they locked their doors and assisted in the evacuation of everyone inside.
The situation prompted an alert for Lewiston, issued shortly after 8 p.m., indicating that law enforcement agencies were investigating two active shooter events. Authorities advised the public to avoid the affected areas and to follow all instructions from local officials.
The Governor of Maine, Janet Mills, has been briefed on the situation and remains in close contact with public safety officials. President Joe Biden has offered full federal support to the state in the wake of this tragic incident.
Local schools will be closed on Thursday, and residents are urged to stay in their homes with locked doors. Lewiston, a city that has seen significant African immigration, is now a diverse community, and this tragedy has deeply affected the region.
Sen. Angus King, representing Maine, expressed his condolences and said he would return to Maine as soon as possible to monitor the situation.
Authorities are expected to provide updates during a news conference at city hall in Lewiston.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
