Police are searching for Robert Card, 40, a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, and the suspect behind the mass shootings inside a Lewiston bowling alley as well as a nearby bar and grill.
A manhunt is underway for a suspect in what has been called the deadliest mass shooting of 2023 in the U.S. after at least 16 people are dead and dozens injured in Lewiston, Maine.
Many towns around Lewiston are in lockdown as police search for Robert Card, 40, a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, and the primary suspect behind the shootings inside a Lewiston bowling alley as well as a nearby bar and grill, according to reports.
He should be “considered armed and dangerous,” Maine Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck said at a press conference. “If people see him, they should not approach Card or make contact with him in any way.”
Card was enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve and was believed to be stationed out of Saco, Maine, and recently reported mental health issues, according to authorities.
Authorities also added that he had also threatened to shoot up the National Guard base in Saco and was reported to have been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks this summer.
Police in nearby Lisbon, Maine, have recovered a “vehicle of interest” in connection with the shooting but has not yet been confirmed to be the SUV the shooter had driven Wednesday night.
Lewiston, which is just north of Portland, is reported to be a “low crime city,” according to the BBC.
Following the shooting, the Lewiston Bowling Alley posted a statement on Facebook which read, “None of this seems real, but unfortunately it is. We are devastated for our community and our staff. We lost some amazing and whole hearted people from our bowling family and community last night. There are no words to fix this or make it better. We praying for everyone who has been affected by this horrific tragedy. We love you all and hold you close in our hearts.”
The owner of Schemengees Bar and Grill, where the second attack occurred, said in a Facebook post: "My heart is crushed. I am at a loss for words. In a split second your world gets turn upside down for no good reason. We loss great people in this community. How can we make any sense of this. Sending out prayers to everyone."
Maine has had between 16 to 29 homicides each year since 2012, according to the Reuters.
Wednesday’s shooting is the 36th mass shooting to occur in America since the start of the year.
