According to NBC News, which cited a local police source, at least 22 people have died following multiple shootings in the American city of Lewiston on Wednesday night (Oct 25).
It was reported that between 50 and 60 individuals were hurt in the incidents, but it was not immediately apparent how many of those injuries were caused by gunfire.
The Lewiston Police Department subsequently identified Robert Card as the alleged gunman.
The Lewiston Police Department reports that a restaurant and bowling alley were the locations of the shootings.
“Please stay off the roads to allow emergency responders access to the hospitals,” said the police, in a statement on Facebook.
According to media accounts, the Lewiston shooting warning was issued just after 8:00 p.m. (local time) when the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office stated that law enforcement officers were looking into “two active shooter events.”
Additionally, the local sheriff’s office posted a picture of the alleged gunman on Facebook, showing him inside a bowling alley with what looked to be a semi-automatic rifle.
“We are encouraging all businesses to lock down and or close while we investigate. The suspect is still at large,” said the local police.
Central Maine Medical Center, said that they were reacting to a “mass casualty, mass shooter event.”
Who is Robert Card?
“CARD should be considered armed and dangerous. Please contact law enforcement if you are aware of his whereabouts,” said the local police department in a statement.
The Associated Press, citing a police intelligence alert, reported that the 40-year-old was a certified firearms instructor who was stationed out of Saco, Maine, and is thought to be in the Army Reserve.
According to reports, he was “hearing voices” and made threats to blow up his National Guard Base. Additionally, the record stated that during the summer of 2023, Card spent two weeks in a mental health facility.
Joe Biden has been briefed on the current state of knowledge on the mass shootings that have occurred in Maine, according to the White House.
Janet Mills, the US governor, stated that she was “aware of and have been briefed on the active shooter situation in Lewiston.”