Authorities reported that the individual suspected of causing the tragic deaths of 18 people and the injury of 13 others at a bar and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday night, was discovered deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Friday. This development marked the conclusion of an extensive manhunt that had compelled thousands of residents across the region to stay in their homes.
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The body of the individual, identified as Robert R. Card II, 40 years old, was found at a recycling center where he had previously worked, according to information provided by briefed authorities. Leo Madden, the owner of Maine Recycling in Lisbon Falls, slightly over 10 miles southeast of Lewiston, confirmed the suspect’s employment at the company.
Commissioner Michael J. Sauschuck of the Maine Department of Public Safety stated that the body was found at 7:45 p.m. but did not specify the exact time officials believed the suspect had passed away.
The search for Mr. Card had extended throughout much of the predominantly rural state, where numerous potential hiding spots existed. This led to a climate of heightened anxiety as helicopters traversed over farms and forests, police vehicles sped along rural roads, and divers ventured into the frigid waters of the Androscoggin River. Officials expressed relief that the suspect no longer posed a threat. Senator Angus King conveyed a message of unity and hope for better days, saying, “It will take a long, long time to process this pain, but Maine people have resilience and determination, and we will come together during this challenging period of grief.”
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However, Leroy Walker Sr., a 74-year-old Auburn city councilor who lost his son, Joseph Walker, 57, in the shootings, expressed that the suspect’s death did not bring him closure. In a text message on Friday night, he stated, “The feeling with me is no closure.” He had hoped for more answers about the suspect and said, “I was hoping for them to find him alive.” Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the news would provide a sense of relief to the community, knowing there was no longer a threat.
Prior to the discovery of Mr. Card’s body, it had been a day marked by intermittent searches. Residents had been advised to prepare for an extended search, with heavily armed officers, armored vehicles, aircraft, and dive teams combing the region. On Friday, Lewiston’s police chief, David St. Pierre, described it as a “tense and trying time” for the city, which has a population of nearly 40,000.
Mr. Sauschuck disclosed that investigators had found “a note at one of these residences” connected to Mr. Card but did not reveal its contents. He noted that the police had received over 500 tips.
At one point, officers converged on a farm in Lisbon, approximately eight miles southeast of Lewiston, in response to a report of what sounded like a gunshot. Later, they focused on a property at the end of a secluded wooded road in nearby Durham, but no sign of Mr. Card was found at either location.
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The rampage on Wednesday began just before 7 p.m., when a man carrying a semiautomatic rifle entered Just-In-Time Recreation, a bowling alley where numerous children, parents, and league members were present, and began firing. Approximately 12 minutes later, 911 calls reported another shooting at Schemengees Bar & Grille, about four miles away, where people were playing cornhole and billiards. When the shooting had concluded, 18 people had been killed, and 13 were injured, marking the deadliest mass shooting in the United States since May 2022 when a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
On Friday evening, officials released the names and photographs of the victims who lost their lives on Wednesday night. The victims’ ages ranged from 14 to 76.
Military officials confirmed that Mr. Card had served as a sergeant first class in the Army Reserve, assigned to an infantry regiment in Saco, Maine, and had enlisted in 2002. He had no combat deployments and served as a petroleum supply specialist, responsible for shipping and storing vehicle and aircraft fuel.
Investigators were also examining an incident involving Mr. Card during a recent visit to Camp Smith, a National Guard training facility near West Point in New York, as reported by a senior law enforcement official, speaking anonymously due to the unauthorized nature of the discussion. The official mentioned that Mr. Card had subsequently undergone an evaluation at a mental health facility.
