Lewiston Maine shooting LIVE: Victims mourned at vigil after shooter found dead

Days after Robert Card, the suspected gunman in the Maine mass shooting in which 18 people were murdered and 13 others were injured was found dead, Maine begins to heal; now that shelter-in-place orders have been lifted, community members are gathering for vigils and placing signs and dedications around Lewiston in honour of those lost in the tragedy.

Card is believed to have taken his own life after being the subject of a dayslong manhunt after the shocking violence in the city of Lewiston, Maine, and his death was confirmed by law enforcement sources.

The victims, who were officially identified by authorities, ranged in age from 14 to 76 years old.

On Friday morning it was revealed that a note had been found but its content was not disclosed.

Divers had also been searching the river beside which Mr Card’s SUV was found and at one point a lettuce farm was cleared after reports of a gunshot.

A shelter-in-place order was lifted allowing residents of Lewiston, Lisbon, and Bowdoin to leave home for the first time since Wednesday night.

“Americans should not have to live like this,” President Biden said in a statement on Saturday, urging Congress to act to “end this gun violence epidemic.”

Sheila Flynn and Andrea Blanco reporting from Lewiston.

Key points

• All 18 victims of Maine mass-shooting identified by authorities

• Ten-year-old girl injured in Maine bowling alley shooting asks heartbreaking question

• 14-year-old boy identified as victim of Lewiston mass shooting

• Map of Maine shooting locations as manhunt continues

• Police confirm that Robert Card has been found dead, ending manhunt

• Maine shooting suspect’s former boss told police where to look for him after two failed searches

13:00 , Kelly Rissman

A hero emerges during the shooting

Thomas Giberti now has seven bullet wounds after being struck in Wednesday’s attacks at the bowling alley, Just-In-Time Recreation.

He was trying to shepherd children at the bowling alley to safety but was struck by gunfire in the back doorway, his nephew said. Instinctively swinging his legs out of the way, he managed to pull himself against a corner and sat there until a paramedic found him and made a tourniquet with Mr Giberti’s own belt to stop the bleeding.

“He’s a very humble person and doesn’t like the spotlight at all,” Mr Bourgault, Mr Giberti’s nephew, told The Independent. “He said, ‘I’m not a hero, I just reacted,’ ... And I told him, ‘Tom, that’s what heroes do. You could have run out the back door yourself, but you didn’t. You chose to go into the bowling alley where the gunfire was coming from and get those kids.’”

Sheila Flynn and Andrea Blanco have the full story from Lewiston...

Lewiston locals untangle grief and relief in the wake of Maine’s first mass shooting

Maine police were warned gunman would ‘snap and commit mass shooting’ weeks before rampage

12:30 , Rachel Sharp

Maine police were warned that Robert Card would “snap and commit a mass shooting” weeks before his rampage, according to reports.

The Maine National Guard asked local police to conduct a welfare check on Card, an army reservist, after he made threats against his US army base, less than six weeks before he killed 18 people in a mass shooting on Wednesday, CNN reported, citing a law enforcement source.

A statewide awareness alert was issued in mid-September to watch for Card, but police were unable to locate him. The Sagadahoc County sergeant later learned a fellow guardsman was “concerned” Card would “snap and commit a mass shooting”.

Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry said he sent the awareness alert to every law enforcement agency in the state after his deputy conducted a welfare check to Card’s home without any sign of the reservist.

Read the stort here:

Maine police reveal major warning sign ahead of Lewiston shooting

12:00 , Kelly Rissman

WATCH: Vice President Kamala Harris condemns ‘senseless gun violence’

Heartbreaking tribute to victim at Lewiston cafe

11:30 , Rachel Sharp

The morning after Maine authorities lifted a shelter-in-place order upon discovery of the fugitive shooter’s body, popular Lewiston breakfast spot DuBois Cafe reopened.

Beloved regular Ronald Morin, who came in most Saturdays to entertain staff with his dad jokes as he ordered the same meal, wasn’t there. But his friends were.

“They filled up this entire corner of the restaurant, and they all got something similar – so he would typically get a ham and Cooper cheese omelet, hash browns on the side, no toast typically, and bacon on the side,” waitress Alyssa Black told The Independent on Sunday. “Everyone came in yesterday, and they got pretty much his meal – the bacon on the side, no toast, no sides.”

Ms Black, 33, had loved serving the 55-year-old, describing him as “a treasured member of the community” who regularly spoke about his children and “was just a beacon of light and fun and such a wonderful gentleman.”

Mr Morin was among the 18 people killed Wednesday night when 40-year-old Army reservist Robert Card opened fire at a Lewiston bar and a bowling alley, injuring 13 more and forever scarring Maine’s second-largest city.

Sheila Flynn and Andrea Blanco reporting from Lewiston

11:00 , Kelly Rissman

Ominous timing: The Senate passed a relevant amendment just before the shooting

Mere hours before Robert Card, a US army reservist, allegedly began his shooting spree on Wednesday, the Senate approved an amendment that would cut down background check requirements for some veterans and service members with mental health issues.

The amendment aims to prevent veterans from losing their gun rights, and prevents the Department of Veterans Affairs from reporting certain veterans to the National Criminal Background Check system when their finances are being managed by a conservator at the VA.

Reports have suggested that Card had been hearing voices and was upset by them. Officials also said at Saturday’s press conference that there is a “strong mental health cloud over what happened,” but dismissed the theory that he had been hearing voices.

‘A love that cannot be gunned down’: Lewiston holds vigil for shooting victims

10:30 , Rachel Sharp

Thousands turned out on Sunday night at a Maine basilica for a vigil remembering those senselessly killed days earlier by the state’s first mass shooter – as friends and family remembered loved ones with smaller, beautiful gestures, as well.

Andrea Blanco and Sheila Flynn report from on the ground in Lewiston, Maine

‘A love that cannot be gunned down’: Lewiston holds vigil for shooting victims

10:06 , Kelly Rissman

What was the motive for the attack?

Perhaps the biggest question looming in the wake of the tragedy is what could have driven suspect Robert Card to execute this brutal attack?

However, Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck confirmed at an early press conference on Friday that the suspect did leave behind a mystery note after allegedly going on the killing rampage.

Officials have refused to reveal the contents of the note, hinting that it may point to a possible motive for the killings.

Police sources had previously told ABC News that a “suicide note” addressed to his son had been found inside Card’s home during a search.

The sources said the note contained the suspect’s rantings as well as some personal information such as bank account details.

As well as the note, a law enforcement official told CNN that Card’s cellphone had also been recovered.

09:00 , Kelly Rissman

The ‘difficult corner’ Republicans have found themselves in regarding guns

The interview illustrates well the difficult corner where Republicans now find themselves — simultaneously pushing for the government to have more power against individuals in some areas and less power in others. And unable to risk the political consequences of supporting reforms to gun legislation, the party finds itself in the wilderness when attempting to offer meaningful responses to mass shootings, John Bowden reports.

Read the full story...

Ron DeSantis spins contradictory gun views after Maine shooting

08:00 , Kelly Rissman

The president’s response to the shooting

07:00 , Kelly Rissman

Mystery lingers around the note left by the suspected shooter

Maine’s Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck confirmed in a press conference on Friday that a note had been recovered in the wake of Wednesday’s attacks which left 18 victims dead and another 13 wounded.

However, Mr Sauschuck refused to reveal the contents of the note, hinting that it may point to a possible motive for the killings.

The revelation came hours before authorities found Card’s body in a wooded area close to a recycling area where he used to work. He appeared to have died from a self-inflicted wound.

Police sources had previously told ABC News that a “suicide note” addressed to his son had been found inside Mr Card’s home during a search.

06:00 , Kelly Rissman

The victims of the rampage

A bar manager, four deaf friends and a teenage bowler were among the 18 victims who were formally identified by police on Friday.

The ages of those caught up in the violence ranged from 14 to 76 years old. Some who died reportedly put themselves in the line of fire to protect others. Many GoFundMe pages have been set up for victims and their families — some have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, perhaps signaling a desire to end the gun violence epidemic.

The Independent has the full list of victims identified by police.

‘Innocent people’ enjoying their Wednesday night: The Maine shooting victims

05:00 , Kelly Rissman

A timeline of the tragedy

• Months before the deadly attacks, Robert Card, a US Army reservist, was reportedly held in a mental facility for weeks over the summer. He was taken by police in July for evaluation at the urging of concerned military officials.

• In mid-September, a statewide awareness alert was issued after Card made threats against the base in Saco, Maine.

Fast forward to Wednesday, 25 October...

• Minutes before 7pm on Wednesday night, shots were fired at Just-in-Time Recreation, a bowling alley on Mollison Way in Lewiston, Maine.

• At 7.08pm, multiple 911 calls reported an active shooter at Schemengees Bar and Grill on Lincoln Street, just four miles from the bowling alley.

• Just after 8pm, Maine State Police urged Lewiston residents to shelter in place. “Please stay inside your home with the doors locked. Law enforcement is currently investigating at multiple locations,” the department wrote.

• At 8.06pm, police released a photo of the shooter to the media, and an hour and a half later, the Lewiston Police Department received a call identifying the man in photos as Card. Among the first calls were from Card’s family members, officials revealed on Saturday morning.

• Two hours later, at 9.56pm, state police officers alerted that they had found a “vehicle of interest” in Lisbon at Pejepscot Boat Launch, prompting the shelter-in-place advisory to extend to Lisbon. The Lewiston Police posted a photo on Wednesday night of a white Subaru station wagon. That vehicle was registered to Card, police said. A long gun was found in the vehicle.

• By Friday evening, police had found Card’s body — in a box trailer in Maine Recycling Corporation’s overflow lot. Authorities believe he took his own life. It’s not entirely clear how Card wound up at the recycling facility, but it is believed that he walked from the boat landing via a trail that linked the two locations.

03:00 , Kelly Rissman

Maine Sen Susan Collins’ statement after the shooting

02:00 , Kelly Rissman

Lewiston begins to heal, days after gunman found dead

The parking lot was full Saturday morning at Governor’s Restaurant and Bakery in Lewiston after “a very quiet couple of days out here,” manager Brittany Peterson said. “There was no movement; the only movements that you heard were police sirens and helicopters.”

Local authorities announced counselling services at different locations on Saturday for people directly impacted by the shootings and for members of the wider community. Residents swarmed supermarkets and other stores, which had been completely shuttered since the shelter-in-place order was implemented on Wednesday as a manhunt began.

Sunday 29 October 2023 23:00 , Kelly Rissman

Heartbreaking final text to Maine mass shooting victim who died trying to take down Card, revealed

Thomas “Tommy” Conrad had been planning on doing a pumpkin carving at the bowling alley for the kids in the Lewiston community before a gunman opened fire in a mass shooting that claimed the lives of 18 people.

Now, mourners are leaving Jack-o-lanterns outside Just-In-Time Recreation as a tribute for the 34-year-old manager, who was killed in the attack while trying to take down the shooter.

As news of the massacre broke, Alex McMahan, who co-owns a chain of dispensaries in the area, texted his longtime customer and buddy Conrad: “Are you okay, brother?”

“And he obviously didn’t text back,” Mr McMahan told The Independent.

A GoFundMe created for Conrad’s family describes him as a man who was “devoted to his job, his game and his young daughter, Caroline.”

“He died a hero,” the campaign stated. “He put his life in harm’s way to charge the gunman and save the children who were there.”

Read the full story...

Friend shares heartbreaking final text to ‘hero’ Maine shooting victim

Sunday 29 October 2023 21:30 , Kelly Rissman

A second vigil will be held at 6pm on Sunday

Sunday’s vigil well be held from 6-8pm at the Franco Center in Lewiston to mourn the 18 lives lost in the mass shooting.

Last night, a candlelight vigil was held at Worumbo in Lisbon.

Sunday 29 October 2023 20:00 , Kelly Rissman

What we know about the suspect from social media posts

The suspect showed an interest in right-wing pundits and politics on X, formerly Twitter, before his account was deleted by the company.

He liked posts from Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr, Tucker Carlson and Jordan Peterson. He appeared to focus on content that expressed anti-trans views, as well as on gun rights, the coronavirus and the economy.

Liking a post does not necessarily signify that he agreed with the content, and there is no indication that it was a political attack.

The suspect’s account on X was captured by Heavy.com before it was deleted by the platform, as per its policy. The profile picture on that account appears to match photographs released by law enforcement.

In March, he liked a tweet from Trump Jnr that said:

“Given the incredible rise of trans/non-binary mass shooters in the last few years… by far the largest group committing as a percentage of population… maybe, rather than talking about guns we should be talking about lunatics pushing their gender affirming bulls*** on our kids?”

He also liked a video post in March from by Carlson, the former Fox News commentator, which was accompanied by the text: “The trans movement, it turns out, is the mirror image of Christianity, and therefore its natural enemy. People who believe they’re God can’t stand to be reminded that they’re not.”

Another theme that drew the suspect’s attention was the coronavirus. He liked several posts that expressed scepticism over vaccines and public health lockdowns.

The suspect followed only a few accounts on the platform, among them a pro-Donald Trump ‘MAGA’ page called Proud Patriots, X owner Musk, Mark Cuban, the business network CNBC and Joe Rogan, according to Heavy.com. He also interacted with a number of accounts of Republican politicians, such as former House speaker Kevin McCarthy and Jim Jordan.

The suspect liked at least two posts from President Joe Biden’s account, relating to his administration’s efforts to tackle inflation and taxes. He also liked several by Jim Cramer, the CNBC host.

Sunday 29 October 2023 19:30 , Kelly Rissman

ICYMI: How Robert Card was ultimately found after dayslong manhunt

Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck revealed that three of Card’s family members were among the first to call in on Wednesday, identifying the person in the suspect photos as Card.

A ‘vehicle of interest’ was also recovered on Wednesday night. The registration showed that the white Subaru station wagon belonged to the Bowdoin resident.

Days later, after police had already twice “cleared” the Maine Recycling Corporation, the owner reportedly called police. He allegedly told authorities that “this individual knows the property” and urged investigators to examine the trailers in the overflow lot, Mr Sauschuck said.

The 40-year-old was found in one of the 60 box trailers in the overflow lot. He is believed to have died by suicide.

Sunday 29 October 2023 19:00 , Kelly Rissman

The city of Lewiston mourns the 18 lives lost

On Friday, Alex McMahan returned with “a truckload of flowers” to expand the memorials.

“All of those locations have grown; people have been bringing flowers and poems and prayers and pictures and crosses,” he said Saturday.

Near Just-In-Time Recreation, mourners were also leaving Jack-o-lanterns – because Mr Conrad had been “planning on doing a pumpkin carving at the bowling alley for his nine-year-old daughter and for some of the kids in the community,” Mr McMahan said.

Sunday 29 October 2023 18:30 , Kelly Rissman

Faces of the victims

Sunday 29 October 2023 18:00 , Kelly Rissman

Heartbreaking final text to Maine shooting victim who died trying to take down shooter, revealed

Thomas “Tommy” Conrad had been planning on doing a pumpkin carving at the bowling alley for the kids in the Lewiston community before a gunman opened fire in a mass shooting that claimed the lives of 18 people.

Now, mourners are leaving Jack-o-lanterns outside Just-In-Time Recreation as a tribute for the 34-year-old manager, who was killed in the attack while trying to take down the shooter.

As news of the massacre broke, Alex McMahan, who co-owns a chain of dispensaries in the area, texted his longtime customer and buddy Conrad: “Are you okay, brother?”

“And he obviously didn’t text back,” Mr McMahan told The Independent.

Read the full story...

Friend shares heartbreaking final text to ‘hero’ Maine shooting victim

Sunday 29 October 2023 17:15 , Kelly Rissman

Gun safety group founder weighs in

Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, outlined the state’s lack of so-called ‘red flag laws’ and how that could have contributed to the tragedy.

Sunday 29 October 2023 17:00 , Kelly Rissman

Donations to victims can be made through the Maine Community Foundation

Dear friends of Maine,

As we awoke and began a late October Thursday, we found horrific news from Lewiston, where gun violence has struck disturbingly close to home. There are no words to express the grief, terror, and sadness that grip all of Maine today, not least our friends, colleagues, and neighbors in the Lewiston-Auburn area.

We grieve with the residents of Lewiston, and I want you to know that we are already hard at work to support recovery efforts for this wonderful community that will need our expertise, networks, and resources during the long road ahead. We will respond to this tragedy with direction from the affected community, including Maine Community Foundation’s Androscoggin County Committee and other community partners.

MaineCF has created the Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund to address current and emerging needs associated with this tragedy. With MaineCF as a conduit, 100% of every dollar donated will be allocated to people impacted and the organizations that will help guide Lewiston-Auburn through the process of healing.

Donations may be made to victims and survivors or to the broader recovery effort at the link above; checks may be sent to:

Lewiston-Auburn Area Response FundMaine Community Foundation245 Main StreetEllsworth, Maine 04605(207)-667-9735

Sunday 29 October 2023 15:45 , Kelly Rissman

A glimpse into the Lewiston life

Much of the gossip and social life for years has centred on pub sports – darts, pool and, importantly, cornhole, with residents avidly playing in leagues and following tournaments.

“When I first moved out to Maine, one thing that I was really surprised by was the fact that everybody up here is really good at pool and at darts and at cornhole – everybody’s pretty competitive, but they’re also really good,” Alex McMahan, who co-owns a chain of dispensaries and moved to the state from South Carolina, told The Independent.

“Places like Schemengees, where it’s got the pool, the darts and the cornhole, it is the quintessential place to be in a city like Lewiston … pretty much everybody frequented it.”

Reporting from Lewiston, The Independent’s Andrea Blanco and Sheila Flynn have the full story...

Lewiston locals untangle grief and relief in the wake of Maine’s first mass shooting

Sunday 29 October 2023 15:30 , Kelly Rissman

WATCH: Maine shooting suspect’s former boss told police where to look for him after two failed searches

Sunday 29 October 2023 15:00 , Kelly Rissman

ICYMI: What we know about Card’s death

Police on Friday night said they had found Card’s body after a 48-hour-long manhunt. He is believed to have died by suicide.

The 40-year-old suspect was found in a box trailer in the overflow lot of Maine Recycling Corporation. Maine State Police found Card’s body after the owner of the recycling plant reportedly called in, urging police to look at the 55 to 60 trailers in the lot. Police said they had “cleared” the area twice before getting the call from the owner, who was reportedly Card’s ex-boss.

Two firearms were recovered from the scene and a third firearm — a long gun — was recovered from a white Subaru station wagon, which officials had identified as belonging to Card on Wednesday night. The “vehicle of interest” had been found at a boat landing in Lisbon.

“He is dead,” Maine governor Janet Mills said at a news conference, as she thanked the officers involved in the manhunt.

“Like many people, I am breathing a sign of relief tonight, knowing that Robert Card is no longer a threat to anyone... Now is the time to heal.”

Sunday 29 October 2023 13:30 , Kelly Rissman

Robert Card had attempted to buy a silencer months before the mass shooting

The suspect tried to buy a silencer for a rifle at a local firearms store, the owner told ABC News.

“He came in and filled out the form, he checked off a box that incriminated himself saying that he was in an institution,” Rick LaChapelle, owner of Coastal Defense Firearms, said. “Our staff was fantastic, let him finish filling out the form, and said, ‘I’m sorry, Mr. Card, we cannot give you this… at this point in time, we cannot release this silencer to you because of the answers that you’ve given us.”

Mr LaChapelle added “we did what we were supposed to do and hopefully saved a lot of lives by the proper, just following the proper procedures.”

Sunday 29 October 2023 12:00 , Kelly Rissman

Victim’s relative speaks to Chris Cuomo about harrowing events

Haley Breton, the sister of 23-year-old Justin Karcher who remains in the ICU in critical condition after Wednesday’s shooting, told Cuomo on NewsNation that her brother didn’t know the shooter.

She said that her brother “went to the bar, he was playing pool. The shooter came in and started shooting out.”

Although Ms Breton said she is still fuzzy on some of the details, “I know when the EMTs brought him in, they did tell the surgeon that he was the first one that was shot and he was the first one in surgery.”

She launched a GoFundMe page for her brother, writing: “he is fighting his way to make it threw and we are blessed with him still being here with her, sadly with him being in icu bills are off the wall with surgery’s, X-rays, cat scans, and much more that comes along with it.” It has already raised over $26,000.

Sunday 29 October 2023 11:00 , Kelly Rissman

The suspect’s relatives were notified before the public of his death

The family of the man suspected of carrying out a mass shooting in Maine were told of his death before officials publicly made the announcement.

Robert Card, 40, was found dead in an area near a recycling facility where he used to work and had recently been fired.

He is suspected to have killed 18 and injured 13 at two locations in Lewiston, Maine, in the deadliest mass shooting ever witnessed in the state.

Card is believed to have taken his own life, officials said at a press conference on Friday evening. The announcement concluded a 48-hour-long manhunt after Wednesday night’s attacks.

Read the full story...

Maine massacre suspect’s family told of his death before public announcement

Sunday 29 October 2023 09:00 , Kelly Rissman

Who are the victims? Bob and Lucy Violette were tragically killed in Wednesday’s attacks

Bob Violette, a 76-year-old retired Sears mechanic and avid bowler, was identified by his daughter-in-law Cassandra as one of the victims, she told the Portland Press Herald.

Mr Violette, who was a native of Lewiston and ran a youth bowling league, was reportedly killed trying to protect the kids he was responsible for on Wednesday night.

Both he and his wife Lucy were keen bowlers, having started the youth bowling league at Sparetime Recreation, for which Mr Violette was recently inducted into the Maine Bowling Hall of Fame.

“He wouldn’t let you walk out the door without giving him a hug, and a kiss on the check. He was just there for everything,” Cassandra said.

She said he had a special bond with his grandkids and was a doting husband to his wife Lucy, who was injured in the shooting. However, her condition is unknown.

“His first thought every day was her,” Cassandra added.

Lucy Violette was later confirmed to have also died following the shooting, during Friday’s press conference.

Sunday 29 October 2023 08:00 , Kelly Rissman

How did Robert Card get from place to place?

• The two locations of the shootings — the bowling alley and restaurant — are just four miles, or a 10-minute drive, apart in Lewiston, Maine.

• Hours after reports of the active shooting, police located a white Suburu station wagon belonging to Card near a boat landing in Lisbon. The vehicle contained a long gun.

• Card’s body was found in a box trailer in the overflow lot of Maine Recycling Corporation.

• Police said there is a “natural connection” between the boat landing and the recycling plant via a trail.

• Details are yet to be solidified, but officials said on Saturday morning that there is no evidence suggesting Card did anything but walk along the trail that linked the two locations.

Sunday 29 October 2023 07:00 , Kelly Rissman

The firearms in question

Two firearms were recovered from the scene and a third firearm — a long gun — was recovered from a white Subaru station wagon, which officials had identified as belonging to Card on Wednesday night. The “vehicle of interest” had been found at a boat landing in Lisbon.

In addition to the recycling corporation owner calling police, Mr Sauschuck also revealed that three family members “positively identified” Card after photos were posted of him wielding what appeared to be an AR-15-style weapon. These weapons were “legally purchased,” police said.

Sunday 29 October 2023 06:00 , Kelly Rissman

Resources have been put in place for victims and those traumatised by the shooting

Sunday 29 October 2023 05:00 , Kelly Rissman

The aftermath: what we know

Maine shooting suspect Robert Card’s body was found at a recycling centre after a tip from the owner prompted police to search it for the third time.

Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck held a press conference on Saturday morning to provide new details on the discovery of the suspected shooter’s body following a multi-day manhunt after 18 people were killed and 13 injured in Lewiston.

He revealed that investigators “cleared” the Maine Recycling Corporation’s overflow lot twice before the owner of the plant reached out.

The owner reportedly said “this individual knows the property” and urged authorities to examine the trailers in the overflow lot, Mr Sauschuck said.

Sunday 29 October 2023 03:00 , Kelly Rissman

Who was Robert Card?

After identifying Robert Card as the “person of interest”, the sheriff’s office made photos of him public for identification. He could be seen in the images wearing brown clothes and brandishing a high-powered assault-style rifle.

The law enforcement also unveiled a picture of the vehicle under investigation – a compact white SUV featuring a front bumper painted black. It was a car that the Maine State Police confirmed as belonging to the shooter.

Card, 40, served as a firearms instructor in the US Army Reserve.

As a Sgt 1st class and Petroleum Supply Specialist, he joined in 2002 and had no combat deployments.

He recently disclosed mental health issues, citing experiences of auditory hallucinations including hearing voices and threats to shoot up the National Guard Base in Saco, according to a Maine law enforcement bulletin seen by the Associated Press.

He was also committed to a mental health facility for two weeks during the summer of 2023. Card’s family members have revealed their shock, with the 40-year-old’s sister-in-law telling The Daily Beast that they are “shaken” by the news.

“I have known Rob my whole life,” Card said on Thursday. “He is quiet but the most loving, hardworking, and kind person that I know. But in the past year, he had an acute episode of mental health, and it’s been a struggle.”

She explained that her brother-in-law had begun wearing hearing aids and was convinced he could hear people talking about him at the two locations of the shooting.

“He truly believed he was hearing people say things,” she said. “This all just happened within the last few months.”

John Miller, chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst for CNN, described the weapon as an AR15-style rifle with a possible telescopic sight. He noted that the gunman was wearing blue tactical pants with “bulging” pockets, suggesting the possibility that he was carrying extra ammunition.

Sunday 29 October 2023 01:00 , Kelly Rissman

Details emerge after suspected shooter’s death, showing family helped identify Robert Card

Police previously said that shortly after photos of the suspected shooter were released to the public — which were posted just an hour after a 911 of the first shooting — Lewiston Police Department received a call identifying the man in photos as 40-year-old Card.

Hours after Card was found dead from an apparent suicide following a dayslong manhunt, officials confirmed that his family members had identified him in the photos.

“This family has been incredibly cooperative,” said Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck at a Saturday morning press conference.

Read the full story...

Maine shooting suspect’s relatives called police to name him before official ID

Saturday 28 October 2023 21:00 , Kelly Rissman

GoFundMe pages started for victims

Funds are pouring in to support families and funeral services for the victims of the mass shooting, that claimed 18 lives and injured 13 others.

• The fundraiser for Joseph Walker has already surpassed its goal of $20,000 and has raised over $27,000.

• Aaron and Bill Young’s fundraiser has earned over $105,000.

• The fundraiser for Peyton Brewer Ross has accumulated over $57,000.

• Bob and Lucy Violette’s GoFundMe page has earned nearly $12,000.

• The page for Joshua Seal has earned over $200,000.

The sheer amount of cash flowing into the fundraisers seems to demonstrate not only sympathy for the families affected by the tragedy, but also perhaps for a desire to end the gun violence epidemic.

Saturday 28 October 2023 19:30 , Kelly Rissman

Maine gun laws under scrutiny

Under the state’s “yellow flag” law, a medical professional is required to assess whether the person in question “presents a likelihood of foreseeable harm,” and if this person does, the professional must notify law enforcement.

This assessment is then presented to law enforcement, who take it to a judge to determine whether that person should be able to possess a firearm.

Sen Susan Collins addressed the law in question on Thursday. “The fact that the suspect was hospitalized for two weeks for mental illness should have triggered the yellow flag law. He should have been separated from his weapons,” Ms Collins said. “I’m sure that after the fact, that it’s going to be looked at very closely.”

The public safety commissioner also emphasised on Saturday that authorities have not found any evidence to suggest Card was forcibly taken into a mental health facility, as reports have claimed that he spent weeks at a facility over the summer.

If this is the case, it raises the question of whether this tragedy could spark a change in the state’s gun laws.