Maine shooting updates: Biden tells Lewiston ‘you are not alone’

President Joe Biden headed to Lewiston today to meet with families and victims of the mass shooting.

The president and first lady spent time with first responders on the front lines of the response and met those who lost loved ones in the horrific attack. Speaking to the Maine community, Mr Biden said, we “want to make sure you know you’re not alone.”

“This tragedy opens a painful wound across the country,” he continued. “Too many Americans have lost loved ones or have survived the trauma of gun violence.”

The visit comes after Maine Governor Janet Mills launched a probe into the missed chances to stop the shooting, after it emerged that police were warned multiple times about the gunman’s concerning and threatening behaviour prior to the massacre.

Authorities said Robert Card’s “concerned” family had alerted the local sheriff about his mental health – and that they were concerned he had access to firearms – in May this year. The Maine National Guard asked local police in September to check on the US Army reservist amid concerns he would “snap and commit a mass shooting”, according to CNN.

Newly-released court documents also revealed that the gunman who killed 18 and wounded 13 believed locals were spreading conspiracies calling him a “paedophile” at the bowling alley and the bar where he opened fire.

Key points

• New documents reveal gunman believed locals were spreading ‘conspiracies’ about him

• Biden invited to visit Lewiston this week

• The missed chances to stop Maine mass shooting

• Who are the Maine mass shooting victims?

WATCH: Maine governor ignores questions from CNN reporter about shooter warning signs

Thursday 2 November 2023 04:00 , Rachel Sharp

On the ground: A Lewiston shooting victim ate the same meal at the same cafe each week. Now his friends are paying tribute

Thursday 2 November 2023 06:00 , Rachel Sharp

Beloved regular Ronald Morin, who came in most Saturdays at Dubois Cafe 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.”

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

Lewiston shooting victim always ate at the same cafe. Now friends pay unique tribute

Thursday 2 November 2023 20:44 , Kelly Rissman

Gunman believed Lewiston locals were spreading ‘conspiracies’ about him

The gunman who killed 18 and wounded 13 more in the mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine, believed locals were spreading conspiracies about him, according to newly-released court documents.

On Tuesday, Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Public Safety released affidavits, search warrants and other documents in the case.

Witnesses told law enforcement officials that Robert Card believed people were calling him a “paedophile” at the bowling alley and the bar where he opened fire last week, the documents show.

According to Card’s brother, the US Army Reservist thought there was a “conspiracy” whereby people were levelling such accusations against him.

Maine mass shooter believed people were spreading ‘conspiracies’ that he was a paedophile

Thursday 2 November 2023 07:00 , Rachel Sharp

Newly-released court documents reveal that witnesses told law enforcement officials that, in the run-up to the 25 October attacks, the US Army Reservist believed that people at the Schemengees Bar & Grille and Just-In-Time bowling alley were spreading conspiracies online that he was a paedophile.

Back in May – five months before the mass shooting – Card’s family members contacted authorities about his concerning beliefs that there was a conspiracy involving people accusing him of being a paedophile, the new documents reveal.

According to an incident report, filed by a Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s deputy, Card’s teenage son told police that his father began saying that he believed people were talking about him when they were out in public.

The encounters, which he said began around January time, would involve people who “were not even close to them and that nothing was being said in his father’s direction”.

His son “came to the conclusion that Robert was likely hearing voices or starting to experience paranoia”, the deputy wrote.

The re-occurring theme of this paranoia, he said, was that Card said “claiming people were saying derogatory things about him, such as calling him a pedophile”.

This escalated over time with Card’s son revealing that during a visit to his father he grew “very angry” with him – and even accused his own son of saying things behind his back.

This account about Card’s concerning mental state being centred on fears of a paedophile conspiracy against him was echoed by a number of other witnesses, the documents show.

Card had texted his brother about taking legal action against the people he claimed were calling him a paedophile, his sibling told authorities.

Meanwhile a member of the Army Reserves unit said that Card had accused other soldiers of calling him a sex offender.

This incident in the military led the Army to send him for a mental health evaluation back in the summer.

Card went on to claim that four local businesses that he frequented – including the two targeted in the massacre – were broadcasting online the claims that he was a paedophile.

Over time, Card also believed that some family members were involved in the conspiracy, witnesses said.

Biden may visit Lewiston on Friday

Thursday 2 November 2023 08:00 , Rachel Sharp

President Joe Biden is said to be considering visiting Lewiston this week following last week’s mass shooting that left 18 victims dead and 13 wounded.

Governor Janet Mills said she has invited the president to visit this Friday.

“We’ve seen him appear in such circumstances and offer not only a helping hand, but a very sympathetic ear,” she said according to Maine Public.

“He’s a very comforting person and he’s able to offer that comfort and support to any families who wish to see him and meet with him.”

On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre would not confirm whether or not Mr Biden will accept the invitaion.

“We are we are appreciative of the Governor of Maine inviting the president to to visit,” she said.

“As you know, when the president visits any state anywhere, there’s a lot of logistics that has to come into play. I don’t have anything to share on on a potential date, but certainly we are appreciative.

“And as you know, the Deputy Director of the Gun Prevention Office, Greg Jackson, as I mentioned, I believe yesterday, is on the ground providing support to the community.”

Maine shooting suspect’s possible motive revealed in new documents

Thursday 2 November 2023 09:00 , Rachel Sharp

Newly-released court documents have shone a light on the possible motive behind the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine – and the alleged gunman’s state of mind.

On Tuesday, Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Public Safety released a trove of affidavits, search warrants and other documents in the case, including harrowing witness accounts from suspect Robert Card’s son and brother as well as survivors of the massacre.

The documents reveal that witnesses told law enforcement officials that, in the run-up to the 25 October attacks, the US Army reservist believed that people at the Schemengees Bar & Grille and Just-In-Time bowling alley were spreading conspiracies online that he was a paedophile.

He also believed that the bar manager – one of the victims he killed in the shooting rampage – had once called him “gay”, witnesses said.

And he had also met his ex-girlfriend at the bar – an ex-girlfriend who had not long broken up with him.

Altogether, the new details reveal the 40-year-old’s ties to the bar and bowling alley, offering a glimpse into why he may have chosen to target the two locations in what marks Maine’s first major mass shooting.

Read the full story here:

Maine shooting suspect’s possible motive revealed in new documents

Teenager arrested for threatening ‘Lewiston Part 2’

Thursday 2 November 2023 10:00 , Rachel Sharp

A teenager has been arrested for threatening to carry out “Lewiston Part 2”.

Michael Bowden, 18, posted a photo of himself on Snapchat holding a rifle and ammunition in the parking lot of a Walmart where he used to work, according to WABI.

He captioned the post: “Lewiston Part 2.”

Mr Bowden was arrestedat his home in Etna, Maine, and charged with domestic violence terrorising and aggravated reckless conduct.

He was released on $10,000 bond.

Police said that the suspect was fired from Walmart back in 2021 and had made multiple trips to the store’s parking lot in recent days.

Gunman met ex-girlfriend at bar he targeted in mass shooting: new documents

Thursday 2 November 2023 11:00 , Rachel Sharp

Robert Card met his ex-girlfriend at Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant, according to witness accounts detailed in newly-released court documents.

Back on 25 October, the gunman first targeted the popular bowling alley just before 7pm on the evening of 25 October, killing seven people including a 14-year-old boy who was bowling with his father and their league.

Card then headed straight for the Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant, opening fire there minutes later and killing another eight victims there. Three other victims died after being taken to a local hospital.

As well as the 18 victims killed, another 13 were injured in the attacks.

The shooting sparked a huge two-day manhunt to track down Card, before his body was found on Friday in a trailer at a Lisbon recycling plant where he used to work. He died by suicide, with officials confirming that he left a note behind in his home indicating his plans not to be found alive.

During the manhunt, witnesses told law enforcement that Card met his former girlfriend at Schemengees during a cornhole tournament.

The couple split in February, with Card appearing to unravel from there, the affidavit states.

He began wearing hearing aids, suffered significant weight loss and started saying “crazy things”, witnesses said.

Six missed chances to stop Maine mass shooting

Thursday 2 November 2023 12:00 , Rachel Sharp

Almost a week after a horrifying mass shooting left 18 people dead in Lewiston, Maine, questions are mounting over whether the atrocity could have been prevented altogether.

Information continues to emerge about warning signs around suspected shooter Robert Card - including concerns raised by his family and the Army alike - stemming back months before the massacre.

The first known warning came back in May, five months before the shooting, when Card’s family alerted the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s office with concerns about his mental health and his access to guns.

In July, Card was put under psychiatric evaluation for two weeks after an incident with fellow Army soldiers.

The Independent’s Kelly Rissman delves into the missed chances:

Six missed warning signs before the Maine mass shooting explained

Thursday 2 November 2023 13:35 , Kelly Rissman

WATCH: 10-year-old victim of Maine shooting asks heartbreaking question in TV interview

Thursday 2 November 2023 14:30 , Kelly Rissman

Joe Biden will visit Lewiston on Friday

“The President and First Lady will pay respects to the victims of this horrific attack and grieve with families and community members, as well as meet with first responders, nurses, and others on the front lines of the response,” the White House said in statement.

Thursday 2 November 2023 15:30 , Kelly Rissman

ICYMI: The timeline

• In May, family members contacted authorities, concerned about his mental health in combination with his possession of firearms.

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

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

• Also in mid-September, authorities attempted to conduct a welfare check on Card after prompting from the National Guard after he “made threats to shoot up the Saco National Guard facility.”

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.

Thursday 2 November 2023 16:30 , Kelly Rissman

Documents point to potential motive

On Tuesday, Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Public Safety released a trove of affidavits, search warrants and other documents in the case, including harrowing witness accounts from suspect Robert Card’s son and brother as well as survivors of the massacre.

The documents reveal that witnesses told law enforcement officials that, in the run-up to the 25 October attacks, the US Army reservist believed that people at the Schemengees Bar & Grille and Just-In-Time bowling alley were spreading conspiracies online that he was a paedophile.

He also believed that the bar manager – one of the victims he killed in the shooting rampage – had once called him “gay”, witnesses said.

And he had also met his ex-girlfriend at the bar – an ex-girlfriend who had not long broken up with him.

Read the full story...

Maine shooting suspect’s possible motive revealed in new documents

Thursday 2 November 2023 17:00 , Kelly Rissman

In photos: Locals remember victims of the tragedy

Thursday 2 November 2023 18:30 , Kelly Rissman

A deputy takes on Maine State Police’s handling of the shooting

An Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office deputy blasted the Maine State Police as “utter clowns” for its response to the mass shooting that quickly became the deadliest this year.

In a since-deleted scathing Facebook post, seen by Bangor Daily News before it was taken down, Sgt Jon Guay aired his grievances with the inner workings of the law enforcement operation, which at one point consisted of hundreds of officers on the hunt for suspected shooter Robert Card.

He criticised the handling of the manhunt by state police’s top brass, saying he wouldn’t hire the state police’s crimes unit to “manage the morning rush at Dunkin Donuts much less an investigation of this size,” he wrote.

Thursday 2 November 2023 19:30 , Kelly Rissman

Six missed warning signs ahead of the deadliest mass shooting, revealed

In July, Card was put under psychiatric evaluation for two weeks after an incident with fellow Army soldiers.

In September, the Army Reserve contacted the sheriff’s office seeking a welfare check on Card over a fellow soldier’s concern that he would carry out a mass shooting. Authorities responded by issuing an alert to law enforcement agencies statewide which cautioned that Card was “known to be armed and dangerous” and was suffering from psychotic episodes.

That alert was cancelled exactly one week before Card allegedly opened fire on two Lewiston businesses, killing 18 people and wounding 13 others. He was found dead by apparent suicide two days later.

Read the full story...

Six missed warning signs before the Maine mass shooting explained

Thursday 2 November 2023 20:28 , Kelly Rissman

Maine schools went under shelter-in-place order after man threatened to bring a gun to elementary school week after mass shooting

Maine School Administrative District 75, which includes six elementary schools, was ordered to shelter in place after a man allegedly threatened to bring an AR-15 to an unnamed elementary school, WGME reported.

The order has since been lifted and Adam Green, 36, is now in custody, after being charged with terrorizing and harassment by telephone or another electronic device.

Police told the outlet that the suspect had been joking about the mass shooting in Lewiston on social media. After a local questioned why he was speaking so callously about the mass shooting that took 18 lives, Green allegedly asked the local for his address and then made threats to show up at a local elementary school with an AR-15, officials told the outlet.

Thursday 2 November 2023 20:30 , Kelly Rissman

Teenager arrested for threatening ‘Lewiston Part 2’

A teenager has been arrested for threatening to carry out “Lewiston Part 2”.

Michael Bowden, 18, posted a photo of himself on Snapchat holding a rifle and ammunition in the parking lot of a Walmart where he used to work, according to WABI.

He captioned the post: “Lewiston Part 2.”

Mr Bowden was arrestedat his home in Etna, Maine, and charged with domestic violence terrorising and aggravated reckless conduct.

He was released on $10,000 bond.

Police said that the suspect was fired from Walmart back in 2021 and had made multiple trips to the store’s parking lot in recent days.

Thursday 2 November 2023 21:30 , Kelly Rissman

ICYMI: Who was Robert Card?

Police identified 40-year-old Robert Card as the “person of interest” and later suspect in a deadly shooting.

Photos of the gunman, made public for identification, showed him wearing brown clothes and brandishing a high-powered assault-style rifle – law enforcement described the weapon as an AR-15-style rifle with a possible telescopic sight.

Officials at Saturday morning’s press conference said the first three calls that “positively identified” the gunman were from his relatives; they also said “strong mental health cloud over what happened,” and clarified that police have not found records indicating that he was “forcibly committed for treatment.”

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

He joined the US Army in 2022 and became a Sgt 1st class and Petroleum Supply Specialist. He had no combat deployments during his enlistment.

But recently, the gunman had disclosed mental health issues, citing experiences of auditory hallucinations and threats to attack the National Guard Base in Saco, according to records. His ex-wife and son had also contacted law enforcement out of concern, given Card’s mental state and his nearly 15 firearms.

Over the summer, he was admitted to a mental health facility for two weeks.

“I have known Rob my whole life,” Katie Card told The Daily Beast. “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.”

Thursday 2 November 2023 22:30 , Kelly Rissman

Gov Janet Mills plans to launch an independent commission of experts to probe the shooting’s run-up and response

“It is important to recognize that, from what we know thus far, on multiple occasions over the last ten months, concerns about Mr. Card’s mental health and his behavior were brought to the attention of his Army National Reserve Unit, as well as law enforcement agencies here in Maine and in New York. This raises crucial questions about actions taken and what more could have been done to prevent this tragedy from occurring,” the statement read.

She mentioned that Maine State Police are in the midst of conducting “a thorough and comprehensive criminal investigation of the shooting.”

She added: “I also believe that the gravity of this attack on our people – an attack that strikes at the core of who we are and the values we hold dear – demands a higher level of scrutiny.”

Read the full story...

Maine governor launches probe into shooter’s missed warning signs

Thursday 2 November 2023 23:30 , Kelly Rissman

Family members’ warnings

In May, family members contacted authorities, concerned about his mental health in combination with his possession of firearms.

Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry wrote in a statement that family members reached out to the sheriff’s office on 3 May 2023. “The family said that Mr. Card’s mental health had started to decline in January. They were concerned for his well-being and said that Mr. Card had access to firearms,” the sheriff wrote.

According to the incident report obtained by ABC News, a warning at the top read “USE CAUTION IF RESPONDING” to Card’s residence due to his “PARANOID BEHAVIOR.” The report also noted that Card had “10-15 FIREARMS.”

The responding officer wrote: “I learned from [Card’s son] that his father’s mental health is in question. [Card’s son] told me that back around January, he noticed his father was starting to claim that people were saying things about him, while out in public,” like others were talking about Card, whether he was nearby other people or not.

The shooting suspect’s son believed his father was “likely hearing voices or starting to experience paranoia,” which appeared to be a “re-occurring theme” as Card often claimed people were bashing him, “such as calling him a pedophile,” according to the officer.

Card’s ex-wife also said she “is very worried about [their son] spending time with Robert, considering what may be a deteriorating mental health condition.”

Both his ex-wife and son expressed that they “both don’t want Robert to know they are bringing this information forward to law enforcement, for fear it will aggravate the situation,” the report stated. The pair were “simply going to try and avoid contact” and that “everyone agreed” the “best avenue of getting Robert some help” might be to contact the army reserves.

A sheriff’s office deputy contacted officials from Card’s army reserve unit, who confirmed they would talk with him and ensure he received the necessary medical care, Sheriff Merry wrote.

The May report stated that the officer did in fact get in touch with Card’s command, where it became clear “there has recently been considerable concern for Robert.”

The responding officer recorded that Card “had been accusing other soldiers of calling him a sex offender which seems to coincide with some of the behavior [Card’s son] has witnessed.” One sergeant even thanked the officer for bringing concerns about Card to his attention, as the unit was “scheduled for an upcoming training exercise involving crew-served weapons and grenades,” according to the report.

Friday 3 November 2023 00:30 , Kelly Rissman

House Democrats call out new House Speaker Mike Johnson’s “troubling comments” in wake of Maine mass shooting

Friday 3 November 2023 01:30 , Kelly Rissman

ICYMI: The timeline

• In May, family members contacted authorities, concerned about his mental health in combination with his possession of firearms.

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

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

• Also in mid-September, authorities attempted to conduct a welfare check on Card after prompting from the National Guard after he “made threats to shoot up the Saco National Guard facility.”

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.

Friday 3 November 2023 02:30 , Kelly Rissman

President Jill Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are visiting Lewiston on Friday

Friday 3 November 2023 03:30 , Kelly Rissman

A Lewiston man ate at the same cafe every week. Now locals are mourning him in unique way

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.”

Read the full story...

Lewiston shooting victim always ate at the same cafe. Now friends pay unique tribute

Friday 3 November 2023 04:30 , Kelly Rissman

Remembering the victims: Bob and Lucy Violette

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.

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, 73, were keen bowlers, having started the youth bowling league at Just In Time Recreation, for which 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 cheek. 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 also killed in the shooting.

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

The couple is survived by their three sons and six grandchildren.

Friday 3 November 2023 05:30 , Kelly Rissman

Donate to GoFundMe pages for the Maine mass shooting victims

• Joseph Walker Family

• Billy Brackett

• Bryan MacFarlane’s Family

• Family of Steve Vozzella

• Bob and Lucy Violette

• Peyton Brewer-Ross Family Lewiston, Maine

• Support for wife and children of Arthur Strout

• Joshua Seal Family

• Bill and Aaron Young

• Keith Macneir Family

• Ron Morin family - Lewiston, ME

• Asking to support Brenda in this time of tragedy

• Tommy Conrad

Friday 3 November 2023 06:30 , Kelly Rissman

Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office deputy blasted Maine state police as ‘utter clowns’ for its response to mass shooting

An Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office deputy blasted the Maine State Police as “utter clowns” for its response to the mass shooting that quickly became the deadliest this year.

In a since-deleted scathing Facebook post, seen by Bangor Daily News before it was taken down, Sgt Jon Guay aired his grievances with the inner workings of the law enforcement operation, which at one point consisted of hundreds of officers on the hunt for suspected shooter Robert Card.

He criticised the handling of the manhunt by state police’s top brass, saying he wouldn’t hire the state police’s crimes unit to “manage the morning rush at Dunkin Donuts much less an investigation of this size,” he wrote.

Read the full story...

Deputy calls Maine State Police ‘utter clowns’ for mass shooting response

Friday 3 November 2023 07:30 , Kelly Rissman

Gunman believed Lewiston locals were spreading ‘conspiracies’ about him

The gunman who killed 18 and wounded 13 more in the mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine, believed locals were spreading conspiracies about him, according to newly-released court documents.

On Tuesday, Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Public Safety released affidavits, search warrants and other documents in the case.

Witnesses told law enforcement officials that Robert Card believed people were calling him a “paedophile” at the bowling alley and the bar where he opened fire last week, the documents show.

According to Card’s brother, the US Army Reservist thought there was a “conspiracy” whereby people were levelling such accusations against him.

Friday 3 November 2023 08:30 , Kelly Rissman

Faces of the victims

Last week’s shootings claimed 18 lives: one was a bar manager, four were members of the deaf community, and another was a member of a youth bowling league.

The Lewiston community has hosted vigils to honour the victims, while people around the world have donated to GoFundMe pages to help pay for funeral services to assist the victim’s families.

Friday 3 November 2023 09:30 , Kelly Rissman

Workplace concerns about Robert Card, revealed

NBC News reported that Card worked as a commercial driver at Maine Recycling Corporation from February 2022 to early June 2023. Coworkers detailed disturbing comments made by Card, underscoring his fixation on guns as well as what appears to be some paranoia.

One former coworker said that the shooting suspect displayed a “total mood shift” a year after he started working at the recycling plant.

“He irrationally snapped. We’d do good the whole day, but then would say that I touched him. He said I was sexually harassing him, calling him a pedophile,” the source said.

This former coworker recalled Card frequently speaking about guns and even disclosed that he wanted to buy a silencer.

Although this source never heard Card expressly make workplace gun violence threats, the ex-colleague thought to himself: “One day, he’s probably going to shoot someone up.” The source added, “He was bringing up guns heavily and aggressively. It was a very weird situation.”

Another former colleague, however, recalled that a supervisor had been alerted to alleged workplace gun violence threats made by Card. The source lamented that the complaint felt like “it was swept under the rug.”

Friday 3 November 2023 11:30 , Kelly Rissman

WATCH: 10-year-old girl injured in Maine shooting asks heartbreaking question in TV interview

Friday 3 November 2023 12:30 , Kelly Rissman

Teenager arrested for threatening ‘Lewiston Part 2’

A teenager has been arrested for threatening to carry out “Lewiston Part 2”.

Michael Bowden, 18, posted a photo of himself on Snapchat holding a rifle and ammunition in the parking lot of a Walmart where he used to work, according to WABI.

He captioned the post: “Lewiston Part 2.”

Mr Bowden was arrested at his home in Etna, Maine, and charged with domestic violence terrorising and aggravated reckless conduct.

He was released on $10,000 bond.

Police said that the suspect was fired from Walmart back in 2021 and had made multiple trips to the store’s parking lot in recent days.

Friday 3 November 2023 13:08 , Kelly Rissman

House Democrats called out the new speaker Mike Johnson over his comments made in the wake of the shooting

More than 100 Democrats — led by House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chair Rep Mike Thompson — signed a letter to Mr Johnson, expressing their “deep concerns about your troubling comments following the devastating mass shooting” in Lewiston, Maine.

The shooting, which was the deadliest of 2023, claimed 18 lives and left 13 others wounded.

“At the end of the day, the problem is the human heart. It’s not guns. It’s not the weapons,” Mr Johnson said after the violence and then advocated for the Second Amendment in the next breath.

Democrats slammed this perspective, calling it “factually wrong” and said it “paints a dark view of America and its people.” The lawmakers argued, “Gun violence in America is not inevitable, it is simply tolerated by Republican leadership,” and called for the passage of gun legislation as an actionable way to prevent these attacks.

Read the full story...

Democrats invoke God as they blast Mike Johnson on ‘troubling’ gun control comments

Friday 3 November 2023 14:00 , Kelly Rissman

The Bidens will touch down in Lewiston, Maine today

The president and first lady will meet with first responders and families of victims of the tragic shooting that left 18 dead and injured 13 others.

Mr Biden will deliver remarks this afternoon at 4.15pm.

Friday 3 November 2023 15:00 , Kelly Rissman

Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chair Mike Thompson and 116 other Democratic colleagues urged the new House Speaker to act on gun safety legislation

Friday 3 November 2023 16:00 , Kelly Rissman

ICYMI: Card’s stint at a mental health facility

The next reported incident occurred on 15 July at West Point in New York.

On 15 July 2023, Card was staying at a motel near West Point with several other soldiers when they all went to a convenience store to get some beer, a sheriff’s county report said. That’s where Card accused three of his comrades of calling him a paedophile “and said he would take care of it.”

Card approached one of his long-term friends in the group, and is described as shoving him and telling the fellow soldier “to stop calling him a pedophile.” Card calmed down on the way back to the hotel, but echoed again that he would “take care of it.” When Card was “pressed about what he meant by that Card didn’t respond,” the report stated.

Card then locked himself in his motel room and didn’t respond when his comrades tried to engage with him. It wasn’t until the next day that other soldiers got a keycard to Card’s room, where he said that he “wanted people to stop talking about him.” When a soldier told him that no one was talking about him, he slammed the door in the soldier’s face, the report states.

The entire encounter prompted the officers to take him to a base hospital, where a psychologist determined he needed further treatment. He spent 14 days at Four Winds Psychiatric Hospital in New York, and then was released.

Friday 3 November 2023 17:00 , Kelly Rissman

Gov Janet Mills announced the launch of an independent probe into the lead-up to the shooting after reporters demanded why the warning signs were missed

WATCH: Maine governor dismiss reporters’ questions about the ignored alarm bells

Friday 3 November 2023 18:00 , Kelly Rissman

Remembering the victims: Ron Morin

Ron Morin’s family paid tribute to him in a Facebook post, writing: “Rest in Paradise, Ronnie. “This smile and your energy will forever be loved and missed.”

Morin’s relative Cecile Francoeur Martin told the Bangor Daily News that he was an “upbeat guy”.

“He was just always smiling, happy,” she said.

“Just one of those people that if you are having a bad day, he was going to make your day better just by his presence.”

Rosa Storer, a stylist at Taboo Hair Design in Lewiston where he had his hair cut for 25 years, called him “an upstanding man with a lot of joy in his heart”.

“He had the best jokes,” she added.

Friday 3 November 2023 18:43 , Kelly Rissman

Biden on visiting Maine

Friday 3 November 2023 18:44 , Kelly Rissman

Biden on visiting Maine

Friday 3 November 2023 19:00 , Kelly Rissman

ICYMI: The timeline

• In May, family members contacted authorities, concerned about his mental health in combination with his possession of firearms.

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

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

• Also in mid-September, authorities attempted to conduct a welfare check on Card after prompting from the National Guard after he “made threats to shoot up the Saco National Guard facility.”

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.

Friday 3 November 2023 20:00 , Kelly Rissman

Robert Card ‘punched’ his fellow officer less than a month before shooting

In mid-September, an official at the Maine National Guard requested that the sheriff’s office conduct a wellness check on Card after he punched one of his fellow officers, prompting concern that he would “snap and commit a mass shooting.”

Card and one of his friends, a fellow soldier, were apparently driving home from a casino when Card “started talking about people calling him a pedophile again.”

Card said he owned firearms and was going “to shoot up” the drill centre at the base in Saco, among other places, the report states. The soldier also relayed that Card said he was going to “get them,” which was interpreted as the people who had him committed to a mental health facility.

Card apparently also blamed the soldiers, stating the reason he was unable to buy guns — following this two-week stay — was “because of the commitment.” The soldier then “told him to knock it off because he was going to get into trouble talking about shooting up places and people,” Card punched him.

This interaction prompted the Maine National Guard to request a welfare check.

Friday 3 November 2023 20:18 , Kelly Rissman

President Biden addresses Lewiston

Speaking in Lewiston on Friday afternoon, Mr Biden began by saying, “Jill and I have done too many of these,” alluding to the horrific number of gun violence incidents across the country.

To the people of Maine, we “want to make sure you know you’re not alone,” Mr Biden said. “No pain is the same but we know what it’s like to lose a piece of our soul in the depths of the loss that’s so profound–some of us have been there.”

“This tragedy opens a painful wound across the country,” he continued. “Too many Americans have lost loved ones or have survived the trauma of gun violence.”

The president then urged the passage of gun safety legislation: “This is about commonsense, reasonable, responsible measures to protect our children, our families, our communities because regardless of our politics, this is about protecting our freedom to go to a bowling alley, a restaurant, a school, a church without being shot and killed.”

Friday 3 November 2023 21:00 , Kelly Rissman

Remembering the victims: Steven Vozzella

Steven Vozzella, 45, was also part of the gathering of deaf people playing cornohole at Schemengees bar that night.

His brother Nick Vozzella confirmed to ABC News that he was killed in the shooting. A tribute was paid to Mr Vozella was paid by the National Association of Letter Carriers, which said it was “heartbroken” by the news of his death.

A statement from NALC President Brian L Renfroe’s read: “Brother Vozzella was only 45 years old. He had much more life to live before it was stolen from him in an all-too-common senseless act of gun violence. Stephen was out enjoying a game of cornhole with friends on Wednesday evening.

“On behalf of NALC, I send my deepest sympathies to Brother Vozzella’s family, friends and colleagues. We mourn the loss of Stephen and all the innocent victims of this tragedy. Our hearts are with Stephen’s loved ones, all of those affected and the entire town of Lewiston.

Mr Renfroe added: “Any life lost to gun violence is one too many. The members of NALC and all Americans deserve to feel safe while on the job, spending time with their families and friends, and in their everyday lives.

“The epidemic of gun violence in this country must end. It is time for lawmakers to take action to protect Americans from the horrific incidents of gun violence that continue to traumatize communities and cause tragic loss of life across the country.”

The NALC is a union representing city delivery letter carriers employed by the US Postal Service.

Friday 3 November 2023 22:00 , Kelly Rissman

A glimpse into a potential motive

On Tuesday, Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Public Safety released a trove of affidavits, search warrants and other documents in the case, including harrowing witness accounts from suspect Robert Card’s son and brother as well as survivors of the massacre.

The documents reveal that witnesses told law enforcement officials that, in the run-up to the 25 October attacks, the US Army reservist believed that people at the Schemengees Bar & Grille and Just-In-Time bowling alley were spreading conspiracies online that he was a paedophile.

He also believed that the bar manager – one of the victims he killed in the shooting rampage – had once called him “gay”, witnesses said.

And he had also met his ex-girlfriend at the bar – an ex-girlfriend who had not long broken up with him.

Altogether, the new details reveal the 40-year-old’s ties to the bar and bowling alley, offering a glimpse into why he may have chosen to target the two locations in what marks Maine’s first major mass shooting.

Read the full story...

New documents unveil Maine shooting suspect’s possible motive

00:00 , Kelly Rissman

Missed warning signed revealed: Card’s desire to buy a gun silencer was stymied

Three months before he allegedly fatally shot 18 people, Card was denied the ability to buy a gun silencer, the store 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,” said Rick LaChapelle, the owner of Coastal Defense Firearms. “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.”

The outlet obtained the form Card filled out. When presented with the question, “Have you ever been adjudicated as a mental defective or have you ever been committed to a mental institution,” Card marked an X, indicating the affirmative.

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

02:00 , Kelly Rissman

WATCH: President Biden address Lewiston

04:00 , Kelly Rissman

Why was Robert Card allowed to own firearms?

The information about why, despite the glaring sequence of warning signs that should have prevented him from being able to possess a gun, he was still able to own over a dozen firearms, remains cloudy.

Authorities previously said that his guns appeared to have been “legally purchased.”

This tragedy has brought renewed criticism over Maine’s current gun laws.

While many other states have implemented red flag laws, which allow loved ones or law enforcement to petition to a court for an order that would temporarily restrict the individual’s access to guns if the person poses a risk to himself or others, Maine has not.

Instead, the state has yellow flag laws, which require a family member to report the individual to law enforcement, who would then be taken into protective custody. Then, the individual has to be evaluated by a mental health professional, who determines whether this person poses a risk.

These laws are “very specific about an individual that’s in protective custody from law enforcement to begin with” in combination with whether law enforcement has “probable cause to believe” that the individual could be in possession “of a dangerous weapon,” Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck said.

So, he continued, “if we meet those criteria then you can take an individual in for a yellow flag assessment, a weapons restriction order assessment, and at that time your criteria change from the likelihood of serious harm the likelihood of foreseeable harm.”

Mr Sauschuck clarified last week that there had been no record that Card had been “forcibly committed for treatment,” although that detail is now under heightened scrutiny after more about his 14-day stint at a mental health facility has come out.

Jonathan Crisp, a former Army lawyer, previously told The Associated Press that when soldiers are committed involuntarily to mental health facilities, it is a “reportable” event under Army regulations, setting off a network of alerts and subsequent restrictions.

As it is supposed to work, he explained, an official notes the incident in a military database which alerts the FBI, so the agency can enter the name into a background list of people prevented from buying weapons.

“If they took him and he didn’t want to go and he refused to be admitted, it’s a slam dunk,” Mr Crisp said. “This should have been reported.”

The question of why it wasn’t remains as the investigation into the atrocity — and the events that led up to it — is ongoing.

06:00 , Kelly Rissman

Lawmakers urge new House Speaker Mike Johnson for passage of gun safety legislation

More than 100 Democrats — led by House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chair Rep Mike Thompson — signed a letter to Mr Johnson, expressing their “deep concerns about your troubling comments following the devastating mass shooting” in Lewiston, Maine.

The shooting, which was the deadliest of 2023, claimed 18 lives and left 13 others wounded.

“At the end of the day, the problem is the human heart. It’s not guns. It’s not the weapons,” Mr Johnson said after the violence and then advocated for the Second Amendment in the next breath.

Democrats slammed this perspective, calling it “factually wrong” and said it “paints a dark view of America and its people.” The lawmakers argued, “Gun violence in America is not inevitable, it is simply tolerated by Republican leadership,” and called for the passage of gun legislation as an actionable way to prevent these attacks.

08:00 , Kelly Rissman

Maine Gov Janet Mills announces creation of independent probe of experts to analyse lead-up and response to shooting

“It is important to recognize that, from what we know thus far, on multiple occasions over the last ten months, concerns about Mr. Card’s mental health and his behavior were brought to the attention of his Army National Reserve Unit, as well as law enforcement agencies here in Maine and in New York. This raises crucial questions about actions taken and what more could have been done to prevent this tragedy from occurring,” the statement read.

She mentioned that Maine State Police are in the midst of conducting “a thorough and comprehensive criminal investigation of the shooting.”

She added: “I also believe that the gravity of this attack on our people – an attack that strikes at the core of who we are and the values we hold dear – demands a higher level of scrutiny.”

Read the full story...

Maine governor launches probe into shooter’s missed warning signs

10:00 , Kelly Rissman

Remembering the victims: Maxx Hathaway

Maxx Hathaway, 34, was killed in the mass shooting that took place in Lewiston.

Hathaway was described as “goofy” and “down-to-earth” by his sister, Kelsay Hathaway, in a GoFundMe description. She said her brother loved to joke around and was uplifting even in difficult times.

According to Kelsay, her brother was a full-time stay-at-home dad.

Hathaway is survived by his daughter and his wife, who is pregnant with the couple’s second child.

12:00 , Kelly Rissman

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden pay respects in Lewiston, Maine

The Bidens flew to Maine on Friday, where they spoke to first responders, nurses, victims’ families and survivors in the wake of the shooting that killed 18 and left 13 others injured.

Over the last week, since suspected shooter Robert Card was found dead, locals have made tributes in remembrance of those lost. The Bidens were seen on Friday paying respects to those who died in the tragedy.