The Maine State Police have provided details on a tragic mass shooting that occurred in Lewiston, leaving 18 people dead and 13 injured. The shooting took place at two separate locations on Wednesday night, sparking a statewide manhunt for the suspect, Robert Card. Authorities have released a comprehensive timeline of the events.
The first shooting occurred at Just-In-Time Bowling on Mollison Street in Lewiston at around 6:56 p.m. An unidentified man entered the establishment and began shooting, prompting multiple 911 calls. Shortly after, at 7:08 p.m., another shooting took place at Schemengees Bar and Grille Restaurant on Lincoln Street. Law enforcement agencies and emergency medical personnel were immediately dispatched to both locations, which are approximately 4 miles apart.
Law enforcement agencies shared surveillance photos of the gunman, later identified as Robert Card, wearing a brown sweatshirt and holding a rifle. At 8:06 p.m., the police released the photo to the media. At 9:26 p.m., the Lewiston Police Department received a call identifying the man in the photos as Robert Card, a 40-year-old resident of Bowdoin, Maine.
Later that evening, at 9:56 p.m., the Lisbon Police Department located Card’s white Subaru at the Pejepscot Boat Launch in Lisbon. Card, however, remains at large, and more than 350 law enforcement personnel from federal, state, and local agencies are actively searching for him. Authorities emphasize that Card should be considered armed and dangerous.
Robert Card is a trained firearms instructor and has recently reported mental health issues, including hearing voices and threats to shoot up the National Guard Base in Saco, ME. He is also a Petroleum Supply Specialist in the Army Reserve, having enlisted in December 2002, with no combat deployments.
As of now, the identities of the victims have not been publicly released. Ten out of the 18 victims killed have yet to be identified. Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston has been actively receiving and treating many of the victims.
Maine State Police are urging anyone with information about Robert Card or the shootings to contact the agency through dedicated hotlines. The numbers to call are 207-213-9526 or 207-509-9002.
This tragic incident has shaken the community of Lewiston, and authorities are working diligently to bring the suspect to justice and provide support to the victims and their families.
