The search for the suspect in the mass shooting that resulted in the death of 18 individuals and the injury of 13 others in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday night is still ongoing. Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck announced on Friday that divers will be searching a section of the Androscoggin River near where Robert Card’s car was found in Lisbon, which is approximately 7 miles southeast of Lewiston. Land in the surrounding area will also be searched. Sauschuck mentioned that divers could potentially be checking for evidence and bodies while being dragged behind authorities. Click here to view related media.
Sauschuck stated that it is uncertain if the suspect is in the water and that the river is just one of the areas being searched. “We have a lot of other irons in the fire,” he explained. The suspect is considered armed and dangerous, and investigators are aware that he had access to multiple firearms. A weapon was discovered in the suspect’s abandoned vehicle, but it is unclear if it was used in the shooting. Authorities confirmed that the firearm was legally obtained.
The search effort involves hundreds of police officers, around 80 FBI agents, federal marshals, and personnel from various other agencies. Local residents have been advised to shelter-in-place. On Thursday night, law enforcement officers heavily armed were seen surrounding a house in Bowdoin, a nearby town and part of the investigation. However, after completing a search, the officers did not find the suspect.
The shooting incident began a little before 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening at Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley in Lewiston, where seven people were killed. Four miles away at Schemengees Bar and Grille, another seven individuals inside the establishment and one individual outside were killed. Three more people died at a hospital. The suspect’s motive is still under investigation, but sources have indicated that he may have been targeting a specific person who may have been a current or former girlfriend.
Police received a 911 call about the shooting at the bowling alley around 6:56 p.m. EDT, and multiple calls were made about the second shooting approximately 10 minutes later. The weapon used in the shooting was a semi-automatic rifle with an extended magazine and scope.
Details about the victims have started to emerge. Arthur Strout, a 42-year-old father of three, was playing pool with his father at Schemengees when he was killed. Bob Violette, 76, was bowling and teaching at a youth bowling league at Sparetime when the shooting occurred. Michael Deslauriers II was bowling with family and friends when he was killed. Joseph Walker was a bar manager at Schemengees and was working at the time of the shooting. Karen Hopkins, executive director of the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf, identified four victims from the shooting.
The suspect, who is a sergeant first class in the U.S. Army Reserve, has a history of mental health issues and had recently reported hearing voices. He had also made threats regarding the National Guard base in Saco. He was reported to have undergone a mental health evaluation this summer after exhibiting erratic behavior while training at the U.S. Military Academy. The suspect has connections to Massachusetts, and border control agencies have been alerted along the U.S.-Canada border.
Search efforts are ongoing, and authorities have released images of the suspect, urging the public to report any information about his whereabouts. Lisbon Police Chief Ryan McGee requested that people report anything suspicious to help in the investigation.
