CRIME
Manhunt Underway After Mass Shooting In Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston Police Department
A manhunt continued Thursday morning after a gunman shot and killed at least 16 people and wounded dozens more at a bar and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, Wednesday night, prompting shelter-in-place orders in multiple nearby towns.
Lewiston Police said they were responding to two active shooter incidents Wednesday evening, at Schemengees Bar and Grille and at Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley where a children’s bowling league was underway.
The City of Lewiston issued a shelter-in-place order, which remained in effect Thursday morning, and said all municipal facilities would be closed Thursday. Business were encouraged to close as well.
The Androscoggin County Sheriffs Office released two surveillance photos of the armed suspect on its Facebook page Wednesday night, seeking identification.
Soon after, the Maine State Police said authorities were searching for 40-year-old Robert Card of Bowdoin, who should be considered armed and dangerous. State police said a vehicle of interest was located in the nearby town of Lisbon, and asked residents there to shelter in place as well.
State police on Thursday morning expanded the shelter-in-place order to Bowdoin, where more than 100 investigators, both local and federal were searching for Card.
According to a police bulletin, Card is believed to be an Army Reserve firearms instructor assigned to a training facility in Saco, Maine. The bulletin also indicated Card was committed to a mental facility for two weeks over the summer after he reported hearing voices and made threats to shoot up a military base.
Lewiston is the second-largest city in Maine, with a population of about 37,000. The state doesn’t require permits to carry guns, and background checks are not required for gun sales.
Central Maine Medical Center said Wednesday night that staff were “reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter event” and said other hospitals, some as far as Portland, 35 miles away, were coordinating to take in patients if needed.
Central Maine Healthcare said all elective surgeries scheduled for Thursday at Central Maine Medical Center would be canceled, and physicians’ offices were closed Thursday in Lewiston, Auburn, Lisbon, Topsham, Gray, Poland, Manchester.
Individuals who commit mass homicides often display a complex array of characteristics, and it’s important to note that not all people with these traits become violent, said Jean Cirillo, a practicing attorney and psychologist.
Those traits include isolation, anger and resentment, a history of violence or fascination with violence, and mental health issues, Cirillo said.
Many perpetrators tend to be socially isolated, lacking strong connections with friends or family, Cirillo said.
Feelings of anger, frustration, and resentment towards society or specific groups can be motivating factors, Cirillo said. An obsession with violence, often fueled by media or online content, can contribute to their mindset.
Dr. Nina Cerfolio, a psychiatrist, says the mental health crisis is one of the primary drivers behind the uniquely American epidemic of mass shootings.
“The origins of mass shootings are deeply embedded in our society. As a chain is as strong as its weakest link, the indicator of the health of our society is reflected by the most violent acts of its individuals, said Cerfolio, whose upcoming book, Psychoanalytic and Spiritual Perspectives on Terrorism: Desire for Destruction comes out in December.
Authorities are asking anyone who sees Card, or anything suspicious, to call 911, and not approach him.
TMX contributed to this article.
