Drama in Maine | Suspect found dead

(Lewiston) After two days of intense police searches, the alleged perpetrator of the Lewiston killings was found dead on Friday evening in a wood located about twenty kilometers from the tragedy. Robert Card allegedly ended his life with his firearm.

“Our community can breathe a sigh of relief,” Lewiston Police Chief David St. Pierre said of the tragedy that killed 18 people ranging in age from 14 to 76. “Our work is not finished, we will continue to mourn with the families of the victims, but I am very happy to be able to say that the threat is over,” he said during a press briefing. at 10 p.m.

“The time has come for healing,” added Maine Governor Janet Millis, also present at the press conference at city hall, where around a hundred journalists were crowded. “Law enforcement continues to investigate and gather all the facts in order to provide answers to the victims’ families. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. »

Robert Card’s body was discovered around 7:45 p.m. in woods in the nearby town of Lisbon Falls, near the Androscoggin River. Planes, helicopters, robot divers: it is in this sector that intense police searches were carried out on Thursday. According to several American media, the body of the 40-year-old man was found near a recycling center where he once worked.

The time of his death has not been released by Maine authorities. “We searched tirelessly,” however, assured Michael Sauschuck, the commissioner of the Maine Department of Public Safety. Hundreds of police officers took part in this huge manhunt.

The Lewiston massacre is the worst to occur this year in the United States. Robert Card is accused of opening fire in a restaurant-bar where a pocket tournament was being played and in a bowling alley, killing 18 people and injuring 13.

In both cases, the police arrived on the scene a few minutes after the first reports to 911, explained Commissioner Sauschuck. But the shooter had already fled. He was not seen again by authorities before being found dead Friday.

“He died a hero”

Earlier in the evening, authorities officially revealed the identities and photos of the 18 people who died in the killings.

“Like many of our police officers, I know some victims personally and I can tell you that it is very difficult,” said David St. Pierre.

Fifteen men, a teenager and two women lost their lives in the tragedy. A father and son, an elderly couple, fathers and four people from the deaf community are among the victims.

One of these victims is Joseph Walker. “My son took a knife that was lying on the bar, he walked towards the killer, who killed him. The police told us: “He died a hero.” I’m proud of him, but he could have walked out the door just 15 feet behind him and he wouldn’t have died,” said his father, Leroy Walker Sr.

Aged 57, the father had been the manager of the Shamengees establishment for almost eight years.

Met on Friday in front of the hospital where several victims of the tragedy are still hospitalized, he admitted that he would have preferred that his son had run away when he heard the gunshots.

“Instead, he tried to save the others. My son was like that, always ready to defend, save and help. So here we are, I lost my son and several others died. It’s a terrible thing. This community could never have imagined that such an event would happen here. »

Leroy Walker Sr advocates that people struggling with mental health issues receive necessary medical help. He wants better gun control, but remains realistic.

“In the state of Maine, there are millions of guns, we won’t be able to make them all disappear,” he said. He would like it to be possible to buy the type of weapon used by the killer, “a killing machine”, but for the barrel to be jammed. “Bullets from this type of rifle pass through the body like a knife through butter. »

Despite his grief, he agrees to speak to the media to keep alive the memory of his son, whom he nicknames Joey.

“I hope it never happens again.” I pray to God because the community is crying. I miss my son, I love my son. »