For the moment, the authorities do not know the motive of the attacker, identified by several media as a shooting instructor.
A gigantic manhunt to find the author of the worst killing of the year in the United States. A shooter opened fire on Wednesday, October 25, in a bowling alley and a bar-restaurant in Lewiston, in the northeast of the United States. “We have 22 confirmed deaths and many, many injured,” declared on CNN Robert McCarthy, elected official of this town in the state of Maine which has more than 36,000 inhabitants. “Our hospitals are not equipped to handle this type of shooting,” he added, specifying that there were between 50 and 60 injured.
The population was instructed to remain confined in the face of the danger posed by this man “armed and dangerous” and still on the run, according to local police. Here’s what we know about it.
At least two locations targeted
The shooting broke out in at least two different locations: a bowling alley and a bar-restaurant, according to local police.
Police and first responders reportedly arrived at the Sparetime Recreation bowling alley around 7:15 p.m. (2:15 a.m. in Paris), then received reports of another killing at Schemengees Bar & Grille, an establishment located about ten minutes in car, according to the local newspaper Sun Journal.
A suspect still on the run
Police have identified the suspected shooter, but continue to search for him. “Law enforcement is seeking to locate Robert Card, born April 4, 1983, suspect in the killings which caused numerous victims,” wrote the Maine State Police on Facebook, specifying that he was “armed and dangerous.” His motivations remain unknown. According to CNN and the AP news agency, citing law enforcement sources, Robert Card is a shooting instructor, member of the US Army Reserve and certified firearms instructor.
Earlier, authorities in Androscoggin County, where the city of Lewiston is located, posted the photo of the suspect on social media, who appears on surveillance footage wearing a brown top and pants. dark blue, a semi-automatic rifle in his hand. A suspicious vehicle was located in the nearby town of Lisbon, Maine, said dn a press conference given in the evening by Maine public safety officer Mike Sauschuck.
Residents urged to remain confined to their homes
According to the Associated Press, authorities sounded the alert shortly after 8 p.m., asking residents of Lewiston and the neighboring town of Auburn to stay confined where they are. This appeal was extended to the nearby town of Lisbon, after the discovery of the wanted vehicle.
Public schools in Lewiston, Brunswick, Auburn and Lisbon, as well as local universities, announced on social media that they would not open their doors Thursday morning, CNN lists. Likewise, the Lisbon town hall, where the suspect car was found, announced on its website that it would remain closed.
Law enforcement mobilized
This ongoing manhunt in this state bordering Canada mobilizes a significant police force. The streets are filled with police searching for the shooter, explained Mike Sauschuck to journalists. ““We have literally hundreds of police officers working across the state of Maine on the case to locate Mr. Card.”did he declare.
The Boston FBI, the federal police, also said it was participating in the investigation.
Local elected officials “horrified”
US President Joe Biden was briefed on the events and spoke with several Maine elected officials, including Governor Janet Mills, offering all necessary federal support, according to the White House.
“I am horrified by what happened in Lewiston tonight,” declared Maine elected official Jared Golden in a press release.
The United States is paying a very heavy price for the spread of firearms on its territory and the ease with which Americans have access to them. One in three adults owns at least one weapon and nearly one in two adults lives in a home with a weapon. Despite the mobilization of more than a million demonstrators, the United States Congress has not adopted an ambitious law to regulate access, many elected officials being under the influence of the powerful National Rifle Association (NRA ), the first American arms lobby.