Maine suspect still at large after 18 killed in deadliest shooting of 2023: Recap

Despite securing a season-opening 130-114 victory against the Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown, visibly distraught, shifted his post-game address to the mass shooting in Maine.

“I don’t even want to talk about basketball,” Brown said. “I’m sorry. We played a game, it was fun. Obviously, we won but if we can’t do anything to fix this, it’s over. It’s over for our country for this to happen time after time.”

The coach said he learned about the shooting right before he was walking up to the press conference.

“I’m walking over here and somebody says it was a mass shooting in Maine with 20-22 dead at a grocery store, at a fricking grocery store man,” Brown said.

At least 18 people were killed and 13 injured Wednesday night in a mass shooting incident at two locations in Lewiston, Maine. The suspect remains at large.

Brown, visibly upset, described the shooting as “absolutely disgusting” and offered sympathy for the victims’ families.

“If that doesn’t touch anybody, I don’t, I don’t know,” Brown said. “I don’t even know what to say. That is absolutely disgusting. And it’s sad. And it’s sad that we sit here and watch this happen time after time after time after time. And nobody does anything about it. I feel for the families.”

Brown later offered praise for veteran NBA players like LeBron James and Chris Paul for using “their platform the right way.” Brown also praised the NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) said he is “sick and tired” of hearing hopes and prayers for the victims of mass shootings. He said he thinks suspect Robert Card should still have been in a mental health institution.

Authorities have said Card was committed to a mental health facility for two weeks this past summer and reported “hearing voices and threats to shoot up,” a military base.

“When you have a situation where someone is put involuntarily in a psychiatric hospital for two weeks, and is known by the police, by their family, by … in this case, the military commander, to be a danger to the community and perhaps themselves as well, they shouldn’t have this kind of firepower,” Sherman said in an interview with The Hill’s Blake Burman.

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Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) continued her calls for an assault weapons ban after the mass shooting in Lewiston.

“As our nation reels from the horrific mass shooting in Lewiston, ME, we must be resolute to prevent gun violence,” she said on X, formerly Twitter.

“We know from experience that an assault weapons ban save lives. That’s why House Democrats passed a ban last year. It’s past time — we must ban assault weapons now!”

– Nick Robertson

Maine police raided the home of suspected gunman Robert Card’s brother and sister-in-law on Thursday afternoon, the Lewiston Sun Journal reported.

Police said no gunshots were fired as police searched the home for Card, who is believed to have killed 18 people in a mass shooting in Lewiston on Wednesday.

The home is in Bowdoin, Maine, not far from Lewiston.

More than 350 law enforcement agents are participating in the manhunt for Card.

Authorities have given scant updates about their search for Card in an effort to not tip him off, they said.

– Nick Robertson

Eight people remain in the hospital late Thursday after the mass shooting in Lewiston on Wednesday, according to hospital officials.

Central Maine Medical Center’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Alexander said that 14 victims arrived at the hospital late Wednesday and three died of their injuries.

Of the eight patients still in the hospital, five are in stable condition while three are in critical condition, he said.

– Nick Robertson

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) avoided answering whether she would support a new assault weapons ban, minutes after Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) said he would now back one.

Collins was pressed by multiple reporters in a press conference Thursday but did not give a clear answer if she would vote for a ban.

“I think it is more important that we ban very high capacity magazines. I think that would have more input and more effectiveness,” Collins said. “Certainly, there’s always more that can be done.”

— Nick Robertson

Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), a native of Lewiston, pledged to pursue an assault weapons ban after a mass shooting killed at least 18 people in the town.

“Sometimes things happen that bring your worst nightmares to life. Yesterday, this is what happened to Lewiston,” Golden said at a press conference Thursday.

He previously did not support such a ban.

“Out of fear of this dangerous world that we live in, in my determination to protect my own daughter and wife in our home and in our community, because of a false confidence that our community was above this and that we could be in full control, among many other misjudgments, I have opposed efforts to ban deadly weapons of war, like the assault rifle used to carry out this crime,” he said.

“The time has now come for me to take responsibility for this failure, which is why I now call on the United States Congress to ban assault rifles, like the one used by the sick perpetrator of this mass killing in my hometown of Lewiston, Maine,” he continued. “For the good of my community, I will work with any colleague to get this done in the time that I have left in Congress.”

“To the people of Lewiston, my constituents throughout the 2nd District, to those who lost loved ones and to those who have been harmed, I ask for forgiveness and support as I seek to put an end to these terrible shootings,” he said.

— Nick Robertson

The Army has released further details about reservist and suspected gunman Robert Card following reports that he behaved “erratically” while helping train West Point cadets over the summer.

Card, who is assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment in Saco, Maine, deployed with his Army Reserve Unit to Camp Smith Training Center in Upstate New York in July to help train the cadets, according to service spokesperson Bryce Dubee.

But while his unit supported the summer training, “there are no records to indicate [Card] instructed or participated in any training,” Dubee said in a statement.

Furthermore, the Army did not train Card as a firearms instructor, nor did he serve in that capacity for the Army.

Multiple outlets have reported that Card allegedly threatened other soldiers with violence at the training site, prompting his superiors to informed garrison staff about his behavior on July 17.

The unit requested that law enforcement be contacted over concerns for his safety, and Card was transported to Keller Army Community Hospital at the U.S. Military Academy for medical evaluation.

“We take matters such as this very seriously, and our primary concern is ensuring that all legal and appropriate actions are taken in accordance with our commitment to upholding the highest standards of conduct among our Soldiers and civilian personnel,” Dubee said. “We will continue to collaborate [with] and support local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.”

— Ellen Mitchell

Actor Patrick Dempsey, who was born in Lewiston, expressed his condolences and shock over Wednesday night’s shooting in his hometown.

“I am shocked, and deeply saddened by last night’s tragedy in my hometown, Lewiston, Maine,” Dempsey wrote in an Instagram post. “Maine’s greatest strength is its sense of community, and now we are being asked to come together to support everyone that has been devastated by this senseless act. My family and I are heartbroken for the victims, their families, and the community.”

— Miranda Nazzaro

Comedians John Mulaney and Pete Davidson have canceled a pair of shows scheduled for this week in the wake of the mass shooting.

“We are devastated by the events in Lewiston,” Mulaney wrote in a Instagram story Thursday. “Shows scheduled for this weekend in Maine on Saturday, 10/28 and Sunday, 10/29 have been postponed. We are thinking of you all.”

According to Ticketmaster, the two had shows scheduled next weekend at the Cross Insurance Center in Portland.

— Miranda Nazzaro

Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) said the mass shooting in Maine is “one of the darkest days” he can remember.

“This is one of the darkest days I can remember,” King said in an interview on NBC.

“It’s just been awful. We’ve got schools closed, colleges locked down and the manhunt has expanded, because this fellow apparent abandoned a vehicle about eight miles from where I am,” he continued.

King said he left Washington Thursday morning and is staying in Auburn, Maine, which he said is “right across the river from Lewiston.”

King said it remains unclear whether the suspected gunman, Robert Card, took off in another vehicle or if he is on the river where he abandoned his car.

“And here’s why it’s so shocking — I think because Maine has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the nation. And the figure, I saw this morning was had the second lowest gun crime rate as of the day before yesterday,” King said.

“That’s what making this so difficult is to grasp the concept of frankly, something we didn’t think was going to be part of something we had to deal with again because of the deep and long history of safe gun use in the state,” he continued.

— Miranda Nazzaro

An Army spokesperson confirmed the suspected gunman Robert Card is a U.S. Army reservist who enlisted in December 2002.

“Sgt. 1st Class Robert R. Card II is a Petroleum Supply Specialist in the Army Reserve, enlisting in December 2002,” an Army spokesperson told The Hill.

The spokesperson said Card has no combat deployments. He received awards including the Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (twice), Humanitarian Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon, the spokesperson said.

—Miranda Nazzaro, Ellen Mitchell

Maine’s “yellow flag” law is under renewed scrutiny in the wake of the mass shooting with some gun-control advocates pushing for stricter gun safety measures.

A “yellow flag” law was created a little more than four years ago in Maine that tried to align with Maine’s pro-Second Amendment mindset while still taking a step toward stronger gun safety measures. Under it, law enforcement can detain someone they suspect is mentally ill and poses a threat to themselves or others, The Associated Press reported.

It differs from red flag laws in that it requires a medical practitioner to first examine a person and deem them a threat before police can petition a judge to order the seizure of the person’s firearms.

Authorities reportedly said suspect Robert Card was committed to a mental health facility for two weeks this past summer and reported “hearing voices and threats to shoot up,” a military base. It wasn’t clear if the yellow flag law had been invoked in Card’s case.

Maine is one of an estimated 20 states that allow permitless carry, meaning people can carry a concealed weapon in public without a permit.

Efforts for stricter gun control laws and red flag law proposals in Maine have failed in recent years.

— Miranda Nazzaro

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) — who in 2011 was a victim of a mass shooting that left her partly paralyzed with imperfect speech — called for “overdue action” on gun reform.

“I wish I could say that the stories we’ve read last night and today are unthinkable or unimaginable. But we are all too familiar with these horrific scenes,” she said in a statement.

“We will keep reading about how gun violence is the number one cause of death for America’s kids,” she added.

“But we can decide enough is enough. We do not have to accept these horrific acts of violence as routine, and we must never stop demanding that our leaders not only acknowledge this devastating problem, but take long overdue action to keep our children safe.”

The Maine State Police provided an updated timeline on the events that transpired Wednesday night.

The new timeline includes details about when police released the suspect’s photo, at 8:06 p.m.; when they identified the suspect as Robert Card, at 9:26 p.m.; and when Lisbon Police Department notified Lewiston Police Department that they had located a vehicle that belonged to the suspect, at 9:56 p.m.

The previous timeline revealed the first 911 call from Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley, came in at 6:56 p.m.

Multiple 911 calls then came in from Schemengees Bar & Grille at 7:08 p.m.

Robert Card’s sister-in-law, Katie Card, told NBC News that the family alerted police and military officials that the Army reservist was experiencing an “acute” mental health episode ahead of the shooting.

Katie Card said the family was concerned because, she told NBC, “He was picking up voices that he had never heard … His mind was twisting them around. He was humiliated by the things that he thought were being said.”

She told NBC the family grew “increasingly concerned” over the last few weeks, prompting them to reach out to police and the Army Reserve base where he serves.

Katie Card’s husband, Robert’s brother, went “back and forth” with the Army, she said, adding that she was not sure what actions were taken after.

“They were following up on it, too, but he’s never been someone we thought would actually do anything,” she said to NBC.

After a mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, left 18 people dead and a dozen others injured Wednesday, GOP presidential hopefuls took to social media to extend their condolences.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and first lady Casey DeSantis were “shocked” to hear the news. DeSantis shifted some of the blame on a lack of mental health resources.

“While the facts are still coming in, this could be another example of a failure of our nation’s mental health system,” the governor wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “We are praying for those injured, the comfort of the families of the victims, and the law enforcement officers who are working to bring this evil individual to justice.”

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum also issued a statement, echoing the governor of the Sunshine State.

“The news coming out of Lewiston is devastating and our hearts go out to their entire community,” he posted.

“We are praying for the continued safety of those in the area and that the gunman is quickly found and brought to justice.”

Former President Trump, the current front-runner in the GOP race, called it a “terrible situation” Wednesday in a post on Truth Social.

“A terrible situation going on in Maine,” he wrote, adding “It just seems to never end for the USA!”

Officials revoked a widely reported bulletin, published by the Maine Information and Analysis Center, that claimed Robert Card was a firearms instructor in the Maine Army Reserve, The Boston Globe reported.

“There is no indication that Card attended any advanced weaponry course,” the officials said Thursday morning, revoking the earlier bulletin, according to the Globe.

The bulletin still included information about issues that Card had with his mental health, including “hearing voices” and making threats “to shoot up a military installations in southern Maine,” the Globe reported.

The Hill has not been able to independently review the bulletin.

More than 90 lawmakers — members of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force — sent newly elected Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) a letter Thursday urging him to bring gun safety legislation to the House floor in the wake of the mass shooting in Maine.

“Over 1,000 Americans died from gun violence during the past 3 weeks of Republican chaos and dysfunction,” Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) wrote on X, sharing the letter.

“Demanding accountability and protection for our communities, I and 91 colleagues urged newly-elected Speaker Johnson to bring gun safety legislation to the Floor immediately.”

Suspect Robert Card reportedly competed frequently in a bowling league at Sparetime Recreation — one of the two sites of Wednesday night’s shootings in Maine — in the spring of 2012.

The Boston Globe cited league results published in The Sun Journal from the bowling alley that included the name “Robert Card” often in the results.

The Globe also reported that he listed bowling as one of his favorite activities in his now-suspended Facebook profile.

The Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) announced Thursday afternoon it is extending the shelter in place order for Androscoggin County and northern Sagadahoc County, both located in Lewiston.

“Please make sure your homes and vehicles are secured,” MEMA wrote in an alert posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.

— Miranda Nazzaro

Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) stressed Lewiston is a “special place” and vowed to help the community carry its grief.

“I know that the people of Lewiston are enduring immeasurable pain,” Mills said. “I wish I could take that pain from you, but I promise you this, we will all help you carry this grief.”

“I ask Maine people to join me in offering our comfort to the families and friends who have lost someone and in offering our prayers for a swift recovery to the people who are healing in Maine hospitals today,” she continued.

— Miranda Nazzaro

Bates College in Lewiston said it is postponing its presidential inauguration until a later date in the wake of the “ongoing emergency.”

“Given the tragedy and the current circumstances, we have decided to postpone all inauguration events until a later date and keep our focus on dealing with the ongoing emergency,” Bates College wrote in a statement.

The inauguration was scheduled for Friday with events expected to start Thursday. The school, like several others in the area, is under a lockdown as the manhunt for suspect Robert Card continues.

An employee of Bates College was at one of the shootings and was injured but is expected to make a full recovery, the school said. Two students were also near one of the crimes but were unharmed, according to the school.

— Miranda Nazzaro

The Associated Press reported the shooting in Maine marked the country’s 36th mass killing this year, according to a database from the AP and USA Today. At least 188 people have reportedly died in these mass killings, defined as incidents in which four or more people have died in a 24-hour period, not including the killer.

The shooting also marked the deadliest in 2023, according to both the AP’s database and the Gun Violence Archive.

So far, the U.S. has experienced the second-highest number on record of mass killings and deaths to this point in a year, the AP reported. Only 2019 had more mass killings, it said.

— Miranda Nazzaro

Vice President Harris called the shooting in Maine another incident of “senseless gun violence,” while speaking at a State Department luncheon with the Australian prime minister.

“Last night, Lewiston became yet another community torn apart by senseless gun violence,” Harris said. “Once again, routine gatherings, this time at a bowling alley and a restaurant have been turned into scenes of horrific carnage.”

“Doug and I mourn those who were killed, we pray for those who were injured and grieve with so many whose lives are forever changed and impacted by what happened,” she continued.

The vice president said the Biden-Harris administration will provide full support to local authorities as the situation unfolds.

“We must continue to speak truth about the moment we are in,” Harris said. “…Gun violence has terrorized and traumatized so many of our communities in this country, and let us be clear, it does not have to be this way.”

— Miranda Nazzaro

Leroy Walker, the father one of the victims, called the shooting a “nightmare” and said the family was still processing their loss.

“What are we gonna do tomorrow, the next day? How are we gonna handle this?” he said.

His son, Joseph Walker, was the bar manager of Schemengees Bar & Grille. He was one of 18 victims killed Wednesday.

Walker told MSNBC that it took more than 14 hours for the news to be delivered to the family.

“Joe was a great, great son, a loving husband. He had two grandchildren and a stepson,” Walker said, adding “thousands of people loved him.”

Maine State Police Col. William G. Ross laid out the timeline of events that occurred in the evening of Oct. 25.

At approximately 6:56 p.m., Auburn Communication Center received its first 911 call of a male shooting at Just-In-Time, or Sparetime, Recreation, a bowling alley.

At approximately 7:08 p.m., Auburn Communication Center received several 911 calls about an active shooter at Schemengees Bar & Grille, a restaurant, which was located about 4 miles away from the first location.

“A large law enforcement response from multiple surrounding agencies assisted the Lewiston Police Department in trying to identify who this individual was and what was happening,” Ross said.

“As you can imagine, this was a very fast paced, fast moving very fluid scene, very dangerous scene that these guys and girls were going into.”

Ryan Card, the brother of the suspect, said the family has urged Robert Card to surrender to authorities, according to messages sent to CNN.

He told the outlet that the family is helping law enforcement “in anyway possible.” However, as the manhunt continues, Ryan did not say whether Robert responded.

“There are many people hurting out there, please focus on them,” he told CNN. “This is many people’s worst nightmare.”

An intense manhunt is still underway for person-of-interest Robert Card, a 40-year-old firearms instructor in the Army Reserve who is suspected of killing at least 18 people and wounding 13 others across two mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine.

What we know so far:

According to the Army, Card is a petroleum supply specialist and sergeant first class in the Reserve.

Card has been enlisted in the Reserve since December 2002 and has not been deployed on combat missions, according to Sky News.

The suspect has been divorced twice and is the father of three children, according to records.

While specific details of Card’s condition remain unknown, it has been reported that the suspect had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks in the summer of 2023 after “hearing voices and threatening to shoot up” a military training base in Saco, Maine.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who was sworn in to office Wednesday, took a moment to reflect on the Maine shooting, calling it a “horrific tragedy” that has moved the entire Congress.

“This is a dark time in America. We have a lot of problems,” he said Thursday in remarks from the Capitol, offering his condolences to the families of the victims.

“And, we’re really, really hopeful and prayerful,” he said.

“Prayer is appropriate at a time like this, that the evil can end and the senseless violence can stop,” he continued, adding that “everyone wants this to end.”

He did not take further questions on the matter.