December 4, 2023

Politics

The dying toll within the taking pictures at a Maine bowling alley and a restaurant has risen to 18 individuals killed, based on Gov. Janet Mills. One other 13 have been injured.

A police officer stands at a highway closure close to a bowling alley, seen in background, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine. The location is one in every of Wednesday’s two mass shootings within the metropolis. Residents have been ordered to shelter in place as police proceed to seek for the suspect. (AP Photograph/Robert F. Bukaty) AP

A minimum of 18 individuals have been killed in shootings at a restaurant and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday evening, sparking a large seek for the suspect. Late Thursday, closely armed legislation enforcement backed by a police helicopter had surrounded a house and instructed anybody who is likely to be inside to give up, however authorities ultimately left with out indicating anybody had been taken into custody.

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We don’t know for certain. Observe for stay updates.

— Authorities are looking cities, forests and waterways for the suspect.

— Right here’s what we all know concerning the suspect and the place the taking pictures occurred.

— Social media posts unfold an incorrect picture of the Maine suspect.

— Maine handed a legislation to attempt to stop mass shootings, however some say extra is required.

— The taking pictures is the thirty sixth mass killing in america this yr.

Lewiston Public Faculties might be closed once more on Friday, based on a submit by Superintendent Jake Langlais on the district’s web site.

“We stay in a shelter in place state of affairs,” the submit stated. “We won’t open buildings or run bus transportation.”

The superintendent stated college students and workers have been immediately impacted by the taking pictures and the occasions since 7 p.m. Wednesday are “unimaginable.”

College officers in Maine’s largest metropolis of Portland will resolve by 5 a.m. Friday whether or not to open based mostly on data obtained from police, based on a submit on the district’s web site.

A lot of the legislation enforcement officers and a helicopter that surrounded a house related to a relative of the suspect within the Maine shootings have left after executing a search warrant and calling for anybody inside to give up.

Officers had yelled via a megaphone on the residence close to Bowdoin, Maine, for suspect Robert Card or anybody inside to “Come out along with your fingers up.”

Maine State Police stated afterward that the bulletins have been normal.

“It’s unknown whether or not Robert Card is in any of the houses legislation enforcement will search,” the assertion posted on Fb stated.

Richard Goddard, who lives on the highway the place the searches have been going down in Bowdoin, stated he is aware of the Card household and that Robert is aware of the terrain nicely.

“That is is his stomping floor. He grew up right here. He is aware of each ledge to cover behind, each thicket,” he stated.

Closely armed officers surrounding a house the place relations of the suspect within the Maine shootings stay close to Bowdoin, Maine, are calling for an individual or individuals inside to give up.

Legislation enforcement officers requested TV crews to show off their lights close by earlier than officers might be heard yelling right into a megaphone shortly after 7 p.m.

“You might want to come exterior now with nothing in your fingers. Your fingers within the air,” officers shouted exterior the house owned by suspect Robert Card’s relations.

Officers have been talking via the megaphone, ready, then talking once more. At one level, officers stated they might assure security if the particular person or individuals walked exterior the home.

A number of FBI brokers and different closely armed officers gathered off a highway the place a number of relations of shootings suspect Robert Card stay close to Bowdoin, Maine.

A military-style car and a white van arrived and moments later somebody repeatedly yelled, “FBI! Open the door!”

Loud booms might be heard a number of seconds aside as helicopters circled overhead. Close by, a number of armed law enforcement officials stood on alert behind a pickup truck.

Eight individuals injured within the Maine shootings remained hospitalized at Central Maine Medial Heart on Thursday afternoon, officers stated.

Hospital officers stated 5 of the sufferers are in secure situation and three are crucial. The hospital has not launched the ages of the sufferers. The entire sufferers had been recognized by late afternoon, stated Dr. John Alexander, the chief medical officer.

Alexander stated the hospital isn’t used to coping with this stage of emergency care, however the workers was skilled for it.

“It’s unprecedented by way of the severity of the accidents and the tragedy to the neighborhood,” he stated.

Authorities have been looking each on land and water for the suspect in Wednesday’s shootings in Maine that killed 18 individuals.

The Coast Guard despatched out a patrol boat Thursday morning alongside the Kennebec River. However after hours of looking, authorities discovered “nothing out of the atypical,” stated Chief Petty Officer Ryan Smith, who’s in command of the Coast Guard’s Boothbay Harbor Station.

The suspect’s automotive had been found by a ship launch close to the Androscoggin River, which connects to the Kennebec, and his 15-foot (4.5-meter) boat stays unaccounted for, Smith stated.

However he added that officers didn’t have any particular intelligence that the suspect, Robert Card, might need escaped aboard his boat. “We’re simply doing our due diligence,” he stated.

Standing outsider her Lewiston residence Thursday whereas police looked for the suspect within the Maine shootings, April Stevens cried as she described being pissed off and fearful.

Stevens, who lives near the scene of the shootings, stated she knew somebody who was killed on the bar and one other one who was injured and wanted surgical procedure.

“We’re praying for everybody. We’re simply hoping everybody will get via this, that the people who find themselves injured get well safely,” she stated. “Our hearts exit to all of those that didn’t make it.”

Stevens stated she was working from residence Thursday whereas authorities continued their seek for the suspect. She stated she locked her doorways and turned on her residence’s exterior lights Wednesday evening in case the shooter was close by.

“We’re simply right here to help our associates in the event that they want us. In the event that they want a hug — they want something — we’re right here,” she stated.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — The Canada Border Companies Company has issued an “armed and harmful” alert to its officers stationed alongside the Canada-U.S. border, warning them to be looking out for the person suspected of fatally taking pictures not less than 18 individuals in southern Maine.

The shootings have been reported Wednesday evening in Lewiston, about 260 kilometers (161 miles) southwest of the New Brunswick border. As a large search continued Thursday for suspect Robert Card, residents of southern Maine have been instructed to lock their doorways and stay inside.

The CBSA says it’s working with Canadian and U.S. legislation enforcement companions, together with U.S. Customs and Border Safety and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to “shield Canada’s borders in opposition to any menace or try at unlawful entry.”

The Canadian border company stated that every one entry factors alongside the Canada-U.S. border stay open.

State lawmakers in Maine, which has one of many nation’s lowest murder charges, known as the mass shootings that killed not less than 18 individuals a tragedy and urged unity within the face of disaster.

State Rep. Mana Abdi of Lewiston, the primary Somali American elected to the Maine Legislature, and fellow Democratic Reps. Margaret Craven and Michel Lajoie stated in a joint assertion that they have been “dedicated to making sure {that a} tragedy like this can by no means occur to a different neighborhood ever once more.”

“We’re deeply grateful to the entire first responders, legislation enforcement and hospital workers who responded swiftly, and can proceed to maintain all of our neighbors, households and associates who’ve been affected in our hearts,” they stated.

Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby, who represents close by Auburn, stated the neighborhood was in shock and the loss the state is going through is “simply unfathomable.” Libby additionally stated this was not the time to speak concerning the state’s gun tradition.

“We’re already seeing our neighborhood actually rallying collectively in help. I do know that very same spirit will carry us on via, nevertheless it’s actually not a time for guessing at motives at this level and pointing fingers,” Libby stated.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday urged residents of the realm the place police are looking for the suspect within the Maine mass shootings to heed the warning of native legislation enforcement.

“For numerous People who’ve survived gun violence and been traumatized by it, a taking pictures equivalent to this reopens deep and painful wounds,” he stated in a press release, including that he and first girl Jill Biden have been praying for the households of the victims. “Far too many People have now had a member of the family killed or injured because of gun violence. That’s not regular, and we can’t settle for it.”

Biden as soon as once more known as for the passage of a ban of so-called assault weapons. The president additionally ordered flags at half-staff to honor the victims of the taking pictures.

WASHINGTON — A U.S. Military reservist suspected of killing not less than 18 individuals in Maine had been taken by police for an analysis after army officers grew to become involved that he was appearing erratically in mid-July, a U.S. official instructed The Related Press.

The official stated commanders within the Military Reserve’s third Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment grew to become involved in mid-July that Robert Card was appearing erratically whereas the unit was coaching on the U.S. Army Academy at West Level in New York.

The official stated army commanders grew to become involved about Card’s security and requested for the police to be known as. New York state police took Card to the Keller Military Neighborhood Hospital at West Level for analysis, the official stated.

The official was not approved to publicly focus on details about the incident and spoke to The Related Press on situation of anonymity.

— Related Press author Lolita Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.

An arrest warrant for eight counts of homicide has been issued for the suspect within the shootings at a Maine bowling alley and a restaurant, based on state police.

As extra victims are recognized, the counts in opposition to suspect Robert Card will in all probability develop to 18, Maine State Police Col. William Ross stated.

Police responded to a “very fast paced, very harmful scene,” Ross stated, noting that seven individuals have been discovered useless on the bowling alley and eight on the bar, together with one sufferer who was exterior. All had gunshot wounds. Three individuals who have been taken to hospitals additionally died, Ross stated.

The dying toll within the taking pictures at a Maine bowling alley and a restaurant has risen to 18 individuals killed, based on Gov. Janet Mills. One other 13 have been injured within the shootings Wednesday evening, she stated.

Mills stated legislation enforcement remains to be looking for taking pictures suspect Robert Card, who is taken into account armed and harmful.

The governor warned that folks mustn’t strategy Card underneath any circumstances. She requested individuals to name 911 in the event that they see something suspicious.

The “full weight” of her administration is behind the legislation enforcement effort to seize Card and maintain whoever is accountable accountable and search justice for the victims and their households, Mills stated.

“We can’t and we won’t relaxation on this endeavor,” Mills stated.

Diana Florence stated her son, a sophomore at Bates School in Lewiston, stayed in his dorm along with his roommate with the blinds closed.

Her daughter is a senior on the College of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which was locked down twice final month, as soon as when a professor was killed and once more two weeks later when a person brandished a gun within the pupil union constructing.

“I couldn’t consider it — that that is occurring once more. It’s occurring to my son after it simply occurred to my daughter,” she stated in a telephone interview Thursday.

Florence, of New York, stated she and her son spoke and texted late into the evening and he was shaken up however OK. In the meantime, she was left offended.

“I believe that is about our legal guidelines, frankly. That we can’t appear to go any type of wise gun legal guidelines or assault psychological well being in the best way we must always,” she stated. “And our children are paying the worth. And even when they’re not killed or injured, the trauma that’s going to linger long gone the semester is palpable.”