Lewiston shootings: At least 18 killed, 13 injured, Maine governor says

LEWISTON, Maine — At least 18 people were killed and 13 others injured after a gunman opened fire at a bowling alley and bar in the central Maine city of Lewiston on Wednesday, authorities said.

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Police identified Robert Card, 40, as the man suspected of opening fire at Just-In-Time Recreation and Schemengees Bar & Grille. He remained at large hours after shots rang out, and authorities warned he “should be considered armed and dangerous.”

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Boston Bruins create fund to benefit victims

Update 9:53 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: The Boston Bruins and the Boston Bruins Foundation are pledging a minimum of $100,000 to those affected by the shootings in Lewiston, the Bruins announced on its website.

“The Boston Bruins and the Boston Bruins Foundation are heartbroken by the tragic and horrifying events in Lewiston, Maine, on October 25. Maine is a special part of the Bruins family and our hearts are with those affected by this terrible tragedy. In that spirit, the Boston Bruins Foundation is pledging a minimum of $100,000 to those affected by these horrific events in Lewiston.”

To learn more, visit the Bruins’ website. You can also contribute by visiting TheMaineFund.org, according to WFXT.

— Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Families continue to identify victims of Lewiston shootings

Update 9:19 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Families have been identifying their loved ones as victims.

Bill Brackett was confirmed as one of the victims by his father, William Brackett, according to ABC News. He was part of a group of deaf people that gathered at Schemengees Bar & Grill to play cornhole. Steven Vozzella was also part of the same gathering. He was confirmed dead by his brother.

Maine AFL-CIO confirmed to WMTW that Peyton Brewer Ross was one of the victims of the shooting. He is a new father. It is unclear what location he was at on Wednesday evening. Bath Iron Works said that Brewer Ross was killed while playing at a cornhole tournament at Schemengees Bar and Grille, the Portland Press Herald reported.

“We send our deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of our employee Peyton Brewer-Ross,” the shipyard said in a message posted on social media, according to the newspaper. “Peyton was a valuable part of our team, a member of the pipe shop test crew and recently assisted in the launch of Hull 523, Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124). … He was hired just five years ago and was making a positive impact on our company. He will be sorely missed.”

Winthrop Public Schools Superintendent Jim Hodgkin said that a Winthrop High School freshman and his father were among the victims, according to the Portland Press Herald. He also confirmed an uncle of another high schooler was a victim. Hodgkin did not confirm their names.

“There is a strong connection to our Winthrop community, but apparently no direct threat to our schools. Sadly, we have learned that a freshman at the high school and his dad are among the victims that were killed. Additionally, an uncle of another high school student was also killed,” Hodgkin said on Facebook.

“This is tremendous tragedy for our area, our town, our students, and everyone. This is uncharted territory. My heart is broken by this and I implore you all to be patient with everyone through this process. This is going to be a process that will take a long time,” Hodgkin continued.

The family of Tommy Conrad, 34, was identified as a victim according to WMTW. He was the manager of the bowling alley. He is survived by his 9-year-old daughter.

— Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Officers go to house where suspect’s relatives live; call for surrender

Update 8:04 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: A house where relatives of shooting suspect Robert Card live has been surrounded by heavily armed officers, according to The Associated Press.

“You need to come outside now with nothing in your hands. Your hands in the air,” officers shouted outside the house on Thursday evening, according to the AP.

Shannon Moss, a spokesperson with the Maine Department of Public Safety told CNN that law enforcement is “not positive Robert Card is in this house.” Moss said that law enforcement is “simply doing our due diligence.”

Maine State Police on Facebook said that law enforcement on Meadow Road to execute multiple search warrants,

“The announcements that are being heard over a loud speaker are standard search warrant announcements when executing a warrant to ensure the safety of all involved. It is unknown whether Robert Card is in any of the homes law enforcement will search. Law enforcement officials are simply doing their due diligence by tracking down every lead in an effort to locate and apprehend Card,” state police said.

— Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Several school districts closed Friday in Maine

Update 7:46 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Several school districts and colleges announced plans to be closed on Friday as the manhunt for Robert Card continues, according to CNN.

Lewiston Public Schools, as well as several schools in Auburn, Brunswick and Lisbon, will be closed Friday. According to CNN, Auburn and Brunswick schools plan to resume sessions on Monday, starting two hours after the usual start of the school day.

“This additional time will allow our staff to carefully prepare for conversations with our students and how we can best support them during this difficult time,” Brunswick School Department Superintendent Phil Potenziano said in a statement obtained by CNN.

Central Maine Community College announced on Facebook that they will be closed on Friday as well.

“Our thoughts continue to be with the families and friends of the victims and our entire community,’ the college said.

— Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Shelter-in-place orders continue

Update 6:34 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline at a news conference Thursday evening urged residents to continue to listen to shelter-in-place orders, according to the New York Times

“Please stay at home and be safe,” the mayor said.

“In a typical year, Maine might have 22 murders,” Senator Susan Collins said, according to the Times. “Last night, we almost approached the number for the entire year.”

Collins also said that about 80 FBI agents were participating in the search for the suspect.

— Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

John Mulaney, Pete Davidson postpone Maine shows after shooting

Update 6:11 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Comedians John Mulaney and Pete Davidson postponed two of their upcoming comedy shows in Maine after the shootings Wednesday, according to CNN.

“We are devastated by the events in Lewiston,” Mulaney wrote in a statement on Thursday on X, formerly known as Twitter.

— Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Loud booms heard; FBI agents, officers gather at house where suspect’s relatives live

Update 6:07 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Multiple FBI agents and other armed officers gathered at a house where relatives of Robert Card’s family live in Bowdoin, Maine, according to The Associated Press.

Loud booms were also reportedly heard from the area and helicopters circled overhead as a military-style vehicle and a white van arrived in the area. According to the AP, moments later, someone yelled “FBI! Open the door!”

— Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Families continue to identify victims of Lewiston shootings

Update 4:46 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Keri Brooks told CNN her brother, Bryan MacFarlane, 40, was participating in a cornhole tournament at Schemengees Bar and Grille Restaurant when he was killed Wednesday.

Brooks said, according to CNN, that MacFarlane is also part of the local deaf community and plays cornhole with other deaf people.

“I grew up in Maine and the deaf community is a tight-knit community,” Brooks said. “Not only was my brother slain but my friends were too,” she said, regarding other victims.

Brooks said, according to CNN that her brother was also the first deaf person in Vermont to get his commercial trucking driver’s license.

“Many states don’t let deaf drive trucks so I’m very proud of him for achieving that. He worked as a truck driver for several years,” Brook said.

— Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

What is considered a mass shooting?

Update 3:55 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: The violence Wednesday in Lewiston marked the latest mass shooting in the U.S., though definitions of what a mass shooting is vary. According to some measures, more than 550 mass shootings have happened so far this year.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Coast Guard joins search for Card

Update 3:25 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: The U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday joined the search for Robert Card, the man suspected of killing 18 people and injuring 13 more in Lewiston on Wednesday.

A surveillance plane and a crew out of Boothbay Harbor have joined the manhunt, Coast Guard petty Officer 3rd Class Diolanda Cabellero told NBC News.

Police said they found a car registered to Card abandoned near a boat launch in Lisbon after Wednesday night’s shootings. Card remains at large.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Shelter-in-place order extended in Maine

Update 3 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Officials in Maine have extended shelter-in-place orders issued in a pair of counties as the search for suspected mass shooter Robert Card continues.

The order applies to people in Androscoggin and Norther Sagadahoc counties.

“Please make sure your homes and vehicles are secured,” officials with the Maine Emergency Management Agency said in a social media post announcing the extended order.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Mass shootings happened within minutes of one another

Update 2:55 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Authorities have shared a timeline of Wednesday night’s events.

Officials learned of the first of two mass shootings just before 7 p.m., when the first 911 caller reported a shooting at Just-In-Time Recreation, also known by its former name, Sparetime Recreation.

About 10 minutes later, 911 callers began to report a separate shooting at Schemengees Bar & Grille.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Families start identifying victims of Lewiston shootings

Update 2:25 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Family members have started to identify some of the 18 people killed in Wednesday night’s shootings.

Leroy Walker told NBC News that his son, Joey, was among those killed at Schemengees Bar & Grille. He said police told family members that Joey Walker “died as a hero because he picked up a butcher knife from somewhere... and he tried to go at the gunman to stop him from shooting everybody.”

Family members told CNN that Tricia Asselin, a 53-year-old woman who worked part-time at Just-In-Time Recreation and visited the business on Wednesday to go bowling, also died.

“What I’m told is that when it all started happening, she ran up to the counter and started to call 911, and that’s when she was shot,” DJ Johnson said, according to the news station. “That was just her. She wasn’t going to run. She was going to try and help.”

Relatives also identified 76-year-old Bob Violette, a 76-year-old retired Sears mechanic and avid bowler, as one of the victims, according to the Portland Press Herald.

“He wouldn’t let you walk out the door without giving him a hug, and a kiss on the (cheek),” his daughter-in-law, Cassandra, told the newspaper. “He was just there for everything.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

House Speaker Johnson offers prayers for those killed, wounded in Lewiston

Update 2 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson offered prayers Thursday for those impacted by Wednesday’s mass shootings in Lewiston, The Guardian reported.

“This is a dark time in America, we have a lot of problems and we’re really, really hopeful and prayerful,” he said. “Prayer is appropriate in a time like this, that the evil can end, and this senseless violence can stop. And that’s the statement this morning on behalf of the entire House of Representatives. Everyone wants this to end.”

He did not specify what actions the House might take, according to The Guardian.

Earlier, President Joe Biden urged lawmakers to pass gun control measures.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

‘It does not have to be this way,’ VP Harris says

Update 1:25 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Vice President Kamala Harris addressed Wednesday’s deadly shootings in Lewiston while making remarks during an event Thursday with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

“One again, routine gatherings — this time at a bowling alley and at a restaurant — have been turned into scenes of horrific carnage,” she said, sharing condolences from herself and her husband, Doug Emhoff.

“The Biden-Harris administration will continue to provide full support to local authorities and as we gather details, we must continue to speak truth about the moment we are in.

“In our country today, the leading cause of death of American children is gun violence. 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.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Report: Card’s family urging him to turn himself in

Update 1:15 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: The family of Robert Card, the man suspected of opening fire at two business in Lewiston on Wednesday, is urging him to turn himself in to authorities, CNN reported.

Card’s brother, Ryan Card, told CNN that family members have “helped law enforcement in anyway possible.”

He declined to say whether his brother responded to any of the family’s requests.

“The police have been given anything that we can offer to facilitate their efforts,” he said, adding that “there are many people hurting out there, please focus on them … this is many people’s worst nightmare.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Card evaluated for acting erratically in July, report says

Update 12:55 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Three months before authorities identified Robert Card as the suspect accused of opening fire in two mass shootings in Lewiston, police took him into custody for an evaluation due to erratic behavior, The Associated Press reported, citing an unidentified U.S. official.

Commanders in the Army Reserve’s 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment asked for police to be called in mid-July after Card began acting erratically while the unit was training at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York, according to the AP. He was taken to Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point for evaluation.

It was not immediately clear what behavior prompted the call to police. Authorities said Card is a sergeant first class who serves as a petroleum supply specialist in the Army Reserve.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

FBI, ATF, US Marshals on the ground, AG Garland says

Update 12:35 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland shared condolences for people impacted by Wednesday’s mass shootings in Lewiston and said federal authorities are supporting Maine officials as the search for Robert Card continues.

“I am heartbroken for those who have lost loved ones, for those who have been injured, and for the entire Lewiston community,” he said in a statement released Thursday.

“The FBI, ATF, and U.S. Marshals are on the ground to provide investigative support and victims assistance services to our law enforcement partners in Maine. We stand ready to provide any support that our state and local partners need.”

The attorney general added, “No community should have to endure the horrific mass shootings that have become routine in our country.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Photos show response to shootings in Maine

Update 12:15 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Photos showed the scenes Wednesday night after a gunman opened fire at a pair of businesses in Lewiston, killing 18 people and injuring 13 others.

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Lewiston shootings LEWISTON, MAINE - OCTOBER 26: A police officer blocks access to the road to Sparetime Recreation on October 26, 2023 in Lewiston, Maine. Police are still searching for the suspect in the mass shooting, Robert Card, who killed over 15 people in two separate shootings. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images) (Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

3 remain in critical condition after Lewiston shootings

Update 12:10 p.m. EDT Oct. 26: Three people remain hospitalized in critical condition on Thursday following Wednesday’s mass shootings in Lewiston, CNN reported, citing the chief medical officer at the Central Maine Healthcare Center.

Dr. John Alexander told the news station that eight people were hospitalized Thursday from the shooting, including five who are in stable condition. Two people have been discharged and sent home while one was transferred to Maine Medical Center and another was taken to St. Mary’s hospital.

Authorities earlier said three people died after being taken to hospitals following the shootings on Wednesday night.

In a statement shared online earlier Thursday, Central Maine Healthcare CEO and President Steve Littleson shared “deepest condolences to everyone affected by the tragedy last evening.”

“Words cannot express our collective sense of loss,” he said.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Biden: ‘This is not normal, and we cannot accept it’

Update 11:45 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: President Joe Biden urged Republicans to work with Democrats to pass gun control measures in the wake of Wednesday’s mass shootings in Lewiston.

“For countless Americans who have survived gun violence and been traumatized by it, a shooting such as this reopens deep and painful wounds,” he said in a statement. “Far too many Americans have now had a family member killed or injured as a result of gun violence. That is not normal, and we cannot accept it.”

He pushed for lawmakers to pass legislation to enact universal background checks, require the safe storage of guns and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, among other measures.

“This is the very least we owe every American who will now bear the scars — physical and mental — of this latest attack,” he said.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Card was not a firearms instructor in Army Reserves, officials say

Update 11:40 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: Officials with the Maine Information and Analysis Center, a database for law enforcement authorities, said Thursday that they have found no indication that Robert Card “attended any advanced weaponry courses or was a firearms instructor in the Maine Army Reserves,” according to WFXT.

Earlier, the database listed him as “a trained firearms instructor.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

‘We don’t know his location,’ Maine official says in search for Card

Update 11:25 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: A manhunt to find the man suspected of killing 18 people and injuring 13 others in two mass shootings in Lewiston on Wednesday continues.

Robert Card, 40, is wanted on several murder charges.

“We’re actively searching for him,” said Mike Sauschuck, commissioner of the Maine Department of Public Safety. “We don’t know his location, and I’ll leave it at that.”

Reports indicated that investigators believed that Card might have crossed into Massachusetts, although officials did not confirm the report Thursday.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Person of interest now a suspect in Lewiston shootings

Update 11:20 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: Mike Sauschuck, commissioner of the Maine Department of Public Safety, said a man earlier identified as a person of interest in Wednesday’s mass shootings is now considered a suspect in the case.

Robert Card, 40, is wanted on at least eight counts of murder, Maine State Police Col. William Ross said Thursday. More charges are expected to be added as authorities continue working to identify the 18 people killed Wednesday in Lewiston.

“I think we used person of interest last night,” Sauschuck said at a news conference. “There is now arrest warrants for murder for this particular individual, Mr. Card, so he is viewed as a suspect and there is a full-court press by all of our partners to bring him into custody.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Arrest warrant issued for person of interest Robert Card

Update 11:05 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: Authorities have obtained an arrest warrant for Robert Card, the 40-year-old earlier identified as a person of interest in the mass shootings reported Wednesday in Lewiston, Maine State Police said Thursday.

“He should be considered armed and dangerous based on our investigation, we believe that this is someone who should not be approached,” Col. William Ross said at a news conference.

The warrant for Card is for eight counts of murder, as eight of the people shot and killed in Lewiston have so far been identified, he said. Authorities continued working Thursday to identify the other 10 people killed.

A woman and six men were shot and killed just before 7 p.m. at Just-In-Time Recreation, a bowling alley in Lewiston, Ross said. About 10 minutes later, authorities got 911 calls reporting a shooting at Schemengees Bar & Grille, where authorities found eight men dead. Most of them were found inside the bar while one was found outside, Ross said.

Three people who were taken to hospitals after the shooting later died of their injuries, bringing the total death toll to 18.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Governor: 18 people killed, 13 injured in shootings

Update 10:45 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: Maine Gov. Janet Mills said 18 people died in shootings reported in Lewiston on Wednesday, up from the 16 earlier believed to have been killed.

Authorities continue to search for a person of interest in the case, identified as 40-year-old Robert Card.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Card a petroleum supply specialist in Army Reserve, officials say

Update 10:40 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: An Army spokesperson told WFXT that Robert Card is a sergeant first class who serves as a petroleum supply specialist in the Army Reserve.

He enlisted in December 2002 and has no combat deployments, the spokesperson said.

A manhunt to find Card was ongoing Thursday morning.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Flags at White House, other public buildings to be flown at half-staff

Update 10:20 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered that flags at the White House, public buildings, military posts and naval vessels be flown at half-staff.

The decision was made as “a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on October 25, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine,” according to a proclamation signed Thursday.

The flags will be lowered until sunset on Oct. 30.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Maine native Stephen King: ‘This is madness in the name of freedom’

Update 10 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: Acclaimed author Stephen King, who was born in Portland, Maine, urged people to “Stop electing apologists for murder” in a post on social media following Wednesday’s mass shooting in Lewiston.

‘The shootings occurred less than 50 miles from where I live. I went to high school in Lisbon,” he wrote on Thursday. “It’s the rapid-fire killing machines, people. This is madenss in the name of freedom.”

He added in a subsequent post, “THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Bowling alley targeted in shooting: ‘None of this seems real’

Update 9:50 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: Just-In-Time Recreation, one of two locations targeted Wednesday by a gunman who killed at least 16 people in Lewiston, shared grief in a message posted on social media.

“None of this seems real, but unfortunately it is,” the post, published Thursday morning, read. “We are devastated for our community and our staff. We lost some amazing and whole hearted people from our bowling family and community last night. There are no words to fix this or make it better. We praying for everyone who has been affected by this horrific tragedy. We love you all and hold you close in our hearts”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Police chief: ‘Every options open’ in search for person of interest

Update 9:40 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: The police chief in Lisbon, about 8 miles southeast of Lewiston, urged people to contact authorities if they see anything suspicious amid a manhunt for the gunman who killed at least 16 people and injured dozens more on Wednesday.

Chief Ryan McGee told reporters that local police departments were working with state and federal agencies to find Robert Card, the 40-year-old identified as a person of interest in Wednesday’s shootings in Lewiston.

“Every options open, and we’re going to investigate this until we locate him,” he said.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Northeast grocery chain closes stores in Maine after Lewiston shootings

Update 9:20 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: A grocery chain with more than 150 locations across the Northeast announced its stores across Maine would be closed until at least 10 a.m. Thursday following Wednesday’s shootings in Lewiston.

“We join all Mainers in being deeply saddened and horrified by the tragic events in Lewiston,” Hannaford Supermarkets wrote in a post on social media.

“The health and safety of our associates and customers is our top priority. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of our associates and community members as we collectively cope with this heartbreaking tragedy.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

What we know about person of interest in Lewiston shootings

Update 9:05 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: Authorities continue to search for Robert Card, 40, who investigators have identified as a person of interest in a pair of mass shootings reported Wednesday in Lewiston.

Card is a trained firearms instructor who served in the U.S. Army Reserve, according to the Maine Information and Analysis Center, a database for law enforcement officials. Police warned that he “should be considered armed and dangerous.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Some witnesses thought shooting was ‘Halloween joke,’ Auburn mayor says

Update 8:55 a.m. Oct. 26: Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque said Thursday on the “Today” show that some people initially thought the gunfire that rang out Wednesday in Lewiston was a “Halloween joke.”

He described “a massive scene of confusion and chaos — disbelief, actually.”

“That was a common thing I did hear, that they thought it was some sort of, you know, Halloween joke or something — the initial pops, if you would, until everything started escalating quite rapidly,” he said. “That’s where everything really kind of got blurry for a lot of folks.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Police to share more information Thursday

Update 8:45 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: Maine State Police said they plan to hold a news conference Thursday morning after a pair of shootings in Lewiston left at least 16 people on Wednesday.

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Restaurant shares grief in social media post

Update 8:25 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: Schemengees Bar and Grill shared an emotional message on Facebook early Thursday after a gunman opened fire at the business on Wednesday.

“My heart is crushed,” the post read. “I am at a loss for words. In a split second your world gets turn upside down for no good reason. We loss great people in this community. How can we make any sense of this. Sending out prayers to everyone.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Police: At least 7 killed in first shooting

Update 6:53 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: According to police, at least seven people were killed in the first of the two shootings Wednesday night in Lewiston, Maine.

The gunman walked into the Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley in Lewiston, on Wednesday evening and fatally shot at least seven people before moving on to Schemengees Bar & Grille, according to Sheriff Eric Samson of Androscoggin County.

It’s believed that nine others were killed at Schemengees, though the total number of people killed and wounded is not yet clear.

— Debbie Lord, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Lisbon residents told to shelter-in-place

Update 6:40 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: Residents of Lisbon, Maine, have been asked to stay in place Thursday as police continue to search for the person who shot up a bar and bowling alley in Lewiston.

Police said on Facebook that they are focusing on an area between Mill Street in Lisbon Center and Main Street in Lisbon Falls.

“Your cooperation with this recommendation is greatly appreciated as we work with several other law enforcement agencies to assure the residents and businesses in the community can go about their daily activities safely,” police said.

— Debbie Lord, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Authorities now say 16 confirmed dead

Update 5:40 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: CNN and The Associated Press are reporting that local law enforcement sources have said that 16 people were killed Wednesday in Lewiston in the mass shooting attacks.

Earlier in the night, Androscoggin County Sheriff Eric Samson and a Lewiston city councilman said that as many as 22 people died when a man opened fire at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, which is about 36 miles from Portland, Maine.

Some 50 people are believed to have been injured in the shootings, some when crowds stampeded.

A news conference is set for 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Lewiston City Hall, according to Maine State Police public information officer Shannon Moss.

— Debbie Lord, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Auburn mayor addresses ‘trauma and turmoil’

Update 12:33 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: Auburn Middle School in Auburn was used as a reunification site for families of the victims of Wednesday’s shooting in nearby Lewiston.

Mayor Jason Levesque, speaking about the shootings and subsequent manhunt for “person of interest” Robert Card, told reporters that “something like this doesn’t get solved overnight.”

“It’s a shock. It’s hard for me to explain,” he told reporters. “There is a lot of relief and happiness when families are reuniting, but you’re seeing the trauma and the turmoil these witnesses are experiencing.”

While Levesque said it was a happy reunion for several families, he acknowledged that other people were coping with bad news.

“Yes,” Levesque said. “Let’s just leave it at that.”

Auburn is located about 2 miles west of Lewiston.

Levesque told CNN early Thursday that the evening was “a very trying, emotional time.”

“Everything here is traumatic,” Levesque said, adding that some youths were injured at the bowling alley. He did not elaborate.

People at the bowling alley ranged from “12 to 90,” and “everywhere in between.”

‘A nightmare’

Update 12:22 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: Kathy Lebel, co-owner of Schemengees Bar & Grille in Lewiston, said she was not at the restaurant when Wednesday’s shooting occurred. She told the Sun-Journal newspaper that she was told by workers that a person walked into the restaurant and “started shooting.”

Staff members ran out of the restaurant.

“It was just a fun night playing cornhole … it’s the last thing you’re expecting, right?” Lebel told the newspaper. “I still feel like this whole thing is a nightmare.”

Shelter in place ordered for Lewiston, Lisbon

Update 12:11 a.m. EDT Oct. 26: The Maine State Police reiterated that the person of interest in the shooting, Robert R. Card, 40, of Bowdoin, “is considered armed and dangerous.”

“If seen people should not approach Card or (make) contact with him,” authorities said.

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, state police said a shelter-in-place order remains in Lewiston, and confirmed that a “vehicle of interest” was found in Lisbon.

Walmart spokesperson says no shooting at facility

Update 11:59 p.m. EDT Oct. 25: A spokesperson for Walmart disputed an earlier comment from Lewiston public information officer Derrick St. Laurent that one of the shootings Wednesday night occurred at the Walmart Distribution Center in Lewiston.

“This shooting did not occur on Walmart property,” spokesperson Joe Pennington told the Sun Journal. “The (distribution center) locked down like everyone else and police searched the facility.”

The distribution center is located less than a mile from Schemengees Bar & Grille in Lewiston.

“We’ve accounted for all associates on the clock. There were no injuries,” Pennington told the newspaper. “I am very sorry for what’s happening in your community.”

‘A very fluid situation’

Update 11:43 p.m. EDT Oct. 25: Mike Sauschuck, commissioner of the state Department of Public Safety, said during a news conference that Robert Card, 40, of Bowdoin, was a person of interest and said his vehicle was located in nearby Lisbon.

Sauschuck did not provide an official number of people killed or injured, other than to say there were “multiple casualties.”

“It’s a very fluid situation,” Sauschuck told reporters. “I don’t have a firm number.”

Sauschuck said the shootings began at 6:56 p.m. EDT. He did not provide much information about Card, other than to say that he was “armed and dangerous.”

Person of interest is firearms instructor

Update 11:29 p.m. EDT Oct. 25: Robert Card, 40, the man identified as a person of interest in a mass shooting at a Lewiston bowling alley and bar, is a firearms instructor trained by the military and was recently committed to a mental health facility, The Associated Press reported, citing a Maine State Police bulletin.

The bulletin noted that Card had been trained as a firearms instructor at a U.S. Army Reserve training facility in Maine.

The bulletin also stated that Card had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks during the summer of 2023, but did not elaborate.

The bulletin also noted that Card allegedly made threats to shoot the National Guard base in Saco, the Sun Journal newspaper reported.

Scene at bowling alley was ‘a blur,’ witness says

Update 11:23 p.m. EDT Oct. 25: A woman driving past the bowling alley where the shooting occurred said the scene was “a blur.” Nichoel Wyman Arel, of Lewiston, recorded a video of people fleeing Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley on Mollison Way in Lewiston.

“The hardest part was seeing families pouring out of there,” Arel told CNN.

Arel also posted a video of first responders loading an injured person into an ambulance.

‘Person of interest’s’ vehicle found

Update 10:59 p.m. EDT Oct. 25: Maine State Police have identified Robert R. Card II as a person of interest in the shootings, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss confirmed to the Bangor Daily News.

Police found Card’s car along Route 196 and they are searching for him, Androscoggin County Sheriff Eric Samson confirmed.

Card is still at large, authorities said.

Sheriff confirms 22 killed

Update 10:48 p.m. EDT Oct. 25: At least 22 people were killed in the shooting incidents in Lewiston, Androscoggin County Sheriff Eric Samson confirmed to the Sun Journal.

The sheriff said that number could rise. Authorities are expected to hold a news conference with more details.

According to the Bangor Daily News, Samson said seven people were found dead at Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley on Mollison Way in Lewiston. The sheriff added there was an unconfirmed number of people killed at Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant on Lincoln Street.

Biden briefed on shootings

Update 10:42 p.m. EDT Oct. 25: President Joe Biden has been briefed about the shootings in Maine, the White House said in a statement.

“The President has been briefed on what’s known so far about the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine and will continue to receive updates.”

U.S. Sen. Angus King said that Biden reached out to him and “offered any federal assistance he can provide to help the people of Maine.”

King said he will return to Maine from Washington, D.C., as soon as he can book a flight.

Lewiston schools will be closed on Thursday

Update 10:40 p.m. EDT Oct. 25: Lewiston Public Schools announced in a Facebook post that schools in the city will be closed on Thursday.

“There remains a lot of unknowns at this time. Information moves quickly but not always accurately,” school officials wrote. “Please continue to shelter in place or get to safety. We will continue to update you with information and next steps as appropriate.

City councilor says 22 dead

Update 10:30 p.m. EDT Oct. 25: Lewiston City Councilor Robert McCarthy told CNN that 22 people were confirmed dead after a series of separate shootings. McCarthy said his source was the city’s administrator. Police have not given an official number of fatalities.

Death toll rises to at least 16

Update 10:24 p.m. EDT Oct. 25: Law enforcement officials confirmed that at least 16 people were killed and dozens more were injured in shootings at several locations in Lewiston, Maine, The Associated Press reported.

Hospital reacting to ‘mass casualty event’

Update 9:54 p.m. EDT Oct. 25: On its website, Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston said it was “reacting to a mass shooting, mass casualty event.”

“At this time there are no specifics to share on the number of casualties.”

At least 10 people killed

Update 9:41 p.m. EDT Oct. 25: At least 10 people were killed after a gunman opened fire at several locations in Lewiston, Maine, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press. Police told the news organization that the number of fatalities could rise.

According to the Sun Journal newspaper, one possible suspect has been identified. He is Robert Card, and police said he might be driving a white Subaru Outback.

Original report: According to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Maine State Police said there was “an active shooter” in Lewiston.

Police, fire and rescue personnel descended on Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley on Mollison Way, about 7:15 p.m. EDT after a report of an active shooter situation, the Sun Journal reported. Moments later there were reports of a shooting at Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant on Lincoln Street.

Lewiston public information officer Derrick St. Laurent told the Sun Journal that at about 8:15 p.m. EDT, another shooting was reported at the Walmart Distribution Center on Alfred A Plourde Parkway.

Shortly after 8 p.m. the state’s Emergency Alert system activated, indicating an “active shooter is located in Lewiston,” and advised people to shelter in place.

In a Facebook post, the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office posted two photos of the suspected shooter, adding that the man was still at large. The man appeared to be holding a high-powered assault-style rifle.

In a statement, Maine Gov. Janet Mills said she was aware of the active shooter situation.

“I urge all people in the area to follow the direction of State and local enforcement,” Mills said. “I will continue to monitor the situation and remain in close contact with public safety officials.”

The nearby city of Auburn also urged its citizens to shelter in place.

Lewiston schools were on lockdown while parent-teacher conferences were being held on Wednesday, the Sun Journal reported. A text message sent out by Lewiston Public Schools asked anyone near or at the school for conferences to seek a safe location, WMTW-TV reported.

“All, please get to a safe place if you are at or near a school for conferences we are going into lockdowns,” Lewiston Public Schools Superintendent Jake Langlais said in the text, according to the Sun Journal. “I will provide more information as soon as it is available and appropriate. Right now, we need to let law enforcement do what they need to do.”

Lewiston is approximately 36 miles north of Portland.