A man accused of killing 18 people has been found dead, officials say.
On Wednesday (25 October), a shooter opened fire on Schemengees Bar and Grille and the Just-In-Time Recreation Bowling Alley in Lewiston, Maine.
Police confirmed that 18 people were killed during the mass shooting and released the names of all of the victims yesterday (Friday, 27 October).
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**Warning: Contains discussion of mass shooting which some may find upsetting.**
A manhunt was immediately launched on Thursday (26 October) to find the shooter, with a 40-year-old man named Robert Card being identified as a person of interest.
State police said over 350 law enforcement officials were involved in the search, as per NBC News.
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Maine Commissioner of Public Safety Michael Sauschuck said Card has since been located, found dead and reportedly had a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Maine State Police report that Card's body was discovered yesterday evening in Lisbon.
Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office took to Facebook to confirm the news.
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The post reads: "The suspect in Wednesday nights shootings has been located and is deceased."
Maine State Police also took to the platform with the update: "Friday evening the body of 40-year-old Robert Card of Bowdoin was found deceased in Lisbon. The threat to the public is over.
"The Lewiston Police Department and the Maine State Police are grateful for our local, state and federal law enforcement partners who gave invaluable assistance over the past few days.
"We would also like to thank the community for their support and resilience."
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The 'Shelter in Place Order' put out by authorities for the safety of residents in the wake of the mass shooting has since been rescinded.
"Except hunting is prohibited in the towns of Lewiston, Lisbon, Bowdoin and Monmouth beginning Saturday, 10/28/23 until further notice," the update added.
In light of the suspect having been found dead, Maine Governor Janet Mills addressed Lewiston at a news conference at the city hall.
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She said: "I'm breathing a sigh of relief tonight knowing that Robert Card will not be a threat to anyone."
However, Lewiston Police Chief David St Pierre added: "We're gonna grieve for the families that lost loved ones, were gonna continue to work, we're gonna persevere and we're gonna become better people for it."
The police chief resolved: "Our work is not done here."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
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You can also call 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746 at the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline.
Topics: US News, Crime, True crime, Mental Health, Police
Poppy Bilderbeck