This shooting is documented as the 565th mass shooting in the United States since 2023.
WHO
Law Enforcement is attempting to locate Robert Card 4/4/1983, as a person of interest regarding the mass shooting at Schemengees Bar and Sparetime Recreation this evening. CARD should be considered armed and dangerous. Please contact law enforcement if you are aware of his whereabouts.
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/LewistonPolice/posts/717379710425534?ref=embed_post
WHAT HAPPENED
On Wednesday October 25th, there were two active shooting incidents in the city of Lewiston — at Just-in-Time Recreation (previously known as Sparetime Recreation), a bowling alley on Mollison Way, and Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant on Lincoln Street, according to Lewiston police. State officials say the shootings began around 6:56 p.m. ET. Eyewitnesses described seeing people running away from the bowling alley. Lewiston is about 36 miles north of Portland and is the state’s second-largest city. Police also shared an image of the vehicle they’re looking for — a small white SUV with a front bumper believed to be painted black — which Maine State Police confirmed is the suspect’s car. (CNN)
According to audio from a police scanner, Lewiston police responded to calls of an “active shooter” at Schemengees Bar & Grill on Lincoln Street, at approximately 7:02 p.m. They initially reported just “six to eight” victims at the recreation center before additional units responded to the scene. “I need multiple units, or if there are multiple units at Schemengees to stay as there are multiple victims in a field north of Schemengees. We will update.” (Fox News)
The FBI has added dozens of agents to the scene over the past few hours to assist local law enforcement with the manhunt as well as victims services and counseling. SWAT teams are also on the ground and mobilized.
Maine court records show that a man named Robert Card who was born on the same date as the person of interest was charged with speeding in 2001 and 2002. No other criminal records were listed in the state’s electronic court records system or in several other public records databases.
A bulletin put out by the Maine Information and Analysis Center, a database for law enforcement officials, said Card was a trained firearms instructor and was believed to be in the Army Reserve.
It added that law enforcement said Card “recently reported mental health issues to include hearing voices and threats to shoot up the National Guard Base in Saco, ME.” (NBC News)
Shorter than a baseball bat and lighter than a bowling ball, the AR-15 rifle is America’s favorite semi-automatic rifle. (The Daily Mail)
VICTIM’S RESPONSE
Riley Dumont, a shooting witness at the Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley, said she heard a a series of bangs, which sounded as if they could be balloons popping for the children’s event held that night. But her father, a retired police officer, knew that it was gunfire. He rushed them into a corner and raced to put out tables and a big bench that the kids could hide behind.
“I was laying on top of my daughter. My mother was laying on top of me,” said Dumont. “It felt like it lasted a lifetime…I just remember people sobbing shaking.”
None of this seems real, but unfortunately it is. 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 are praying for everyone who has been affected by this horrific tragedy. We love you all and hold you close in our hearts (JUST IN TIME REC ON FACEBOOK STATUS 10/26/23)
