Police Surround Home in Search for Suspect in Fatal Shooting of 18 in Maine

Law enforcement officials gather in the road leading to the home of the suspect being sought in connection with two mass shootings in Bowdoin, Maine, on Oct. 26, 2023. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

A heavily armed police force encircled a residence on Thursday while conducting a manhunt for a military reservist suspected of perpetrating a massacre at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, Maine, that left at least 18 people dead on Oct. 25.

Officials in Maine have identified the suspect as Robert Card, a petroleum specialist in the U.S. Army Reserve. The home is believed to be owned by the suspect’s relative near the town of Bowdoin, Maine.

“You need to come outside now with nothing in your hands. Your hands in the air,” police shouted instructions through a megaphone outside the residence.

Many law enforcement officials had swarmed the property, broadcasting extensive announcements instructing Mr. Card and any inhabitants of the house to come out onto the driveway.

The shootings at a bowling alley and a bar Wednesday have set off an urgent search for Mr. Card, a 40-year-old reservist with a troubled mental health record.

Police Aren’t Sure If Suspect Is Inside

In a Facebook post released shortly after the siege, the Maine State Police conveyed their uncertainty about Mr. Card’s location inside the residence.

“Law enforcement officials are currently on Meadow Road in the town of Bowdoin to execute several search warrants. The announcements that are being heard over a loudspeaker 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,” the statement read.

In an earlier post, the police had verified the number of fatalities resulting from the Wednesday shooting incident.

As of now, the death toll at Sparetime Recreation has reached seven, whereas at Schemengees Bar and Grille, the number of lives lost has risen to eight.

Three more people passed away after being taken to Central Maine Medical Hospital in Lewiston for medical care.

An additional 13 people sustained injuries in the shootings.

The search, according to Maine police, involves over 350 law enforcement personnel.

The shooting rampage on Wednesday in Lewiston sent shockwaves through a state with a population of only 1.3 million, known for its remarkably low crime rates, according to FBI data.

Biden Calls for Stricter Gun Laws

On Thursday, President Joe Biden ordered all U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff out of respect for all the victims.

“For countless Americans who have survived gun violence and been traumatized by it, a shooting such as this reopens deep and painful wounds,” President Biden said. “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 urged Republican lawmakers in Congress to step up and fulfill their responsibility of protecting the American people by imposing stricter gun restrictions.

“Work with us to pass a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, to enact universal background checks, to require safe storage of guns, and end immunity from liability for gun manufacturers,” President Biden said.

During her address on Thursday to the Maine people, Gov. Janet Mills urged Maine residents to unite in helping those affected by the tragedy.

“Maine state police have issued a shelter in place order for Lewiston, Lisbon, and Bowdoin as the manhunt for that person of interest, Robert B. Card of Bowdoin, continues,” she said. “I will let law enforcement speak to the ongoing manhunt and to their investigation, but Card is considered armed and dangerous, and police advise that Maine people should not approach him under any circumstances.”

She later announced on X the launch of a dedicated website that helps Maine people affected by the tragic Lewiston mass shooting to find behavioral health support.

State Officials Pledge Support to Maine

Leaders in other states have also extended condolences and offered support to the residents of the northeasternmost U.S. state.

“My thoughts are with the victims’ families, survivors, and everyone across Maine and New England who’ll feel the weight of this senseless act of gun violence,” Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey wrote on X. “We’re holding our loved ones a little closer tonight, and praying for the safety of the people of Lewiston.”

Gov. Phil Scott of Vermont also said in a statement that his administration is ready to “offer any support we can provide” and that “Vermont State Police have been in close contact with Maine law enforcement.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.