A devastating mass shooting in Maine on Wednesday night, October 25, left 18 people dead and 13 wounded, prompting a massive manhunt across the state for an out-of-control killer.
The mourning community of Maine felt a sigh of relief upon hearing the news on Friday evening that the male suspect was discovered dead.
Robert Card, aged 40, was found near a river around 10 miles from the devastated Lewiston community. The cause of death was stated to be a self-inflicted shot, according to authorities.
Card’s remains were located within a box trailer positioned in an auxiliary parking area at the Maine Recycling Corporation in Lisbon, as announced by Michael Sauschuck, Maine Public Safety Commissioner, in a press briefing held on Saturday morning, October 28.
The shooting happened at two separate locations: Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant and Just-in-Time Recreation bowling alley, both in Lewiston, Maine. This incident has deeply affected the community, especially considering Maine had only 29 recorded homicides in the year 2022.
The victims of the tragic incident, identified on Friday, ranged from 14 to 76 years old. Among the deceased were a boy who was bowling with his father, deaf participants in a competition, and several dads leaving behind young kids.
A massacre survivor, who lost her cousin Tricia Asselin in the gunfire, expressed relief at the assailant’s death, saying it allows the community to move forward without the threat of the suspect at large.
Tammy Asselin, who got separated from her 10-year-old daughter as the shooting unfolded at Just-in-Time Recreation’s bowling alley, said it brings some comfort for her daughter to know the perpetrator is no longer a threat, as the child was previously fearful of him still being on the loose.
Card, who served in the military as a petroleum supply expert and is said to have been a firearms instructor, was affiliated with the Army Reserve in Saco, Maine. Recent reports indicate that Card had been dealing with mental health issues, notably episodes where he claimed to hear voices. This past summer, he spent two weeks in a mental health institution. It’s also come to light that Card had expressed threats towards the Maine National Guard base.
Following the horrific incident, the Maine Emergency Management Agency extended the shelter-in-place instruction, initially announced for Lewiston, to also cover the adjacent town of Lisbon. Residents in these areas were told to stay inside their homes and keep their doors locked. The shelter-in-place order was lifted on Friday.
The end of the roughly 48-hour search, which had greatly disturbed and frightened the residents of the calm and scenic region, came with the discovery of Card’s body. Many inhabitants had been too scared to leave their homes.
Just like everyone else, Governor Janet Mills of Maine expressed her relief that the intense search and the accompanying fear had finally subsided.
