At least 16 reported killed, dozens wounded in Lewiston shooting; police warn residents to stay inside as they search for gunman
At least 16 people have been reported killed and dozens wounded after a gunman opening fire at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, the second-largest city in Maine, on Wednesday evening.
Hours later, police were still looking for the suspect. Lewiston police named Robert Card as a “person of interest” and said he should be considered “armed and dangerous”.
Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office released two photos of the suspect on its Facebook page that showed a shooter walking into an establishment with a weapon raised to their shoulder.
City authorities asked residents to stay inside with their doors locked and to keep off the roads to allow emergency responders to get to hospitals.
Central Maine Medical Center said its staff were “reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter event” and were coordinating with area hospitals to take in patients. The hospital itself is also in lockdown.
Police identified the establishments where the shootings took place at Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley, and then Schemengees Bar and Grille, about 4 miles (6.4km) away.
Shots were initially heard at about 7pm local time and the first alert for Lewiston was made shortly after 8pm as the sheriff’s office reported that law enforcement agencies were investigating “two active shooter events”. Officials issued an update around 10pm for what they described as a manhunt.
Local schools will be closed on Thursday and people should shelter in place or seek safety, superintendent Jake Langlais said.
US president Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting and offered full federal support to the state, a White House official said.
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