LEWISTON, ME – Tragedy struck Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday evening as a shooting spree claimed the lives of at least 22 individuals, with many more sustaining injuries. The horrific events unfolded at various locations, including a bowling alley, a local restaurant and bar, and a Walmart distribution center. Local hospitals were overwhelmed with gunshot victims, as rescue efforts surged to attend to the wounded.
City Councilor Robert McCarthy provided grim details, indicating that the death toll had risen to 22, with a significant number of additional injuries. Authorities initiated a massive response, with rescue vehicles from central Maine rushing to the scene. Lewiston’s hospitals summoned all available off-duty staff to cope with the overwhelming casualties.
President Joe Biden interrupted a state dinner honoring Australia’s prime minister to extend calls to Maine’s governor, senators, and a local congressman, offering federal support in the wake of the tragedy. Local law enforcement swiftly circulated a photo of the suspected shooter on Facebook, holding what appeared to be a semi-automatic weapon inside the bowling alley. A bulletin was issued for 40-year-old Robert Card, urging citizens to consider the shooter to be “armed and dangerous.”
Authorities also released an image of a white SUV, appealing for assistance in identifying the vehicle, which may have had a black-painted front bumper. Law enforcement confirmed the investigation of two active shooter events and urged businesses to lock down or close during the ongoing inquiry.
Maine Governor Janet Mills expressed awareness of the active shooter situation in Lewiston, while CNN reported that between 50 to 60 people had sustained injuries, although it remained unclear how many resulted from gunfire.
The shooting incident ranks among the deadliest since the 2017 Las Vegas music festival shooting, further underscoring the alarming prevalence of gun violence in the United States. The nation has grappled with a staggering number of mass shootings this year, exceeding 500 according to the Gun Violence Archive’s definition, which classifies a mass shooting as involving four or more people wounded or killed.