Maine governor opens probe into missed chances to stop Lewiston shooting – updates
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Maine Governor Janet Mills has announced the launch of a probe into the missed chances to stop the Lewiston mass shooting, after it emerged that police were warned multiple times about the gunman’s concerning and threatening behaviour prior to the massacre.
“This – the complete facts and circumstances, including any failures – must be brought to light and known by all. The families of the victims, those who were injured, those who are recovering, and the people of Maine and the nation deserve nothing less,” she said in a statement.
Authorities said Robert Card’s “concerned” family had alerted the local sheriff about his mental health – and that they were concerned he had access to firearms – in May this year. The Maine National Guard asked local police in September to check on the US Army reservist amid concerns he would “snap and commit a mass shooting”, according to CNN.
Newly-released court documents also revealed that the gunman who killed 18 and wounded 13 believed locals were spreading conspiracies about him.
Witnesses told police Card believed people were calling him a “paedophile” at the bowling alley and the bar where he opened fire last week, the documents show.
Key points
New documents reveal gunman believed locals were spreading ‘conspiracies’ about him
Biden invited to visit Lewiston this week
The missed chances to stop Maine mass shooting
Who are the Maine mass shooting victims?
Ten-year-old girl injured in Maine bowling alley shooting asks heartbreaking question
14-year-old boy identified as victim of Lewiston mass shooting
13:08 , Kelly Rissman
House Democrats called out the new speaker Mike Johnson over his comments made in the wake of the shooting
More than 100 Democrats — led by House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chair Rep Mike Thompson — signed a letter to Mr Johnson, expressing their “deep concerns about your troubling comments following the devastating mass shooting” in Lewiston, Maine.
The shooting, which was the deadliest of 2023, claimed 18 lives and left 13 others wounded.
“At the end of the day, the problem is the human heart. It’s not guns. It’s not the weapons,” Mr Johnson said after the violence and then advocated for the Second Amendment in the next breath.
Democrats slammed this perspective, calling it “factually wrong” and said it “paints a dark view of America and its people.” The lawmakers argued, “Gun violence in America is not inevitable, it is simply tolerated by Republican leadership,” and called for the passage of gun legislation as an actionable way to prevent these attacks.
Read the full story...
Democrats invoke God as they blast Mike Johnson on ‘troubling’ gun control comments
12:30 , Kelly Rissman
Teenager arrested for threatening ‘Lewiston Part 2’
A teenager has been arrested for threatening to carry out “Lewiston Part 2”.
Michael Bowden, 18, posted a photo of himself on Snapchat holding a rifle and ammunition in the parking lot of a Walmart where he used to work, according to WABI.
He captioned the post: “Lewiston Part 2.”
Mr Bowden was arrested at his home in Etna, Maine, and charged with domestic violence terrorising and aggravated reckless conduct.
He was released on $10,000 bond.
Police said that the suspect was fired from Walmart back in 2021 and had made multiple trips to the store’s parking lot in recent days.
11:30 , Kelly Rissman
WATCH: 10-year-old girl injured in Maine shooting asks heartbreaking question in TV interview
09:30 , Kelly Rissman
Workplace concerns about Robert Card, revealed
NBC News reported that Card worked as a commercial driver at Maine Recycling Corporation from February 2022 to early June 2023. Coworkers detailed disturbing comments made by Card, underscoring his fixation on guns as well as what appears to be some paranoia.
One former coworker said that the shooting suspect displayed a “total mood shift” a year after he started working at the recycling plant.
“He irrationally snapped. We’d do good the whole day, but then would say that I touched him. He said I was sexually harassing him, calling him a pedophile,” the source said.
This former coworker recalled Card frequently speaking about guns and even disclosed that he wanted to buy a silencer.
Although this source never heard Card expressly make workplace gun violence threats, the ex-colleague thought to himself: “One day, he’s probably going to shoot someone up.” The source added, “He was bringing up guns heavily and aggressively. It was a very weird situation.”
Another former colleague, however, recalled that a supervisor had been alerted to alleged workplace gun violence threats made by Card. The source lamented that the complaint felt like “it was swept under the rug.”
08:30 , Kelly Rissman
Faces of the victims
Last week’s shootings claimed 18 lives: one was a bar manager, four were members of the deaf community, and another was a member of a youth bowling league.
The Lewiston community has hosted vigils to honour the victims, while people around the world have donated to GoFundMe pages to help pay for funeral services to assist the victim’s families.
07:30 , Kelly Rissman
Gunman believed Lewiston locals were spreading ‘conspiracies’ about him
The gunman who killed 18 and wounded 13 more in the mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine, believed locals were spreading conspiracies about him, according to newly-released court documents.
On Tuesday, Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Public Safety released affidavits, search warrants and other documents in the case.
Witnesses told law enforcement officials that Robert Card believed people were calling him a “paedophile” at the bowling alley and the bar where he opened fire last week, the documents show.
According to Card’s brother, the US Army Reservist thought there was a “conspiracy” whereby people were levelling such accusations against him.
06:30 , Kelly Rissman
Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office deputy blasted Maine state police as ‘utter clowns’ for its response to mass shooting
An Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office deputy blasted the Maine State Police as “utter clowns” for its response to the mass shooting that quickly became the deadliest this year.
In a since-deleted scathing Facebook post, seen by Bangor Daily News before it was taken down, Sgt Jon Guay aired his grievances with the inner workings of the law enforcement operation, which at one point consisted of hundreds of officers on the hunt for suspected shooter Robert Card.
He criticised the handling of the manhunt by state police’s top brass, saying he wouldn’t hire the state police’s crimes unit to “manage the morning rush at Dunkin Donuts much less an investigation of this size,” he wrote.
Read the full story...
Deputy calls Maine State Police ‘utter clowns’ for mass shooting response
05:30 , Kelly Rissman
Donate to GoFundMe pages for the Maine mass shooting victims
04:30 , Kelly Rissman
Remembering the victims: Bob and Lucy Violette
Bob Violette, a 76-year-old retired Sears mechanic and avid bowler, was identified by his daughter-in-law Cassandra as one of the victims, she told the Portland Press Herald.
Violette, who was a native of Lewiston and ran a youth bowling league, was reportedly killed trying to protect the kids he was responsible for on Wednesday night.
Both he and his wife Lucy, 73, were keen bowlers, having started the youth bowling league at Just In Time Recreation, for which Violette was recently inducted into the Maine Bowling Hall of Fame.
“He wouldn’t let you walk out the door without giving him a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. He was just there for everything,” Cassandra said.
She said he had a special bond with his grandkids and was a doting husband to his wife Lucy, who was also killed in the shooting.
“His first thought every day was her,” Cassandra added.
The couple is survived by their three sons and six grandchildren.
03:30 , Kelly Rissman
A Lewiston man ate at the same cafe every week. Now locals are mourning him in unique way
The morning after Maine authorities lifted a shelter-in-place order upon discovery of the fugitive shooter’s body, popular Lewiston breakfast spot Dubois Cafe reopened.
Beloved regular Ronald Morin, who came in most Saturdays to entertain staff with his dad jokes as he ordered the same meal, wasn’t there.
But his friends were.
“They filled up this entire corner of the restaurant, and they all got something similar – so he would typically get a ham and Cooper cheese omelet, hash browns on the side, no toast typically, and bacon on the side,” waitress Alyssa Black told The Independent on Sunday. “Everyone came in yesterday, and they got pretty much his meal – the bacon on the side, no toast, no sides.”
Read the full story...
Lewiston shooting victim always ate at the same cafe. Now friends pay unique tribute
02:30 , Kelly Rissman
President Jill Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are visiting Lewiston on Friday
Pres. Biden and first lady Jill Biden will visit Lewiston, Maine, to "pay respects to the victims...and grieve with the families and community members" impacted by the mass shooting that killed at least 18 people, White House press sec. Jean-Pierre says. https://t.co/aeByjXblLB pic.twitter.com/TuOxjdX3q3
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) November 2, 2023
01:30 , Kelly Rissman
ICYMI: The timeline
In May, family members contacted authorities, concerned about his mental health in combination with his possession of firearms.
Months before the deadly attacks, Robert Card, a US Army reservist, was reportedly held in a mental facility for two weeks over the summer. He was taken by police in July for evaluation at the urging of concerned military officials. He was then released.
In mid-September, a statewide awareness alert was issued after Card made threats against the base in Saco, Maine.
Also in mid-September, authorities attempted to conduct a welfare check on Card after prompting from the National Guard after he “made threats to shoot up the Saco National Guard facility.”
Fast forward to Wednesday, 25 October...
Minutes before 7pm on Wednesday night, shots were fired at Just-in-Time Recreation, a bowling alley on Mollison Way in Lewiston, Maine.
At 7.08pm, multiple 911 calls reported an active shooter at Schemengees Bar and Grill on Lincoln Street, just four miles from the bowling alley.
Just after 8pm, Maine State Police urged Lewiston residents to shelter in place. “Please stay inside your home with the doors locked. Law enforcement is currently investigating at multiple locations,” the department wrote.
At 8.06pm, police released a photo of the shooter to the media, and an hour and a half later, the Lewiston Police Department received a call identifying the man in photos as Card. Among the first calls were from Card’s family members, officials revealed on Saturday morning.
Two hours later, at 9.56pm, state police officers alerted that they had found a “vehicle of interest” in Lisbon at Pejepscot Boat Launch, prompting the shelter-in-place advisory to extend to Lisbon. The Lewiston Police posted a photo on Wednesday night of a white Subaru station wagon. That vehicle was registered to Card, police said. A long gun was found in the vehicle.
By Friday evening, police had found Card’s body — in a box trailer in Maine Recycling Corporation’s overflow lot. Authorities believe he took his own life. It’s not entirely clear how Card wound up at the recycling facility, but it is believed that he walked from the boat landing via a trail that linked the two locations.
00:30 , Kelly Rissman
House Democrats call out new House Speaker Mike Johnson’s “troubling comments” in wake of Maine mass shooting
Today I’ve joined 100+ Democrats in Congress calling out the new republican leader’s callous remarks on the Maine mass murder shooting and calling on him help us finally pass gun safety laws to help end this violence. pic.twitter.com/iJhoJy9Tf6
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) November 2, 2023
Thursday 2 November 2023 23:30 , Kelly Rissman
Family members’ warnings
In May, family members contacted authorities, concerned about his mental health in combination with his possession of firearms.
Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry wrote in a statement that family members reached out to the sheriff’s office on 3 May 2023. “The family said that Mr. Card’s mental health had started to decline in January. They were concerned for his well-being and said that Mr. Card had access to firearms,” the sheriff wrote.
According to the incident report obtained by ABC News, a warning at the top read “USE CAUTION IF RESPONDING” to Card’s residence due to his “PARANOID BEHAVIOR.” The report also noted that Card had “10-15 FIREARMS.”
The responding officer wrote: “I learned from [Card’s son] that his father’s mental health is in question. [Card’s son] told me that back around January, he noticed his father was starting to claim that people were saying things about him, while out in public,” like others were talking about Card, whether he was nearby other people or not.
The shooting suspect’s son believed his father was “likely hearing voices or starting to experience paranoia,” which appeared to be a “re-occurring theme” as Card often claimed people were bashing him, “such as calling him a pedophile,” according to the officer.
Card’s ex-wife also said she “is very worried about [their son] spending time with Robert, considering what may be a deteriorating mental health condition.”
Both his ex-wife and son expressed that they “both don’t want Robert to know they are bringing this information forward to law enforcement, for fear it will aggravate the situation,” the report stated. The pair were “simply going to try and avoid contact” and that “everyone agreed” the “best avenue of getting Robert some help” might be to contact the army reserves.
A sheriff’s office deputy contacted officials from Card’s army reserve unit, who confirmed they would talk with him and ensure he received the necessary medical care, Sheriff Merry wrote.
The May report stated that the officer did in fact get in touch with Card’s command, where it became clear “there has recently been considerable concern for Robert.”
The responding officer recorded that Card “had been accusing other soldiers of calling him a sex offender which seems to coincide with some of the behavior [Card’s son] has witnessed.” One sergeant even thanked the officer for bringing concerns about Card to his attention, as the unit was “scheduled for an upcoming training exercise involving crew-served weapons and grenades,” according to the report.
Thursday 2 November 2023 22:30 , Kelly Rissman
Gov Janet Mills plans to launch an independent commission of experts to probe the shooting’s run-up and response
“It is important to recognize that, from what we know thus far, on multiple occasions over the last ten months, concerns about Mr. Card’s mental health and his behavior were brought to the attention of his Army National Reserve Unit, as well as law enforcement agencies here in Maine and in New York. This raises crucial questions about actions taken and what more could have been done to prevent this tragedy from occurring,” the statement read.
She mentioned that Maine State Police are in the midst of conducting “a thorough and comprehensive criminal investigation of the shooting.”
She added: “I also believe that the gravity of this attack on our people – an attack that strikes at the core of who we are and the values we hold dear – demands a higher level of scrutiny.”
Read the full story...
Maine governor launches probe into shooter’s missed warning signs
Thursday 2 November 2023 21:30 , Kelly Rissman
ICYMI: Who was Robert Card?
Police identified 40-year-old Robert Card as the “person of interest” and later suspect in a deadly shooting.
Photos of the gunman, made public for identification, showed him wearing brown clothes and brandishing a high-powered assault-style rifle – law enforcement described the weapon as an AR-15-style rifle with a possible telescopic sight.
Officials at Saturday morning’s press conference said the first three calls that “positively identified” the gunman were from his relatives; they also said “strong mental health cloud over what happened,” and clarified that police have not found records indicating that he was “forcibly committed for treatment.”
Card served as a firearms instructor in the US Army Reserve.
He joined the US Army in 2022 and became a Sgt 1st class and Petroleum Supply Specialist. He had no combat deployments during his enlistment.
But recently, the gunman had disclosed mental health issues, citing experiences of auditory hallucinations and threats to attack the National Guard Base in Saco, according to records. His ex-wife and son had also contacted law enforcement out of concern, given Card’s mental state and his nearly 15 firearms.
Over the summer, he was admitted to a mental health facility for two weeks.
“I have known Rob my whole life,” Katie Card told The Daily Beast. “He is quiet but the most loving, hardworking, and kind person that I know. But in the past year, he had an acute episode of mental health, and it’s been a struggle.”
She explained that her brother-in-law had begun wearing hearing aids and was convinced he could hear people talking about him at the two locations of the shooting.
“He truly believed he was hearing people say things,” she said. “This all just happened within the last few months.”
Thursday 2 November 2023 20:30 , Kelly Rissman
Teenager arrested for threatening ‘Lewiston Part 2’
A teenager has been arrested for threatening to carry out “Lewiston Part 2”.
Michael Bowden, 18, posted a photo of himself on Snapchat holding a rifle and ammunition in the parking lot of a Walmart where he used to work, according to WABI.
He captioned the post: “Lewiston Part 2.”
Mr Bowden was arrestedat his home in Etna, Maine, and charged with domestic violence terrorising and aggravated reckless conduct.
He was released on $10,000 bond.
Police said that the suspect was fired from Walmart back in 2021 and had made multiple trips to the store’s parking lot in recent days.
Thursday 2 November 2023 20:28 , Kelly Rissman
Maine schools went under shelter-in-place order after man threatened to bring a gun to elementary school week after mass shooting
Maine School Administrative District 75, which includes six elementary schools, was ordered to shelter in place after a man allegedly threatened to bring an AR-15 to an unnamed elementary school, WGME reported.
The order has since been lifted and Adam Green, 36, is now in custody, after being charged with terrorizing and harassment by telephone or another electronic device.
Police told the outlet that the suspect had been joking about the mass shooting in Lewiston on social media. After a local questioned why he was speaking so callously about the mass shooting that took 18 lives, Green allegedly asked the local for his address and then made threats to show up at a local elementary school with an AR-15, officials told the outlet.
Thursday 2 November 2023 19:30 , Kelly Rissman
Six missed warning signs ahead of the deadliest mass shooting, revealed
In July, Card was put under psychiatric evaluation for two weeks after an incident with fellow Army soldiers.
In September, the Army Reserve contacted the sheriff’s office seeking a welfare check on Card over a fellow soldier’s concern that he would carry out a mass shooting. Authorities responded by issuing an alert to law enforcement agencies statewide which cautioned that Card was “known to be armed and dangerous” and was suffering from psychotic episodes.
That alert was cancelled exactly one week before Card allegedly opened fire on two Lewiston businesses, killing 18 people and wounding 13 others. He was found dead by apparent suicide two days later.
Read the full story...
Six missed warning signs before the Maine mass shooting explained
Thursday 2 November 2023 18:30 , Kelly Rissman
A deputy takes on Maine State Police’s handling of the shooting
An Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office deputy blasted the Maine State Police as “utter clowns” for its response to the mass shooting that quickly became the deadliest this year.
In a since-deleted scathing Facebook post, seen by Bangor Daily News before it was taken down, Sgt Jon Guay aired his grievances with the inner workings of the law enforcement operation, which at one point consisted of hundreds of officers on the hunt for suspected shooter Robert Card.
He criticised the handling of the manhunt by state police’s top brass, saying he wouldn’t hire the state police’s crimes unit to “manage the morning rush at Dunkin Donuts much less an investigation of this size,” he wrote.
Thursday 2 November 2023 17:00 , Kelly Rissman
In photos: Locals remember victims of the tragedy
Thursday 2 November 2023 16:30 , Kelly Rissman
Documents point to potential motive
On Tuesday, Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Public Safety released a trove of affidavits, search warrants and other documents in the case, including harrowing witness accounts from suspect Robert Card’s son and brother as well as survivors of the massacre.
The documents reveal that witnesses told law enforcement officials that, in the run-up to the 25 October attacks, the US Army reservist believed that people at the Schemengees Bar & Grille and Just-In-Time bowling alley were spreading conspiracies online that he was a paedophile.
He also believed that the bar manager – one of the victims he killed in the shooting rampage – had once called him “gay”, witnesses said.
And he had also met his ex-girlfriend at the bar – an ex-girlfriend who had not long broken up with him.
Read the full story...
Maine shooting suspect’s possible motive revealed in new documents
Thursday 2 November 2023 15:30 , Kelly Rissman
ICYMI: The timeline
In May, family members contacted authorities, concerned about his mental health in combination with his possession of firearms.
Months before the deadly attacks, Robert Card, a US Army reservist, was reportedly held in a mental facility for two weeks over the summer. He was taken by police in July for evaluation at the urging of concerned military officials. He was then released.
In mid-September, a statewide awareness alert was issued after Card made threats against the base in Saco, Maine.
Also in mid-September, authorities attempted to conduct a welfare check on Card after prompting from the National Guard after he “made threats to shoot up the Saco National Guard facility.”
Fast forward to Wednesday, 25 October...
Minutes before 7pm on Wednesday night, shots were fired at Just-in-Time Recreation, a bowling alley on Mollison Way in Lewiston, Maine.
At 7.08pm, multiple 911 calls reported an active shooter at Schemengees Bar and Grill on Lincoln Street, just four miles from the bowling alley.
Just after 8pm, Maine State Police urged Lewiston residents to shelter in place. “Please stay inside your home with the doors locked. Law enforcement is currently investigating at multiple locations,” the department wrote.
At 8.06pm, police released a photo of the shooter to the media, and an hour and a half later, the Lewiston Police Department received a call identifying the man in photos as Card. Among the first calls were from Card’s family members, officials revealed on Saturday morning.
Two hours later, at 9.56pm, state police officers alerted that they had found a “vehicle of interest” in Lisbon at Pejepscot Boat Launch, prompting the shelter-in-place advisory to extend to Lisbon. The Lewiston Police posted a photo on Wednesday night of a white Subaru station wagon. That vehicle was registered to Card, police said. A long gun was found in the vehicle.
By Friday evening, police had found Card’s body — in a box trailer in Maine Recycling Corporation’s overflow lot. Authorities believe he took his own life. It’s not entirely clear how Card wound up at the recycling facility, but it is believed that he walked from the boat landing via a trail that linked the two locations.
Thursday 2 November 2023 14:30 , Kelly Rissman
Joe Biden will visit Lewiston on Friday
“The President and First Lady will pay respects to the victims of this horrific attack and grieve with families and community members, as well as meet with first responders, nurses, and others on the front lines of the response,” the White House said in statement.
Thursday 2 November 2023 13:35 , Kelly Rissman
WATCH: 10-year-old victim of Maine shooting asks heartbreaking question in TV interview
Six missed chances to stop Maine mass shooting
Thursday 2 November 2023 12:00 , Rachel Sharp
Almost a week after a horrifying mass shooting left 18 people dead in Lewiston, Maine, questions are mounting over whether the atrocity could have been prevented altogether.
Information continues to emerge about warning signs around suspected shooter Robert Card - including concerns raised by his family and the Army alike - stemming back months before the massacre.
The first known warning came back in May, five months before the shooting, when Card’s family alerted the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s office with concerns about his mental health and his access to guns.
In July, Card was put under psychiatric evaluation for two weeks after an incident with fellow Army soldiers.
The Independent’s Kelly Rissman delves into the missed chances:
Six missed warning signs before the Maine mass shooting explained
Gunman met ex-girlfriend at bar he targeted in mass shooting: new documents
Thursday 2 November 2023 11:00 , Rachel Sharp
Robert Card met his ex-girlfriend at Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant, according to witness accounts detailed in newly-released court documents.
Back on 25 October, the gunman first targeted the popular bowling alley just before 7pm on the evening of 25 October, killing seven people including a 14-year-old boy who was bowling with his father and their league.
Card then headed straight for the Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant, opening fire there minutes later and killing another eight victims there. Three other victims died after being taken to a local hospital.
As well as the 18 victims killed, another 13 were injured in the attacks.
The shooting sparked a huge two-day manhunt to track down Card, before his body was found on Friday in a trailer at a Lisbon recycling plant where he used to work. He died by suicide, with officials confirming that he left a note behind in his home indicating his plans not to be found alive.
During the manhunt, witnesses told law enforcement that Card met his former girlfriend at Schemengees during a cornhole tournament.
The couple split in February, with Card appearing to unravel from there, the affidavit states.
He began wearing hearing aids, suffered significant weight loss and started saying “crazy things”, witnesses said.
Teenager arrested for threatening ‘Lewiston Part 2’
Thursday 2 November 2023 10:00 , Rachel Sharp
A teenager has been arrested for threatening to carry out “Lewiston Part 2”.
Michael Bowden, 18, posted a photo of himself on Snapchat holding a rifle and ammunition in the parking lot of a Walmart where he used to work, according to WABI.
He captioned the post: “Lewiston Part 2.”
Mr Bowden was arrestedat his home in Etna, Maine, and charged with domestic violence terrorising and aggravated reckless conduct.
He was released on $10,000 bond.
Police said that the suspect was fired from Walmart back in 2021 and had made multiple trips to the store’s parking lot in recent days.
Maine shooting suspect’s possible motive revealed in new documents
Thursday 2 November 2023 09:00 , Rachel Sharp
Newly-released court documents have shone a light on the possible motive behind the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine – and the alleged gunman’s state of mind.
On Tuesday, Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Public Safety released a trove of affidavits, search warrants and other documents in the case, including harrowing witness accounts from suspect Robert Card’s son and brother as well as survivors of the massacre.
The documents reveal that witnesses told law enforcement officials that, in the run-up to the 25 October attacks, the US Army reservist believed that people at the Schemengees Bar & Grille and Just-In-Time bowling alley were spreading conspiracies online that he was a paedophile.
He also believed that the bar manager – one of the victims he killed in the shooting rampage – had once called him “gay”, witnesses said.
And he had also met his ex-girlfriend at the bar – an ex-girlfriend who had not long broken up with him.
Altogether, the new details reveal the 40-year-old’s ties to the bar and bowling alley, offering a glimpse into why he may have chosen to target the two locations in what marks Maine’s first major mass shooting.
Read the full story here:
Maine shooting suspect’s possible motive revealed in new documents
Biden may visit Lewiston on Friday
Thursday 2 November 2023 08:00 , Rachel Sharp
President Joe Biden is said to be considering visiting Lewiston this week following last week’s mass shooting that left 18 victims dead and 13 wounded.
Governor Janet Mills said she has invited the president to visit this Friday.
“We’ve seen him appear in such circumstances and offer not only a helping hand, but a very sympathetic ear,” she said according to Maine Public.
“He’s a very comforting person and he’s able to offer that comfort and support to any families who wish to see him and meet with him.”
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre would not confirm whether or not Mr Biden will accept the invitaion.
“We are we are appreciative of the Governor of Maine inviting the president to to visit,” she said.
“As you know, when the president visits any state anywhere, there’s a lot of logistics that has to come into play. I don’t have anything to share on on a potential date, but certainly we are appreciative.
“And as you know, the Deputy Director of the Gun Prevention Office, Greg Jackson, as I mentioned, I believe yesterday, is on the ground providing support to the community.”
Maine mass shooter believed people were spreading ‘conspiracies’ that he was a paedophile
Thursday 2 November 2023 07:00 , Rachel Sharp
Newly-released court documents reveal that witnesses told law enforcement officials that, in the run-up to the 25 October attacks, the US Army Reservist believed that people at the Schemengees Bar & Grille and Just-In-Time bowling alley were spreading conspiracies online that he was a paedophile.
Back in May – five months before the mass shooting – Card’s family members contacted authorities about his concerning beliefs that there was a conspiracy involving people accusing him of being a paedophile, the new documents reveal.
According to an incident report, filed by a Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s deputy, Card’s teenage son told police that his father began saying that he believed people were talking about him when they were out in public.
The encounters, which he said began around January time, would involve people who “were not even close to them and that nothing was being said in his father’s direction”.
His son “came to the conclusion that Robert was likely hearing voices or starting to experience paranoia”, the deputy wrote.
The re-occurring theme of this paranoia, he said, was that Card said “claiming people were saying derogatory things about him, such as calling him a pedophile”.
This escalated over time with Card’s son revealing that during a visit to his father he grew “very angry” with him – and even accused his own son of saying things behind his back.
This account about Card’s concerning mental state being centred on fears of a paedophile conspiracy against him was echoed by a number of other witnesses, the documents show.
Card had texted his brother about taking legal action against the people he claimed were calling him a paedophile, his sibling told authorities.
Meanwhile a member of the Army Reserves unit said that Card had accused other soldiers of calling him a sex offender.
This incident in the military led the Army to send him for a mental health evaluation back in the summer.
Card went on to claim that four local businesses that he frequented – including the two targeted in the massacre – were broadcasting online the claims that he was a paedophile.
Over time, Card also believed that some family members were involved in the conspiracy, witnesses said.
Thursday 2 November 2023 20:44 , Kelly Rissman
Gunman believed Lewiston locals were spreading ‘conspiracies’ about him
The gunman who killed 18 and wounded 13 more in the mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine, believed locals were spreading conspiracies about him, according to newly-released court documents.
On Tuesday, Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Public Safety released affidavits, search warrants and other documents in the case.
Witnesses told law enforcement officials that Robert Card believed people were calling him a “paedophile” at the bowling alley and the bar where he opened fire last week, the documents show.
According to Card’s brother, the US Army Reservist thought there was a “conspiracy” whereby people were levelling such accusations against him.
On the ground: A Lewiston shooting victim ate the same meal at the same cafe each week. Now his friends are paying tribute
Thursday 2 November 2023 06:00 , Rachel Sharp
Beloved regular Ronald Morin, who came in most Saturdays at Dubois Cafe to entertain staff with his dad jokes as he ordered the same meal, wasn’t there.
But his friends were.
“They filled up this entire corner of the restaurant, and they all got something similar – so he would typically get a ham and Cooper cheese omelet, hash browns on the side, no toast typically, and bacon on the side,” waitress Alyssa Black told The Independent on Sunday. “Everyone came in yesterday, and they got pretty much his meal – the bacon on the side, no toast, no sides.”
Andrea Blanco and Sheila Flynn report from on the ground in Lewiston:
Lewiston shooting victim always ate at the same cafe. Now friends pay unique tribute
WATCH: Maine governor ignores questions from CNN reporter about shooter warning signs
Thursday 2 November 2023 04:00 , Rachel Sharp
Deputy calls Maine State Police ‘utter clowns’ for mass shooting response
Thursday 2 November 2023 02:00 , Rachel Sharp
An Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office deputy blasted the Maine State Police as “utter clowns” for its response to the mass shooting that quickly became the deadliest this year.
In a since-deleted scathing Facebook post, seen by Bangor Daily News before it was taken down, Sgt Jon Guay aired his grievances with the inner workings of the law enforcement operation, which at one point consisted of hundreds of officers on the hunt for suspected shooter Robert Card.
He criticised the handling of the manhunt by state police’s top brass, saying he wouldn’t hire the state police’s crimes unit to “manage the morning rush at Dunkin Donuts much less an investigation of this size,” he wrote.
Sgt Guay also claimed local and federal agencies were met with “radio silence” during the manhunt as Maine State Police took the lead on the case. “Any substantial lead or investigatory discovery was held close to the vest and the only way the rest of us found out was from leaks within,” the blistering post stated.
Read on...
Deputy calls Maine State Police ‘utter clowns’ for mass shooting response
Four deaf friends, a bar manager and teen bowler: These are the Maine shooting victims
Thursday 2 November 2023 01:00 , Rachel Sharp
A bar manager, four deaf friends and a teenage bowler are among the 18 victims who were formally identified by police as victims of the Maine mass shooting.
The ages of those caught up in the violence ranged from 14 to 76 years old. Some who died reportedly put themselves in the line of fire to protect others.
Just before 7pm on Wednesday 25 October, the gunman entered Just In Time Recreation – a popular, family-friendly establishment– and opened fire on the innocent victims inside. Seven people including one female and six males died in the attack at the bowling alley, before the gunman moved on to his second target the Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant.
Late on Friday evening the body of 40-year-old Robert Card, the man sought in connection with the killings, was found.
Officials said that the US Army reservist and certified firearms instructor had recently made threats to carry out a shooting at a National Guard facility and had reported mental health issues, including auditory hallucinations.
Here is a list of the victims as identified by police:
The Maine shooting victims: Four deaf friends, a bar manager and teen bowler
Gunman met ex-girlfriend at bar he targeted in mass shooting: new documents
Thursday 2 November 2023 00:00 , Rachel Sharp
Robert Card met his ex-girlfriend at Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant, according to witness accounts detailed in newly-released court documents.
Back on 25 October, the gunman first targeted the popular bowling alley just before 7pm on the evening of 25 October, killing seven people including a 14-year-old boy who was bowling with his father and their league.
Card then headed straight for the Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant, opening fire there minutes later and killing another eight victims there. Three other victims died after being taken to a local hospital.
As well as the 18 victims killed, another 13 were injured in the attacks.
The shooting sparked a huge two-day manhunt to track down Card, before his body was found on Friday in a trailer at a Lisbon recycling plant where he used to work. He died by suicide, with officials confirming that he left a note behind in his home indicating his plans not to be found alive.
During the manhunt, witnesses told law enforcement that Card met his former girlfriend at Schemengees during a cornhole tournament.
The couple split in February, with Card appearing to unravel from there, the affidavit states.
He began wearing hearing aids, suffered significant weight loss and started saying “crazy things”, witnesses said.
Biden and first lady to visit Lewiston this week
Wednesday 1 November 2023 23:30 , Mike Bedigan
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will visit Lewiston to pay their respects to victims of the shootings, the White House has confirmed.
The Bidens were invited to the city by Maine governor Janet Mills earlier this week.
Biden and first lady to visit Lewiston in wake of mass shooting that killed 18
Bar manager killed in mass shooting was focus of gunman’s paranoia
Wednesday 1 November 2023 23:00 , Rachel Sharp
The bar manager killed in the horror mass shooting was a focus of gunman Robert Card’s paranoia, it has been revealed.
Newly-unsealed documents have shone a light on the possible motive behind the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine – and the apparent state of mind of gunman Robert Card.
According to an affidavit, a witness told police that Joey Walker, the manager Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant, had “called him gay”.
The witness said he told Card that Walker would not have done that – but this came at a time when Card was making many claims that people were spreading conspiracies of him being a paedophile.
Walker was one of the 18 victims killed in the shooting.
It is unclear if Card intentionally targeted him when he opened fire at the bar.
WATCH: Kamala Harris addresses Maine mass shooting
Wednesday 1 November 2023 22:00 , Rachel Sharp
How gunman’s paranoid beliefs began
Wednesday 1 November 2023 21:00 , Rachel Sharp
On Tuesday, Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Public Safety released a trove of affidavits, search warrants and other documents in the case, including harrowing witness accounts from Robert Card’s son and brother as well as survivors of the massacre.
The documents reveal that the US Army Reservist believed that people at the Schemengees Bar & Grille and Just-In-Time bowling alley were spreading conspiracies online that he was a paedophile prior to the attack.
According to an affidavit, the “conspiracy” appears to have derived from him taking his ex-girlfriend’s two young daughters out for something to eat at Schemengees.
“That is where the pedophile thing in Robert’s head came from as Robert was there with [his girfriend’s] two daughters on occasions and felt that people were looking at him,” the document states.
Robert Card believed people were spreading ‘conspiracies’ that he was a paedophile
Wednesday 1 November 2023 20:00 , Rachel Sharp
Newly-released court documents reveal that witnesses told law enforcement officials that, in the run-up to the 25 October attacks, the US Army Reservist believed that people at the Schemengees Bar & Grille and Just-In-Time bowling alley were spreading conspiracies online that he was a paedophile.
Back in May – five months before the mass shooting – Card’s family members contacted authorities about his concerning beliefs that there was a conspiracy involving people accusing him of being a paedophile, the new documents reveal.
According to an incident report, filed by a Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s deputy, Card’s teenage son told police that his father began saying that he believed people were talking about him when they were out in public.
The encounters, which he said began around January time, would involve people who “were not even close to them and that nothing was being said in his father’s direction”.
His son “came to the conclusion that Robert was likely hearing voices or starting to experience paranoia”, the deputy wrote.
The re-occurring theme of this paranoia, he said, was that Card said “claiming people were saying derogatory things about him, such as calling him a pedophile”.
This escalated over time with Card’s son revealing that during a visit to his father he grew “very angry” with him – and even accused his own son of saying things behind his back.
This account about Card’s concerning mental state being centred on fears of a paedophile conspiracy against him was echoed by a number of other witnesses, the documents show.
Card had texted his brother about taking legal action against the people he claimed were calling him a paedophile, his sibling told authorities.
Meanwhile a member of the Army Reserves unit said that Card had accused other soldiers of calling him a sex offender.
This incident in the military led the Army to send him for a mental health evaluation back in the summer.
Card went on to claim that four local businesses that he frequented – including the two targeted in the massacre – were broadcasting online the claims that he was a paedophile.
Over time, Card also believed that some family members were involved in the conspiracy, witnesses said.
Teenager arrested for threatening ‘Lewiston Part 2'
Wednesday 1 November 2023 19:00 , Rachel Sharp
A teenager has been arrested for threatening to carry out “Lewiston Part 2”.
Michael Bowden, 18, posted a photo of himself on Snapchat holding a rifle and ammunition in the parking lot of a Walmart where he used to work, according to WABI.
He captioned the post: “Lewiston Part 2.”
Mr Bowden was arrestedat his home in Etna, Maine, and charged with domestic violence terrorising and aggravated reckless conduct.
He was released on $10,000 bond.
Police said that the suspect was fired from Walmart back in 2021 and had made multiple trips to the store’s parking lot in recent days.
Maine shooting suspect’s possible motive revealed in new documents
Wednesday 1 November 2023 18:00 , Rachel Sharp
Newly-released court documents have shone a light on the possible motive behind the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine – and the alleged gunman’s state of mind.
On Tuesday, Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Public Safety released a trove of affidavits, search warrants and other documents in the case, including harrowing witness accounts from suspect Robert Card’s son and brother as well as survivors of the massacre.
The documents reveal that witnesses told law enforcement officials that, in the run-up to the 25 October attacks, the US Army reservist believed that people at the Schemengees Bar & Grille and Just-In-Time bowling alley were spreading conspiracies online that he was a paedophile.
He also believed that the bar manager – one of the victims he killed in the shooting rampage – had once called him “gay”, witnesses said.
And he had also met his ex-girlfriend at the bar – an ex-girlfriend who had not long broken up with him.
Altogether, the new details reveal the 40-year-old’s ties to the bar and bowling alley, offering a glimpse into why he may have chosen to target the two locations in what marks Maine’s first major mass shooting.
Read the full story here:
Maine shooting suspect’s possible motive revealed in new documents
Biden invited to visit Lewiston this week
Wednesday 1 November 2023 17:00 , Rachel Sharp
President Joe Biden is said to be considering visiting Lewiston this week following last week’s mass shooting that left 18 victims dead and 13 wounded.
Governor Janet Mills said she has invited the president to visit this Friday.
“We’ve seen him appear in such circumstances and offer not only a helping hand, but a very sympathetic ear,” she said according to Maine Public.
“He’s a very comforting person and he’s able to offer that comfort and support to any families who wish to see him and meet with him.”
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre would not confirm whether or not Mr Biden will accept the invitaion.
“We are we are appreciative of the Governor of Maine inviting the president to to visit,” she said.
“As you know, when the president visits any state anywhere, there’s a lot of logistics that has to come into play. I don’t have anything to share on on a potential date, but certainly we are appreciative.
“And as you know, the Deputy Director of the Gun Prevention Office, Greg Jackson, as I mentioned, I believe yesterday, is on the ground providing support to the community.”
Six missed chances to stop Maine mass shooting
Wednesday 1 November 2023 16:00 , Rachel Sharp
Almost a week after a horrifying mass shooting left 18 people dead in Lewiston, Maine, questions are mounting over whether the atrocity could have been prevented altogether.
Information continues to emerge about warning signs around suspected shooter Robert Card - including concerns raised by his family and the Army alike - stemming back months before the massacre.
The first known warning came back in May, five months before the shooting, when Card’s family alerted the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s office with concerns about his mental health and his access to guns.
In July, Card was put under psychiatric evaluation for two weeks after an incident with fellow Army soldiers.
The Independent’s Kelly Rissman delves into the missed chances:
Six missed warning signs before the Maine mass shooting explained
Maine gun store owner turned away Robert Card as he tried to buy silencer
Wednesday 1 November 2023 15:00 , Rachel Sharp
Approximately three months before Robert Card killed 18 people and injured 13 others in a shooting in Lewiston, Maine, a gun shop denied him the purchase of a firearm silencer after he disclosed that he had mental health problems according to reports.
Rick LaChapelle, the owner of Coastal Defense Firearms in the nearby town of Auburn, told ABC News that Card tried to buy a silencer on 5 August.
“He came in and filled out the form, he checked off a box that incriminated himself saying that he was in an institution,” Mr LaChapelle said.
The shooter previously spent time in a mental health rehabilitation center after reporting auditory hallucinations.
He reported his stay on Form 4473 which asks: “Have you ever been adjudicated as a mental defective OR have you ever been committed to a mental institution?”
“Our staff was fantastic, let him finish filling out the form, and said, ‘I’m sorry, Mr Card, we cannot give you this… at this point in time, we cannot release this silencer to you because of the answers that you’ve given us.”
A person cannot purchase a silencer if they have been determined to be mentally unfit – that is if they are a danger to themselves or others or if they have been involuntarily admitted to a mental institution.
Though the gunman had mental health problems, he was able to purchase his firearm legally. In Maine, a person can buy a gun from a licensed gun dealer without a concealed carry permit – though they still have to pass a federal background check.
The FBI said there was no information on the gunman when conducting a background check that would have prevented him from legally purchasing a firearm.
People can also buy firearms at a gun show in Maine to bypass the background check requirement.
Mr LaChapelle said that after they turned him away from the purchase, he was “polite”.
“He says, ‘Not a problem. Ok, let me have my attorney look at it, and I’ll just come back and get it later on... Then he left the store and never came back,” Mr LaChapelle said.
Gunman believed Lewiston locals were spreading ‘conspiracies’ about him
Wednesday 1 November 2023 14:00 , Rachel Sharp
The gunman who killed 18 and wounded 13 more in the mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine, believed locals were spreading conspiracies about him, according to newly-released court documents.
On Tuesday, Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Public Safety released affidavits, search warrants and other documents in the case.
Witnesses told law enforcement officials that Robert Card believed people were calling him a “paedophile” at the bowling alley and the bar where he opened fire last week, the documents show.
According to Card’s brother, the US Army Reservist thought there was a “conspiracy” whereby people were levelling such accusations against him.
Wednesday 1 November 2023 13:00 , Kelly Rissman
A unique tribute to a Lewiston shooting victim ate the same meal at the same cafe each week
Beloved regular Ronald Morin, who came in most Saturdays at Dubois Cafe to entertain staff with his dad jokes as he ordered the same meal, wasn’t there.
But his friends were.
“They filled up this entire corner of the restaurant, and they all got something similar – so he would typically get a ham and Cooper cheese omelet, hash browns on the side, no toast typically, and bacon on the side,” waitress Alyssa Black told The Independent on Sunday. “Everyone came in yesterday, and they got pretty much his meal – the bacon on the side, no toast, no sides.”
Andrea Blanco and Sheila Flynn have the full story...
Lewiston shooting victim always ate at the same cafe. Now friends pay unique tribute
Wednesday 1 November 2023 12:00 , Kelly Rissman
Faces of the victims
Last week’s shootings claimed 18 lives: one was a bar manager, four were members of the deaf community, and another was a member of a youth bowling league.
The Lewiston community has hosted vigils to honour the victims, while people around the world have donated to GoFundMe pages to help pay for funeral services to assist the victim’s families.
Wednesday 1 November 2023 11:00 , Kelly Rissman
Details about how Robert Card ‘punched’ his fellow officer, revealed
In mid-September, an official at the Maine National Guard requested that the sheriff’s office conduct a wellness check on Card after he punched one of his fellow officers, prompting concern that he would “snap and commit a mass shooting.”
Card and one of his friends, a fellow soldier, were apparently driving home from a casino when Card “started talking about people calling him a pedophile again.”
Card said he owned firearms and was going “to shoot up” the drill centre at the base in Saco, among other places, the report states. The soldier also relayed that Card said he was going to “get them,” which was interpreted as the people who had him committed to a mental health facility.
Card apparently also blamed the soldiers, stating the reason he was unable to buy guns — following this two-week stay — was “because of the commitment.” The soldier then “told him to knock it off because he was going to get into trouble talking about shooting up places and people,” Card punched him.
This interaction prompted the Maine National Guard to request a welfare check.
Wednesday 1 November 2023 10:00 , Kelly Rissman
The deaf community event impacted in the deadly shooting
It was reported that an event organised by American Deaf Cornhole had been going on in Schemengees at the time of the attack. “American Deaf Cornhole wants to offer our deepest condolences to Maine families and friends, especially our deaf cornhole players who lost their family/friends,” the group said on Facebook.
“It is a time like this that we must come together as a community and support one another. Sending our thoughts and prayers to all affected by this tragic event. Our hearts go out to Lewiston community!”
The American Cornhole League added that such acts of violence “contradict everything we stand for”.
“We are deeply saddened by last night’s events in Lewiston, Maine and are grieving the losses suffered by the community - cornhole and non alike,” the organisation wrote.
Wednesday 1 November 2023 09:00 , Kelly Rissman
WATCH: Gun store owner recalls his interaction with Robert Card when he tried to buy a gun silencer
Rick LaChapelle, owner of Coastal Defense Firearms, reflected on his encounter with Maine mass shooting suspect Robert Card. pic.twitter.com/dmskqgWKRD
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 30, 2023
Wednesday 1 November 2023 08:00 , Kelly Rissman
Another missed warning signed revealed: suspected shooter spoke ‘aggressively’ about guns
NBC News spoke to Card’s former Maine Recycling Corporation coworkers, revealing yet another missed warning sign ahead of this year’s deadliest shooting.
According to the ex-colleague, Card’s behaviour became more erratic and he spoke “aggressively” about guns before he left his job. Another colleague said a supervisor was warned that Card had allegedly had made gun violence threats in the workplace, but the complaint felt like “it was swept under the rug.”
One colleague said issues started cropping up a year after Card began working at the recycling facility; Card displayed a “total mood change,” the source said.
“He irrationally snapped. We’d do good the whole day, but then would say that I touched him. He said I was sexually harassing him, calling him a pedophile,” the coworker said.
Card apparently spoke of guns frequently, including his desire to purchase a silencer — which he was ultimately unable to do. “I knew it was going to come eventually. I said, ‘One day, he’s probably going to shoot someone up,’” this colleague said. “He was bringing up guns heavily and aggressively. It was a very weird situation.”
