Search for Suspect in Maine’s Mass Homicide Concludes with Discovery of Deceased Suspect

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According to the Governor of Maine, the individual suspected of fatally shooting 18 people at a bar and bowling facility has been discovered deceased in Lisbon, Maine.

The confirmation of his demise was made public during a Friday evening press conference led by Governor Janet Mills.

The Maine Department of Public Safety Commissioner revealed that the suspect, identified as Robert Card, was located near the Androscoggin River at 7:45 p.m., although he declined to specify the exact location.

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY UPDATE. Previous reporting by AP is detailed below.

LEWISTON, Maine — Robert Card, the individual linked to a mass shooting that claimed 18 lives and injured 13 others, was discovered dead on Friday, concluding a statewide manhunt that had heightened tensions across Maine for the past 48 hours.

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Card, 40, from Bowdoin, Maine, is believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot, as stated by law enforcement officials who spoke to The Big Big News. The officials were not authorized to disclose investigation details and maintained their anonymity. A press conference was slated for 10 p.m. to provide further updates.

The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office validated Card’s death via social media, stating that the “suspect in the mass shooting has been located and is deceased.”

Card, an Army Reservist, had been undergoing mental health assessments as of mid-July after exhibiting unstable behavior during training exercises, according to U.S. military officials.

He had been wanted since the shootings occurred on Wednesday night, and homicide warrants had been issued in his name.

A nationwide police alert disseminated after the attack disclosed that Card had been involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric facility for a fortnight this summer, after reporting auditory hallucinations and threatening to initiate a shooting at a military installation.

During his service with the Army Reserve’s 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment based in West Point, New York, commanders grew increasingly concerned about his conduct. Consequently, he was taken for evaluation at the Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point.

An extensive search operation was executed to locate Card, involving wooded areas, large plots of private property, and riverbeds. Dive teams with sonar technology were dispatched to search underwater areas.

Residents were relieved when the “shelter in place” directive was lifted Friday evening, nearly two days after the massacre.

At a press briefing, State Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck shared the names and photographs of the 16 male and 2 female victims, ranging in age from 14 to 76, and requested a moment of silence.

Law enforcement authorities had lost track of Card since his vehicle was abandoned at a boat ramp shortly following the massacre.

In Lewiston, Maine’s second-largest city, Card, who was trained in firearms, unleashed a deadly assault on patrons at a bar and a bowling facility. The community hosted a digital vigil on Friday evening, where residents shared their emotional responses.

Authorities recovered a weapon from Card’s abandoned vehicle and were conducting forensic tests to ascertain if it had been used in the homicides. They also discovered a suicide note at a residence connected to Card, though it failed to offer any explanation for his actions.

Investigations are ongoing, with federal agents conducting multiple searches at locations associated with Card and gathering various items, including electronics.

The tragic events have stunned Maine, a state with a typically low homicide rate and a tight-knit community, leading Governor Janet Mills to comment that many residents would know someone affected by the mass shooting.

Public facilities and many businesses remained closed on Friday, and Bates College in Lewiston suspended its classes and postponed the inauguration of its first Black president.

This incident marks the 36th mass killing in the United States for the current year, as recorded by a database maintained by The Big Big News and USA Today, in collaboration with Northeastern University.

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More about Maine mass killing suspect found dead

• Maine Governor’s Statement on Mass Shooting
• Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office Facebook Post
• U.S. Army Reserve’s Statement on Robert Card
• Bates College Announcement on Class Cancellations
• Database on U.S. Mass Killings in 2023
• Overview of Maine’s Homicide Rates
• The Big Big News Coverage on Maine Mass Killing
• Statement from Maine State Public Safety Commissioner
• Online Vigil for Maine Mass Shooting Victims
• Federal Agents’ Update on Investigation