Lewiston, Maine, Embarks on Healing Process After deadliest Mass Shooting in State's History

Strategic Insights -

The city of Lewiston, Maine, began its healing process on Saturday after a U.S. Army reservist, Robert Card, opened fire at a bowling alley and a bar, killing 18 people and injuring 13. The 40-year-old Card, who grew up in the area, was found dead in nearby Lisbon from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The deadliest shootings in Maine history stunned a state with relatively little violent crime, which had only 29 killings in all of 2022.

Key Takeaways:

  • The shooting occurred at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday, leaving 18 people dead and 13 injured.
  • Robert Card, a 40-year-old U.S. Army reservist and firearms instructor, was found dead in nearby Lisbon from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
  • The investigation revealed that Card had undergone a mental health evaluation after he began acting erratically during training and was committed to a mental health facility for two weeks after hearing voices and threats to shoot up a military base.
  • Card was training with the Army Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment in West Point, New York, when commanders became concerned about him.
  • The victims of the shooting include a 76-year-old retiree, a manager at the bar and grill, a dedicated pipefitter, and at least four members of the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf.
  • Authorities found a suicide note at a home associated with Card on Thursday that was addressed to his son, but it did not provide any specific motive for the shooting.
  • The Lewiston shootings were the 36th mass killing in the United States this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

Statistics:

  • 18 people were killed in the shooting, the deadliest in Maine's history.
  • 13 people were injured in the shooting.
  • The shooting occurred at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, Maine.
  • Robert Card was 40 years old when he opened fire at the two locations.
  • The investigation revealed that Card had undergone a mental health evaluation after he began acting erratically during training.
  • Card was committed to a mental health facility for two weeks after hearing voices and threats to shoot up a military base.
  • The shootings stunned a state with relatively little violent crime, which had only 29 killings in all of 2022.

Sources:

  • The Associated Press
  • USA Today
  • Northeastern University
  • Maine Department of Public Safety
  • U.S. Army Reserve
  • The New York Times
  • The Washington Post
  • Maine Educational Center for the Deaf
  • Lewiston Sun Journal
  • Portland Press Herald