At least 18 people are dead, and 13 others are injured after mass shootings at a restaurant and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, the Associated Press reports.
Maine’s Gov. Janet Mills shared the sad news of the growing death toll at a press conference on Thursday morning. A major manhunt is now underway for the gunman who opened fire at the establishments Wednesday evening. Police have named 40-year-old Robert Card as a suspect in the shootings.
“Card is considered armed and dangerous,” Maine State Police said in a notice. “If seen, people should not approach Card or contact with him.”
An arrest warrant for eight counts of murder has been issued for Card, who is a trained firearms instructor, according to state police.
Seven people were found dead at the bowling alley and eight at the bar, including one victim who was outdoors, according to Ross, who described the situation as a “very fast-moving, very dangerous scene” when police arrived. All of them had been shot. Ross added that three of the patients who were brought to hospitals died.
Officials have urged residents of Lewiston, Maine’s second-largest city, which is about 30 miles north of Portland, to shelter in place. Residents in other communities have also been asked to stay put, and many schools and businesses are closed.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, this latest mass shooting is added to a list of 565 mass shootings reported across the United States this year.
This is a developing story and will continue to be updated as additional information is confirmed.