The suspected gunman in a devastating mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday was found dead Friday, ending the massive manhunt that held multiple communities under shelter-in-place orders, but much work remains to be done as the community reels from the tragedy.
At an update Saturday morning, The Maine Department of Public Safety explained the next steps as law enforcement shifts its focus from an active public safety threat to a full investigation into what occurred.
Eighteen people were killed and more than a dozen wounded when a shooter opened fire at the Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley and Schemengees Bar and Grille. As of Saturday morning, Maine Department of Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck said three of the wounded remain in critical care at the hospital.
The suspect, Robert Card, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Friday evening. Investigators said his body was located by the Maine State Police Tactical team inside a trailer on property owned by the Maine Recycling Corporation in Lisbon, where the suspect was once employed.
Authorities said it was thanks to the diligence of that business's leadership that crews located the body, which was located in an overflow lot separate from the main property. The main property had been previously searched and cleared.
Maine Recycling Corporation leadership released a statement Saturday stating that the suspect was employed as a driver for about a year and left, voluntarily, last spring.
"We may never know, and certainly will never comprehend, why he committed these horrific acts against our neighbors and friends, or why he chose to end his life where he did. We do know that our employees, along with the rest of our community, are shaken to the core," the statement read.
A note, which Saushuck said he would not describe as an explicit suicide note, was found at the suspect's home. He said the note was written to a loved one and included information like a phone passcode and bank account information, and did give off the "tone and tenor" that the suspect did not expect to be around anymore.
Sauschuck addressed reports about the suspect's mental health history Saturday, noting that while there was a record that he had recently sought treatment, investigators have not found any information that he was ever forcibly committed, a key detail concerning a court's ability to flag an individual and prevent the purchase of firearms under Maine's current law.
A gun was found in Card's vehicle, Sauschuck said Saturday, though he did not provide a make and model. The weapons that have been recovered do appear to have been purchased by the suspect.
He also said that the suspect's family was forthcoming with investigators and stressed that while mental health appears to have contributed to this tragedy, the conversation surrounding that needs to be kept in perspective.
“Just because there appears to be a mental health nexus to this scenario, the vast vast vast majority of people with mental health diagnosis will not hurt anybody," Sauschuck said.
If you or someone you know needs help, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988 or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting ‘Home’ to 741741 anytime.
The discovery of the suspect's body ended the massive search for a gunman, and now authorities are able to fully turn attentions and resources to an investigation into the shootings. At the same time, officials are offering support services to the community.
A Family Assistance Center has been opened at the Lewiston Armory. This center, located at 65 Central Ave., is dedicated specifically to victims who were present during the shootings, or victims' families or support systems. There victims will be able to find support resources without having to visit multiple agencies at multiple locations. It will be open for the foreseeable future daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
A second center dedicated to mental health assistance for anyone in the community struggling with the tragedy, whether they were present during the shootings or not, is available at the Ramada Inn on Pleasant Street in Lewiston.
Evidence Response Team members will be present at the bar and bowling alley, likely through the end of the weekend, Sauschuck said Saturday. They will be processing the extensive physical evidence.
Investigators are also working through the 821 tips and leads they've been provided during the investigation, and have about a dozen search warrants to process.
Once all the evidence is collected, the owner of a trauma cleanup service has offered to clean up the businesses before the scenes are released to the owners.
The FBI said Saturday that they have more than 350 special agents, analysts, task force officers and support personnel committed to the investigation.
"Even though the suspect was found deceased last night, our work does not stop. There are many questions that need to be answered, there is a lot of evidence to be processed, and most importantly the victims and their families deserve special care and consideration," a statement from FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen reads.
Many more questions, including exactly what motivated the killings, remain unanswered as the investigation continues. The community is mobilizing to support the victims and families, with vigils scheduled in Lisbon on Saturday evening and Lewiston on Sunday evening.
