Robert Card, the person of interest being pursued by law enforcement in Maine following murders in Lewiston, had reported mental health issues and was evaluated by police in July due to concerns of erratic behavior, according to reports.
Card — a member of the U.S. Army Reserves and a firearms instructor described by CNN as a “skilled marksman and outdoorsman” — is the suspect in the massacre that occurred in Lewiston late Wednesday, leaving 18 people killed and more than a dozen injured, according to an update from Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D).
In this image taken from a video released by the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office, an unidentified gunman points a gun while entering Sparetime Recreation in Lewiston, Maine, on October 25, 2023. (Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
According to reports, Card had a history of mental health issues and had been evaluated by police at the Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point in July after military officials expressed concern about his erratic behavior.
Per the Associated Press:
The official said commanders in the Army Reserve’s 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment became concerned in mid-July that Robert Card was acting erratically while the unit was training at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York.
The official said military commanders became concerned about Card’s safety and asked for the police to be called. New York state police took Card to the Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point for evaluation, the official said.
The official was not authorized to publicly discuss information about the incident and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
According to the Sun Journal, Card “recently reported mental health issues, including hearing voices, and made threats to shoot the National Guard base in Saco, according to state police.”
There is currently a manhunt underway for Card, who is believed to be the individual who unleashed carnage at Sparetime Recreation Center and Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant.
“My heart is crushed. I am at a loss for words. In a split second your world gets turn upside down for no good reason. We loss great people in this community. How can we make any sense of this. Sending out prayers to everyone,” the restaurant wrote in a social media post.
A bowler described his escape as the suspect fired away in the recreation center, explaining that he ran to the bowling pins and hid in the machinery.
“I had my back turned to the door. And as soon as I turned and saw it was not a balloon — he was holding a weapon — I just booked it,” the bowler who escaped told the Associated Press.
RELATED — CNN’s Coates: Maine Shooter Picked “Soft Targets” Where He Didn’t Think He’d Get a Response, Didn’t Pick a Gun Range
Early Thursday morning, the Maine State Police announced an expansion of the shelter-in-place advisory and school closing to include Bowdoin.
“Please stay inside your homes while more than 100 investigators, both local and federal work to locate Robert Card who is a person of interest in the Lewiston shootings,” authorities wrote.
We are expanding the shelter in place advisory and school closings to include the town of Bowdoin. Please stay inside your homes while more than 100 investigators, both local and federal work to locate Robert Card who is a person of interest in the Lewiston shootings. pic.twitter.com/dqixmXbJAX
— Maine State Police (@MEStatePolice) October 26, 2023
This story is developing.
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