Maine gunman threatened to shoot up military base

Robert Card, a 40-year-old reserve military officer with a history of mental illness, is the main suspect in shootings in at least two businesses in Lewiston, Maine.

Robert Card aims his semi-automatic rifle in the Lewiston bowling alley on Wednesday. Picture: Androscoggin County Sheriff's via AFP

Police in Lewiston, Maine, have identified Robert Card, a 40-year-old reserve military officer with a history of mental illness, as the main suspect in shootings in at least two businesses in the city.

Mr Card, twice-divorced and a father of three children, has a history of arrests for domestic violence and other crimes.

One of his former wives obtained a restraining order against him.

At least 18 people were killed in two mass shootings at a restaurant and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, Wednesday night, one of the city’s councillors told CNN.

Another 13 were injured, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

Police have launched a massive operation to catch the gunman, and asked locals in Lewiston to stay inside their homes. Maine officials say hundreds of police officers were working across the state to locate Mr Card

“There is an active shooter in Lewiston. We ask people to shelter in place. Please stay inside your home with the doors locked. Law enforcement is currently investigating at multiple locations,” Maine State Police said on X.

The shooting spree took place at a bowling alley and also at least one other location, a local restaurant and bar, according to local media.

Local police posted a photo of Mr Card on Facebook carrying a semi-automatic style weapon inside a bowling alley, and said he should be “considered armed and dangerous”.

“Law Enforcement is attempting to locate Robert Card, 4/4/1983, as a person of interest regarding the mass shooting at Schemengees Bar and Sparetime Recreation this evening. Card should be considered armed and dangerous,” the Lewiston Police Department said.

After the shooting, Mr Card was seen driving a white Subaru.

Lewiston mayor Carl Sheline said he was “heartbroken for our city and our people” and urged ­residents to follow the recommended guidelines.

Witnesses to the shootings in Lewiston were of all ages, including teenagers, said Auburn mayor Jason Levesque, adding that the community was in shock.

Auburn is a city less than 3km west of Lewiston.

Speaking to media outside a reunification centre, Mr Levesque said there was a lot of fear, panic and worry among residents there.

“You can train for this but you can never be completely prepared,” Mr Levesque said. “It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation.”

President Joe Biden has been briefed, according to the White House.

A bulletin put out by the Maine Information and Analysis Centre, a database for law enforcement officials, said Mr Card was a trained firearms instructor and was believed to be in the army reserve.

It said law enforcement had noted Mr Card “recently reported mental health issues to include hearing voices and threats to shoot up the National Guard Base in Saco, Maine”.

The bulletin said Mr Card was reported to have been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks this northern summer and then released.

However, there had reportedly been no signs of suspicious activity in recent weeks by him, either in person or on his social media

While Mr Card identifies as an independent politically, some reports suggest he may have voted for former Democrat president Barack Obama in the past.

Authorities did not disclose any information about Mr Card.

The University of Maine confirmed that Mr Card had studied engineering there from 2001 until 2004.

Maine court records show that a man named Robert Card who was born on the same date as the person of interest was charged with speeding in 2001 and 2002.

No other criminal records were listed in the state’s electronic court records system or in several other public records databases.

Efforts to ban the powerful semi-automatic style weapons have run up against persistent opposition from Republicans, who are staunch defenders of the constitutional right to bear arms.

A political deadlock endures over gun reform legislation, even though there have been 500 mass shootings in the US – defined as incidents in which four or more people are shot or killed – so far this year.