As Maine manhunt continues, officials identify victims

LEWISTON, Maine (NewsNation) — As more than 350 local, state and federal law enforcement members continue their search Friday for Maine shooting suspect Robert Card, the shelter in place order has been lifted for Maine residents.

Maine Department of Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck announced Friday evening the order has been rescinded except for hunting restrictions in Lisbon, Lewiston, Bowdoin and Monmouth.

Since Card — accused of killing 18 people and injuring 13 more in the nation’s deadliest shooting so far this year — is still at large, Sauschuck urged Maine residents to remain vigilant.

“This is not to say the crisis is over, the emergency is done, we can go about our lives as life is good. We want our folks, our residents, to remain vigilant,” Sauschuck said, later adding: “This is still a dangerous situation without question.”

Law enforcement officers have not spotted Card yet and noted he was already gone from Schemengees Bar and Grille and Just-in-Time Recreation after the shootings when officers arrived to the scenes, Sauschuck told reporters.

Sauschuck outlined search areas Friday, saying there will be a focus on near the Lisbon boat dock where the suspect’s vehicle was discovered. This search will be in addition to investigations and searches across town. About 80 FBI agents and Coast Guard members are also providing coverage from the air, scouring over waterways for any sign of the suspect.

Sauschuck said that the river is a big part of this investigation, and they are exercising all possible scenarios, including the possibility the suspect’s body is in the water.

For hours Thursday night, investigators swarmed a home in Bowdoin. NewsNation crews on the scene said investigators announced demands over a speaker like, “Robert Card, come outside with your hands up!” and “Robert, you are under arrest. Come out of the house. Hands in the air!”

The Maine Department of Public Safety said law enforcement was at the home as part of the shootings’ investigation and that officials were executing “several search warrants.”

“The announcements that are being heard over a loud speaker are standard search warrant announcements when executing a warrant to ensure the safety of all involved,” a public information officer with the MDPS said. “It is unknown whether Robert Card is in any of the homes law enforcement will search. Law enforcement officials are simply doing their due diligence by tracking down every lead in an effort to locate and apprehend Card.”

Sauschuck confirmed there was a note discovered during one of the searches, but authorities were not able to disclose its contents just yet.

The police presence at the home thinned out around 9:30 p.m. ET, and no arrests were made.

Card, 40, remains on the run, and law enforcement agencies continue to urge the public to remain on guard. Police told the public to share any information they may know about Card and the shootings with investigators, and to not approach the suspect if they come in contact with him.

Card is considered armed and extremely dangerous, police said.

“It’s a little bit frightening to know that he’s out there and his intent is to hurt and kill people,” resident Lori Perricone told NewsNation. “It’s a little bit scary to think that this guy could be in this state and live amongst us for quite some time and we’re not even going to know it.”

The Maine State Police issued a warrant for Card’s arrest Thursday on eight counts of murder. More counts are expected, pending the identification of 10 victims. Once all 18 victims have been identified, Card will face a total of 18 counts of murder.

On Wednesday night, the suspect allegedly walked into a bowling alley in Lewiston and opened fire at people in the facility, killing seven people.

One eyewitness, Kenny Moore, said the shooting likely ended quickly after the shooter’s AR-style rifle seemed to have jammed, causing him to flee the bowling alley.

Less than 15 minutes later and four miles across town, the suspect then shot up a billiards bar, killing 11 more people, according to authorities.

The shooter allegedly killed a total of 18 people and injured 13 at the two Maine establishments: Schemengees Bar and Grille and Just-in-Time Recreation. As of Thursday night, three injured victims remain in critical condition.

The Maine Department of Public Safety identified the victims Friday evening:

• Ronald G. Morin, 55
• Peyton Brewer-Ross, 40
• Joshua A. Seal, 36
• Bryan M. Macfarlane, 41
• Joseph Lawrence Walker, 57
• Arthur Fred Strout, 42
• Maxx A. Hathaway, 35
• Stephen M. Vozzella, 45
• Thomas Ryan Conrad, 34
• Michael R. Deslauriers Ii, 51
• Jason Adam Walker, 51
• Tricia C. Asselin, 53
• William A. Young, 44
• Aaron Young, 14
• Robert E. Violette, 76
• Lucille M. Violette, 73
• William Frank Brackett, 48
• Keith D. Macneir, 64

Following the shooting, police were able to identify Card as a person of interest in connection to the attacks after discovering his white Subaru at a marina in Lisbon. There have been no signs of Card’s location since.

Investigators said they are following up on every tip that comes in, but so far there have been no confirmed sightings of the suspect. Authorities have received more than 530 tips and leads so far.

According to information from Maine State Police’s Maine Information and Analysis Center (MIAC), Card was trained as a firearms instructor at a U.S. Army Reserve training facility in the state.

He recently reported mental health issues including hearing voices and threatened to shoot up the military training facility, according to a Maine State Police bulletin. He was also reported to have been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks during the summer of 2023.

Investigators said they are looking into why the suspect was allowed to own a weapon with his mental health history.