Summary

  • A manhunt for a US army reservist suspected of murdering 18 people and injuring 13 others in a mass shooting in Maine has entered its third day

  • Robert Card, 40, is said to be "armed and dangerous" and residents are still being told to shelter in place

  • Officers raided a home in Bowdoin on Thursday night, but departed several hours later

  • At a news conference on Friday, police said divers were scouring the river near a boat dock where the suspect's car was located.

  • Officials said a note was also found at a property belonging to the suspect, but declined to offer details

  • Meanwhile, Lewiston, a city of about 38,000, is on lockdown. Schools as well as most local businesses are staying closed on Friday

  • The attack has sparked calls for more gun control measures in the US, with Congressman Jared Golden calling for an assault weapons ban, reversing his previous stance

Live Reporting

Edited by Matt Murphy

  1. Thousands told to stay indoors as orders remain

    Shelter-in-place orders are in effect across nearly 700 square miles (1,800 sq km) in the north-west state of Maine.

    According to local broadcaster Maine Public, all Bureau of Motor Vehicle branches across the state are closed, as are court and government offices in Lewiston and Auburn.

    Recently, an alert called for people in Androscoggin County and Northern Sagadahoc County to remain in place.

    The Sagadahoc order includes Bowdoin, Bowdoinham and Richmond, according to the police department in the county seat of Bath.

    But, it does not include Bath or Topsham, although many schools and government buildings in those communities will be closed Friday.

  2. What happened during the search overnight?

    Here are some pictures showing how police carried out their search for suspected gunman Robert Card overnight

    Armed police officers and their vehicles blocked roads as they carried out searches for the suspect in the areaGETTY

    Armed police officers and their vehicles blocked roads as they carried out searches for the suspect in the area

    Cars were stopped as police looked for the suspectGETTY

    Cars were stopped as police looked for the suspect

    The searches of the local area carried into the early hoursGETTY

    The police search carried into the early hours of Friday morning

    Flashing blue lights lit up the roads as police cars surrounded the local areas overnightGETTY

    Flashing blue lights lit up the roads as police cars drove through local areas overnight

  3. Police release image of white vehicle

    Vehicle believed to be linked to Robert CardLEWISTON MAINE POLICE DEPARTMENT

    Lewiston Maine Police Department posted this image on their Facebook, saying if anyone recognised the car to get in touch with them

    On the night of the shootings, suspect Robert Card's trail led to the town of Lisbon - about 7 miles (11 km) to the south-east of Lewiston.

    There, Maine State Police say they found a white SUV they believe Card used to get away.

    It was parked at a boat launch on the river.

    According to Reuters, public records show Card has three watercraft registrations: two Sea-Doos and a Bayliner.

    Police also posted an image of a vehicle on Facebook on Thursday, telling anyone who recognised it to get in touch with them. They also said they believed the car's front bumper may be painted black.

  4. Learning more about the victims who died

    Tricia asselinFacebook

    Tricia Asselin, 53

    We are learning more details about those who died. We know eight have been identified by police, but their names have not been officially released.

    Despite that, some family members have spoken to several media outlets about their loved ones.

    Among the victims are Bob Violette, a 76-year-old retiree and avid bowler.

    "He wouldn't let you walk out the door without giving him a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. He was just there for everything," his daughter-in-law said.

    Tricia Asselin, 53, was working her part-time job at the bowling alley when the gunman opened fire, her brother told CNN.

    "When it all started happening, she ran up to the counter and started to call 911, and that's when she was shot," he said.

    Michael Deslauriers tried to fight the gunman back, his ex-wife Stacey Deslauriers told the Washington Post.

    "He was an amazing man," she said. "An amazing father. An amazing provider."

  5. Everything we know about the suspected gunman on the run - who is Robert Card?

    Robert Card opens fire in MaineLEWISTON POLICE

    Police released this image of Robert Card

    The police named Robert Card as the suspect and described him as 5'11" (180cm) tall, weighing 230 lbs (104kg).

    Authorities consider Card to be "armed and dangerous", but they have not said anything about a possible motive.

    Card's last known address was in Bowdoin, Maine.

    He attended the University of Maine as an engineering student. It is not clear if he graduated from the university.

    According to the Maine Department of Public Safety, Card is enlisted in the US Army Reserve and has an active military ID, CBS News reports.

    Authorities initially described him as a trained firearms instructor but later said that was not accurate.

    Police said he spent two weeks at a mental health facility this summer and was subsequently released.

    Robert CardLEWISTON MAINE POLICE DEPARTMENT

  6. A timeline of the shootings in Lewiston

    As the manhunt continues, here is a reminder of the timeline of events since the shootings happened:

    • The shootings began shortly before 19:00 local time (23:00 GMT) according to officials
    • Shortly after 20:00, police published photos of the suspected gunman and asked businesses to lock down
    • At 20:09, Maine State Police said there was an active shooter in Lewiston and that they were investigating multiple locations. People were also told to stay indoors
    • Around 20:30, the city of Auburn told its residents to shelter in place and lock their doors
    • Around 23:00, the Lewiston Police Department posted another picture of Card on social media, naming him as a “person of interest”
    • Half an hour later, state police said a “vehicle of interest” was found in Lisbon, about 7 miles (11km) from Lewiston, and asked people to stay indoors there as well
    • At around 04:30 local time, Maine State Police said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the shelter-in-place order had been expanded to the town of Bowdoin, which is where the suspected shooter is from
    • On Thursday, residents were told to remain indoors as the manhunt continued
    • Police then held a press conference where they confirmed the number of deaths and said they could not speculate on any motive for the shooting
    • Streets in Lewiston and nearby communities seemed almost deserted late on Thursday night. Only the occasional truck or police patrol would be seen driving through neighbourhoods
    • Schools in Lewiston will remain closed on Friday, while those in Portland will decide in the morning whether to open

  7. Gunman on the run - search stretches to Canada

    Maine shooting aftermathBoston Globe

    Gunman Robert Card is still on the loose and the search for the 40-year-old has expanded.

    On Thursday night, police raided a property in neighbouring Bowdoin.

    Part of that search was played out on live TV as police conducted warrants in the town, which is around a 20-minute drive from Lewiston.

    Over a megaphone, police were heard yelling for Card to surrender and to come out of a house "with your hands up".

    But after a few hours, police departed the scene and it is unclear what prompted the search.

    An official said police were "simply doing their due diligence by tracking down every lead in an effort to locate and apprehend Card".

    In another development, the search has stretched as far south as New York and as far north as the Canadian border.

    The Canada Border Services Agency has issued an "armed and dangerous" alert to its officers stationed along the Canada-US border.

  8. The latest on the search so far

    Thomas Mackintosh
    Live reporter

    It has been over 24 hours since a huge manhunt was launched for shooting suspect Robert Card who killed more than a dozen people in the state of Maine.

    Here is a quick overview of where things stand so far:

    • Eighteen people were shot dead and a further 13 injured after a man opened fire at a bowling alley and a restaurant in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday
    • It is the deadliest US mass shooting since the Uvalde school massacre in Texas last year
    • Police have named the suspect as Robert Card - a certified firearms instructor and a member of the US Army reserves
    • The 40-year-old is considered by police to be armed and dangerous
    • Authorities are asking people in Lewiston and several nearby towns to continue to stay inside their homes
    • Schools and most local businesses have closed and are expected to remain shut on Friday
    • The attacks have once again reignited calls for more gun control measures in the US
    • Maine Congressman Jared Golden is among those supporting an assault weapons ban in a reversal of his previous stance

  9. Hundreds of police officers are still on the hunt for suspect Robert Card

    Mattea Bubalo
    Live reporter

    Hundreds of police officers are still on the hunt for Robert Card, a US Army reservist suspected of murdering 18 people and injuring 13 others in a mass shooting in the US state of Maine on Wednesday.

    I'll be keeping you updated with what's happening along with Thomas Mackintosh and Rachel Russell.

    Stay with us.