Major manhunt in Maine to find gunman accused of killing 18 in mass shooting

LAUREN TAYLOR:

 A MASSIVE MANHUNT UNDERWAY IN MAINE TODAY.

18 PEOPLE ARE DEAD AND AT LEAST 13 OTHERS ARE INJURED IN LEWISTON, MAINE – AS LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR A MASS SHOOTING SUSPECT.

POLICE SAY 40-YEAR-OLD ROBERT CARD IS SUSPECTED OF WALKING INTO A BOWLING ALLEY JUST BEFORE 7 WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND OPENING FIRE ON A YOUTH BOWLING LEAGUE.. BEFORE DRIVING ABOUT 4 MILES AND SHOOTING UP A RESTAURANT.

ONE WITNESS DETAILED THE HARROWING MOMENTS…

BRANDON: 

We were inside. Just a normal night of bowling and out of nowhere he just came in and there was a loud pop. Thought it was a balloon. I had my back turned to the door. As soon as I turned and saw that it was not a balloon, he was holding a weapon. I just booked it down the lane and I slid basically into where the pins are and climbed up to the machine and was on top of the machines for about 10 minutes until the cops got there.

LAUREN TAYLOR:

THE GUNMAN KILLED 7 PEOPLE AT THE BOWLING ALLEY –

ANOTHER 8 AT THE RESTAURANT.

Three other victims were taken to area hospitals where they were pronounced dead.

AND right now FAMILIES ARE EAGERLY WAITING FOR ANSWERS.

LEROY WALKER IS AN AUBURN CITY COUNCILMAN AND SAID HIS SON WAS THE MANAGER OF SCHMENGEES – THE RESTAURANT TARGETED.

LEROY WALKER:

And I don’t know, telling you the truth, what kind of night this is going to be from now until tomorrow when I wake up to the true facts that my son is dead — and I know he’s dead. I know it as well as I know I’m standing here telling you because he’s not here and he’s not at any other hospital and he’s not running the streets or he would have called us, because he manages Schemengees, so I know he was there.

LAUREN TAYLOR:

Leroy learned HIS SON -JOSEPH WALKER- died a hero in the shooting… he was told joseph picked up a knife from behind the bar and attempted to go after the gunman – but was unsuccessful. 

THE SUSPECT – ROBERT CARD – IS 40 YEARS OLD.

HE’S ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY RESERVE AND POSSESSES AN ACTIVE MILITARY I.D. – ACCORDING TO THE MAINE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

OFFICIALS SAY CARD HAS A HISTORY OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES – HE ALLEGEDLY REPORTED HEARING VOICES IN HIS HEAD AND THREATENED TO SHOOT UP A NATIONAL GUARD FACILITY. HE  SPENT TWO WEEKS OVER THE SUMMER AT A MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY.

A SUBARU CONNECTED TO CARD WAS FOUND AT A BOAT LANDING – ABOUT 10 MILES AWAY FROM SCHMENGEES – IN LISBON, MAINE.

MULTIPLE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES CONTINUE SEARCHING FOR HIM – CALLING HIM ARMED AND DANGEROUS.

RESIDENTS OF LEWISTON AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES ARE BEING ASKED TO SHELTER-IN-PLACE, LOCK THEIR DOORS, AND CALL POLICE WITH ANY TIPS CONCERNING CARD – WHILE OFFICERS WORK TO FIND HIM.

AT THIS TIME…

IT’S UNCLEAR WHY CARD TARGETED THE BOWLING ALLEY AND RESTAURANT. 

CARD IS CURRENTLY CHARGED WITH 8 COUNTS OF MURDER –

THAT NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE WHEN OFFICIALS IDENTIFY THE REMAINING VICTIMS.