US: Maine Shooting Rampage Suspect Found Dead, Police Say

LEWISTON: Robert Card, the suspect in the Lewiston, Maine, shooting rampage, was found dead on Friday night, the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Facebook, CNN reported. He was found dead about 48 hours after the attack that left 18 dead and 13 wounded. The post stated, "The suspect in Wednesday night's shootings has been located and is deceased."

Multiple sources informed CNN that Card died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was discovered in the woods near Lisbon, approximately eight miles from Lewiston, in an area close to the recycling centre where he had recently been fired from, according to a law enforcement source cited by CNN's John Miller.

Authorities had been searching for Card since the shootings occurred on Wednesday evening. Maine Governor Janet Mills confirmed the news of the suspect's death and emphasised that he "is no longer a threat to anyone." She said during a Friday news conference, "Now is the time to heal. With this search concluded, I know that law enforcement continues to fully investigate all the facts so we can bring what closure we can to the victims and their families."

"On behalf of all Maine people, I want to express my profound gratitude for their unwavering bravery, determination and fortitude," Mills said of the law enforcement officers involved in the case. Maine Commissioner of Public Safety Michael Sauschuck confirmed on Friday that Card died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The governor also said that she has called President Joe Biden as well as senators and lawmakers from Maine.

Maine Senator Susan Collins said that President Joe Biden personally called her to inform her of the Lewiston shooting suspect's death. She expressed relief, saying, "Tonight, Mainers can breathe a collective sigh of relief thanks to the brave first responders who worked night and day to find this killer."

Collins also addressed the impacted families, acknowledging their pain and loss, while expressing hope that they would find support from people across the nation. "To the families who lost loved ones and to those injured by this attack, I know that no words can diminish the shock, pain, and justifiable anger you feel," Collins said, adding, "It is my hope that you will find solace and strength in knowing that you are in the hearts of people throughout Maine and across the nation."

Jennifer Zanca, a survivor of the Lewiston shooting, stressed the urgent need for solutions to address gun violence in the nation. She told CNN's Anderson Cooper, "I don't know where to go from here because this just keeps happening, and there needs to be some solutions." Zanca highlighted the personal toll of such incidents and the importance of finding ways to prevent them.

The Lewiston, Maine, rampage stands as the deadliest mass shooting in the US this year and the deadliest since the Uvalde school massacre. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least 566 mass shootings in the country this year, CNN reported.