The city of Lewiston in Maine, US, is in shock following the devastating mass shooting reported on Wednesday night that left at least 22 individuals dead in separate gun events.
The suspect, a 40-year-old Maine resident, has been identified by law enforcement officials in Maine as Robert Card. He is believed to be an Army Reserve member and qualified firearms instructor. Card was stationed at the National Guard Base, and according to the New York Post, he had acknowledged “hearing voices” and had even threatened to carry out a shooting.
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According to the Gun Violence Archive, the shooting is still the deadliest of the year. In addition, up to 60 casualties would be the most victims of any incident in 2023. Authorities in Maine issued orders for citizens to take cover inside their homes and issued a warning to “stay off the roads to allow emergency responders access to the hospitals.”
Card’s backstory became even more complicated when it was revealed that he had been confined to a mental health facility throughout the summer. He was freed after being there for two weeks. He has not yet stated the reasons behind his commitment or the specifics of his mental health assessment.
The study team at Gun Violence Archive claims that the surge in gun violence is part of a frightening trend: only five years ago, there had never been more than 500 shootings nationwide in a single year. The deadliest shooting of the year was the attack in January in Monterey Park, California, where a 72-year-old gunman on the eve of the Lunar New Year killed eleven people and injured nine others in a mostly Asian neighbourhood. That shooting took place before the one in Maine.
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The country was also stunned by the gun violence at a Sweet 16 birthday celebration in Dadeville, Alabama, where four teenagers were killed and 32 were injured—the highest number of casualties prior to the mass shooting in Maine.
