Investigators spent around 48 hours searching for an army reservist who is said to have shot 18 people in the US state of Maine. Now the suspect has been found dead.
The suspected shooter in the massacre that left 18 dead in the US state of Maine is no longer alive. After a two-day search, police found the suspect’s body, said Maine Governor Janet Mills.
She had an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a Department of Public Safety spokesman. “I’m breathing a sigh of relief tonight,” said Mills. The suspect no longer poses a threat. Now a long and difficult path begins to come to terms with the cruel act.
Motive remains unclear
The gunman opened fire at a recreation center and a barbecue restaurant in the small town of Lewiston on Wednesday evening. He then escaped and his trail was lost in the wooded surroundings.
After a relatively short time, the police identified 40-year-old reserve soldier Robert C. as the suspected perpetrator. His motive remained unclear. He was reportedly undergoing psychiatric treatment a few weeks ago and was said to have imagined hearing voices. It was initially unclear whether this was a reason for the terrible crime.
Authorities imposed a kind of curfew
The police searched for the suspect with a large number for around 48 hours. Escape by boat was also not ruled out. After the incident, a state of emergency prevailed in the rural area in the northern state – public life practically came to a standstill.
Authorities imposed a kind of curfew and asked tens of thousands of people in several communities not to leave their homes. Schools and shops remained closed for fear of the missing perpetrator. The order was only lifted on Friday evening (local time).
The authorities finally announced the names of the 18 people who died. The youngest was only 14 years old, the oldest was 76.