USA
Bloody act that left 18 dead: US police are looking for the shooter
Police officers are on duty in Lewiston during the search for the shooter. photo
© Steven Senne/AP/dpa
He opens fire, kills 18 people and flees. Since then, there has been no trace of the suspect. In the area around the two crime scenes, public life largely comes to a standstill.
They are looking for a massacre that left 18 dead in the US state of Maine Police continue to search for the shooter with a large contingent.
Yesterday evening (local time) numerous police cars arrived in front of the suspect’s house in the small town of Bowdoin and officers combed through several properties. It is not known whether the suspect is in one of the houses searched, police said. The US Coast Guard was also looking for him because an escape by boat was not ruled out. There is a state of emergency in the region. The police warned residents urgently about the fugitive and called on people not to leave their homes.
The act
The gunman opened fire on Wednesday evening at a recreation center with bowling alleys and a barbecue restaurant in the small town of Lewiston. He killed seven people at the first crime scene and eight people at the second. Three other victims died in hospital shortly after the crime. Another 13 people were injured. The perpetrator’s motive was not known the day after.
A survivor who lost her sister in the bloody crime told CNN: “We were bowling and heard a big bang.” At first she wasn’t sure what was going on. But then she heard several shots. “I ran as far as I could.”
Lewiston has almost 40,000 residents and is located in Maine, about 200 kilometers north of Boston on the east coast of the USA. The city is about a 30-minute drive from Bowdoin, the suspect’s hometown. About ten kilometers from Lewiston, the police found the car they were looking for, a small white SUV.
Guessing about motive
The police identified 40-year-old reserve soldier Robert C. as the suspected perpetrator. According to the Washington Post, he enlisted in the military in 2002 but did not complete any combat missions. He studied engineering technology, but did not graduate. The newspaper also reported that the man’s behavior seemed strange to colleagues a few months ago. He is said to have been in psychiatric treatment for two weeks and, according to media reports, imagined that he heard voices.
Investigators reportedly found a note in the man’s home. However, they did not provide any information about their content. The suspect’s family is cooperating with the police. The man’s sister is said to have told investigators, according to ABC broadcaster, that she believed her brother was looking for an ex-girlfriend at the crime scenes. He and his ex-girlfriend often went to the leisure center and the barbecue restaurant.
The manhunt
Last night it initially looked as if the police might have achieved success. CNN reported that FBI agents took up positions in front of the suspect’s house, called his name and asked him: “Come out with your hands up!” A short time later, the police said on Platform X: “The announcements heard over a loudspeaker are standard announcements when executing a search warrant to ensure the safety of everyone involved.”
The search for the fugitive is also very difficult because the rural area is only sparsely populated. Investigators fear the suspect may have hidden in the woods or even escaped on a boat. According to colleagues, the man is said to be experienced in moving around the terrain. Hundreds of police officers combed the area. The authorities held back with information – hardly any details were made public.
Debate about guns
In the USA, rampages and fatal shootings are sadly part of everyday life. Firearms are easily available there and are widely circulated. Bloody attacks – for example at schools, in supermarkets, nightclubs and at major events – regularly shock the country with many victims. This repeatedly leads to discussions about tightening gun laws, but so far without any real result. As a rule, stricter rules fail because of the Republicans and the powerful gun lobby.
There is no law in the state of Maine that would allow law enforcement to disarm someone who poses a danger to themselves or others. Yesterday, Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine appeared before the press and faced questions about gun laws in the state. “We have a Second Amendment in our country,” emphasized Collins, referring to the right to bear arms enshrined in it. The relevant passage comes from the 18th century. “I would like to point out that this region (…) has a long tradition of responsible gun ownership,” said Collins.
Condolences also from Germany
Chancellor Olaf Scholz was also dismayed by the crime. “I am deeply shocked by the terrible attack in Lewiston, Maine. My condolences go out to the families and friends of the victims,” Scholz wrote in English on the X platform.