The suspect, Robert Card, has been discovered dead in a devastating development that follows the massacre that happened in Lewiston, Maine on Wednesday and left eighteen people dead. The finding was verified by law enforcement officials, providing some comfort to a community still dealing with the fallout from the tragic event.
Identification of the Suspect:
Robert Card was apprehended by Maine State Police around 7:45 p.m. on Friday, capping a two-day manhunt that encompassed numerous agencies from local, county, state, and federal law enforcement, including the FBI, SWAT, and the highly skilled ‘BORTAC’ Border Patrol squad. The suspect appeared to have self-inflicted a gunshot wound when they were found close to a recycling facility in Lisbon Falls, Maine.
Particulars on Card’s relationship to the recycling facility, where he was discovered dead next to a dumpster, were not immediately released by police or other authorities. But it turned out that he had been employed by the institution before.
Comfort for the Society:
David St. Pierre of the Lewiston Police Department voiced his relief at the news, saying, “Our community can now breathe a sigh of relief.” The neighborhood was on edge during the two-day manhunt because of worries about public safety and the capture of a dangerous and armed suspect.
Governor’s Gratitude:
At a press conference on Friday evening, Maine Governor Janet Mills expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their persistent efforts in finding Card. She praised the combined efforts of hundreds of law enforcement officers from local, county, state, and federal agencies as well as those from other states who were instrumental in ending the manhunt.
Victims Are Named:
The identities of the eighteen victims of Wednesday’s horrific massacre were made public by the Maine Medical Examiner concurrently with the news of the suspect’s death. Ronald Morin, Peyton Brewer Ross, Joshua Seal, Brian MacFarlane, Arthur Fred Strout, Joseph Lawrence Walker, Maxx Hathaway, Stephen Vozella, Thomas Ryan Conrad, Michael R. Deslauriers II, Jason Adam Walker, Tricia Asselin, William Young, Aaron Young, Robert Violette, Lucille Violette, William Frank Brackett, and Keith Macneir were named as the victims.
The Effect
The families impacted by the Lewiston massacre as well as the city as a whole are still feeling the pain and sorrow of what happened. While some closure has been provided by the finding of the suspect’s dead body, this horrible act will surely leave scars.