The gun attack occurred on Wednesday night (local time) in the small town of Lewiston. The shooter caused bloodshed at a steakhouse and a leisure center with a bowling alley and then fled. A massive manhunt has been underway ever since. On Thursday, Maine Governor Janet Mills announced the official death toll at 18.
Police are looking for a 40-year-old man considered “armed and dangerous”. In surveillance camera photos he can be seen holding an assault rifle. The man was believed to be a military reservist and a trained firearms instructor who had reportedly received psychiatric treatment over the summer. Nothing was known about the possible reasons.
Gun attack in the USA
Several people were killed in a gun attack in the town of Lewiston, Maine.
People should stay at home
The population of the region was asked not to leave their homes and several schools remained closed. On Thursday, police expanded security advisories to other locations around Lewiston because the perpetrator had not yet been captured several hours after the attack.
According to police, the first emergency calls were received at 6:56 pm local time on Wednesday night. About six miles from Lewiston, emergency services found the car they were looking for, a small white SUV.
Graphics: APA/ORF
Lewiston has a population of just under 40,000 and is located approximately 200 kilometers north of Boston on the east coast of the USA. Maine is one of the smallest and sparsely populated states and is located in the extreme northeast of the country. Major gun attacks occur much less frequently there than in other parts of the country.
Mayor shocked and dismayed
Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said he was shocked. “I am heartbroken for our city and our people,” he wrote in a statement. The place is known for its strength and courage. “We will need both in the coming days.”
The mayor of nearby Auburn, Jason Levesque, also expressed his dismay. Fear, panic and concern spread among residents, he told reporters. “You can train for something like this, but you will never be fully prepared,” he added.
Biden calls for the law to be stricter
The White House said US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the incident and will continue to be kept updated. The president again called for stricter gun laws on Thursday. “Too many Americans have a family member killed or injured by gun violence. This is not normal and we cannot accept it,” said the Democrat.
In the US, riots and fatal shootings are part of everyday life. Firearms are readily available and widely distributed in the United States. Bloody attacks with many victims regularly shake the country. After each major attack, there are new calls for gun laws to be stricter, for example to ban assault rifles, which are regularly used in violent attacks. However, the demands are in vain, mainly due to resistance from the republican ranks.