Lewiston, Maine, faced one of its darkest hours after a mass shooting in a local bowling alley and bar claimed the lives of 18 people and left a further 13 wounded.
Now, authorities have revealed that suspect Robert Card also left behind a note. The revelation was made by Maine’s Public Safety Commissioner, Michael Sauschuck, during a Friday press conference detailing the tragedy, The Independent reports.
Police have also officially named all 18 victims killed in the attacks. They are Ronald Morin (55), Peyton Brewer Ross (40), Joshua Seal (36), Bryan MacFarlane (41), Joseph Walker (47), Arthur Strout (42), Maxx Hathaway (35), Stephen Vozzella (45), Thomas Conrad (34), Michael Deslauriers (51), Jason Walker (51), Tricia Asselin (53), William Brackett (48), and Keith Macneir (64).
Also tragically killed were father and son, William (44) and Aaron Young (14), and the married couple, Bob (76) and Lucy Violette (73).
A two-day manhunt following the shooting culminated in the discovery of Card's body near a recycling facility where he formerly worked, with indications pointing to a self-inflicted fatal wound.
Inside Card's property, authorities found a note, the Daily Mail reports. Although it is not being described by authorities as a "suicide note", Sauschuck did reveal that the note was intended to be read after Card had died and included posthumous intent - such as directives about accessing Card's bank and phone.
Authorities are currently keeping the full contents of the note undisclosed, as they believe it could potentially point to the reason motive behind Card's actions.
Sauschuck also revealed that Card's family played a pivotal role in the investigation. Upon seeing surveillance images, they immediately recognized Card and notified the police. Sauschuck emphasized their timely intervention as crucial, noting their overall cooperation throughout the investigation.
As reported by ABC News, the US Army has confirmed that Card was a 40-year-old US Army reservist who served as a Petroleum Supply Specialist since 2002. As well as his military training, Card was also a certified firearms instructor.
Although he never faced combat, Card's recent mental health struggles have been disclosed. He had openly threatened to commit a shooting at a National Guard facility in Saco and confessed to hearing voices. His mental state had led to a two-week stay in a mental health facility just this summer.
A representative from the U.S. Defense Department verified to ABC News that during his deployment at Camp Smith Training Center in upstate New York this summer, Card exhibited "erratic behavior".
On July 17, the leadership of the 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment of the Army Reserve alerted the training site's garrison staff about Card's conduct. Due to rising concerns over Card's safety, the unit called for law enforcement intervention, the representative stated.
In response, New York State Police took Card to the Keller Army Community Hospital at the U.S. Military Academy for a health assessment.
As the Lewiston community seeks clarity and understanding, our thoughts go out to everybody affected by this tragedy.
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