Maine State Police release timeline of two-day manhunt for accused mass shooter, Robert Card

LEWISTON, Maine — Eighteen people were killed and thirteen others were injured in a mass shooting at two locations in Lewiston, Maine las week. The violent attack prompted a two-day manhunt across the region as local, state and federal law enforcement officials searched for gunman.

Authorities identified Robert Card as the shooter, who was found dead Friday evening from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was found near the Androscoggin River in the Maine community of Lisbon Falls, 10 miles from Lewiston.

Card, 40, was a certified firearms instructor and a member of the US Army Reserve, law enforcement officials said. Before he was found dead, authorities had obtained an arrest warrant on multiple murder charges against him in connection to the shootings.

On Thursday Maine State Police released the definitive timeline of how the shooting and manhunt unfolded.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25: SHOOTINGS OCCUR

Oct. 25, 6:56 p.m. - Lewiston and Auburn Communication Centers begin receiving reports of an active shooter at Just-in-Time Recreation Center, a bowling alley in Lewiston.

Oct. 25, 7:08 P.M. - Lewiston and Auburn Communication Centers begin receiving reports of an active shooter at Schemengees Bar & Grille, in Lewiston.

Oct. 25, 7:10 p.m. - 7:13 p.m. - State officers arrived at 7:10 p.m. and the first officers with Lewiston police arrived at 7:13 p.m.

Oct. 25, 7:20 p.m. - Maine State Police Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) was contacted for deployment to Lewiston

Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. - Due to the magnitude of the incident, New England State Police Administrators Compact (NESPAC) resources including Tactical, Airwing, investigative resources, and Dive Team components are placed on standby to be utilized and requested as needed.

Oct. 25, 8:07 p.m. - Maine Information and Analysis Center (MIAC) personnel were activated to go to the office for an intelligence and information gathering.

Oct. 25, 8:11 p.m. - Communications Centers begin to receive reports of an active shooter at the Walmart Distribution Center in Lewiston. The area is searched and its determined to be an unfounded report.

Oct. 25, 8:20 p.m. - A large contingent of Officers and Tactical Teams stage at the Colisee arena. IMAT begins the process of organizing who is at the location for assignments.

Oct. 25, 8:35 p.m. - Activity for the Tactical Teams begins to be tracked and logged.

Oct. 25, 9:00 p.m. - Tactical Teams and Crisis Negotiation Teams are assigned to the CP for briefings.

Oct. 25, 9:20 p.m. - Robert Card is identified as a suspect for the shootings. Responders are provided information for Card’s vehicle, including a registration number.

Oct. 25, 9:30 p.m. - Investigators arrive at Just in Time bowling alley for a walk through.

Oct. 25, 9:34 p.m. - A New Hampshire State Police helicopter is available and overhead in Lewiston. The MSP Tactical Team begins to form a plan to contain Card’s residence.

Oct. 25, 10:01 p.m. - Tactical Teams respond to Card’s residence in Bowdoin and establish a perimeter.

Oct. 25, 10:08 p.m. - Information was received that Card’s vehicle is located at the Lisbon boat launch near Frost Hill Road.

Oct. 25, 10:13 p.m. - MIAC disseminated a bulletin to all New England states identifying Robert Card as a suspect.

Oct. 25, 10:23 p.m. - Tactical Team assets arrive at the boat launch. Tactical Teams discovered 30 to 40 police officers surrounding the suspect’s car. The parking lot was full of police cruisers.

Oct. 25, 10:37 p.m. - Tactical Teams clear the vehicle. Card was not inside, and a rifle and magazines are observed.

Oct. 25, 10:44 p.m. - Information from a helicopter is reported that they have a heat signature north of the suspect’s vehicle along a trail, which after investigation determined to be a false positive. The trail and surrounding area was searched by Tactical Teams.

Oct. 25, 10:52 p.m. - Tactical Teams receive information from Lisbon Police Department that a loud noise was heard inside the closed business, Springworks Farm. This business was located about 1 mile from the boat launch. A bathroom was discovered in the building, locked from the inside, and it was thought that the suspect was inside. Tactical Teams depart and travel to Springworks Farm.

Oct. 25, 10:55 p.m. - MIAC disseminates an updated bulletin to all New England states with information of additional vehicles registered to Card and that the vehicle in the original bulletin had been located.

Oct. 25, 10:58 p.m. - Tactical Teams arrive at Springworks Farm.

Oct. 25, 11:00 p.m. - Lewiston Police Department identifies Lewiston High School as the Command Post.

Oct. 25, 11:06 p.m. - Tactical Teams take over the boat launch security.

Oct. 25, 11:15 p.m. - MIAC makes notification to all Fusion Centers nationwide of the incident.

Oct. 25, 11:20 p.m. - A family assistance center was established in Auburn.

Oct. 25, 11:30 p.m. - MSP IMAT begins establishing the Command Post at Lewiston High School.

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Lewiston shootings Police respond to an active shooter situation in Lewiston, Maine, Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) (Robert F. Bukaty/AP)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26: MANHUNT BEGINS FOR ROBERT CARD

Oct. 26, 12:01 a.m. - Law enforcement began notification of families of victims whose positive identification has been determined.

Oct. 26, 12:10 a.m. - Information received that Card’s phone may be at his residence in Bowdoin. Tactical Teams respond.

Oct. 26, 12:13 a.m. - The Springworks Farm is cleared, Card was not located.

Oct. 26, 12:29 a.m. - Tactical Teams travel to Lisbon High School and stage in the parking lot.

Oct. 26, 12:43 a.m. - Tactical Teams are deployed to a residence in Lisbon where police had information that Card’s ex-girlfriend was believed to live. Police had concerns that Card might go to her residence.

Oct. 26, 12:49 a.m. - The Tactical Teams arrive in Lisbon.

Oct. 26, 1:02 a.m. - Tactical Teams clear from Lisbon, and it is discovered that the ex-girlfriend was in Auburn.

Oct. 26, 1:10 a.m. - The Tactical Teams are dispatched to a residence in Lisbon, after receiving information that a family member owns a property. Card is not located at the residence.

Oct. 26, 1:15 a.m. - Tactical Teams return to their staging location at Lisbon High School.

Oct. 26, 2:00 a.m. - Evidence Response Technicians (ERT) arrived on scene to process the bowling alley crime scene.

Oct. 26, 3:00 a.m. - Tactical Team Commanders begins to make a schedule for coverage for the upcoming day shift and plan operations.

Oct. 26, 3:33 a.m. - Auburn Police Department request that First Fleet school buses in Auburn be cleared.

Oct. 26, 3:50 a.m. - A request is made to secure two residences in Bowdoin. Tactical Teams are dispatched to secure these areas.

Oct. 26, 6:00 a.m. - IMAT creates a plan for resources, physical assets, and logistics throughout the duration of the investigation.

Oct. 26, 6:40 a.m. - Lewiston PD and Major Crimes Units locate Card’s ex-girlfriend in Auburn.

Oct. 26, 7:00 a.m. - Victims from both shooting locations start being transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) in Augusta.

Oct. 26, 8:00 a.m. - Criminal Intelligence Analysts from the MIAC are assigned to assist detectives and investigators with research and tips and leads. The IMAT Logistics Unit continues the plan for lodging throughout the duration of the investigation. The following tactical details are assigned at the morning briefing: serve a search warrant at a residence in Bowdoin, search the woods north of the boat landing with K-9s, investigate intel related to a tip at a residence in Monmouth.

Oct. 26, 12:30 p.m. - Morning missions are completed, and the following afternoon details are assigned: search of Maine Recycling (main building), clear a residence in Brunswick, search the trail to the south of the boat launch, conduct a consent search of a residence in Brunswick.

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Maine Shooting Law enforcement search a farm for the suspect in this week's deadly mass shootings, Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, in Lisbon, Maine. Police are still searching for the man who killed at least 18 in separate shootings at a bowling alley and restaurant in Lewiston on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) (Robert F. Bukaty/AP)

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27: MANHUNT CONTINUES FOR ROBERT CARD

Oct. 27, 2:45 a.m. - Tactical Teams conducted surveillance of a gravel pit in Lisbon. Believed to be a location Card could have been hiding. Determined to be false lead.

Oct. 27, 2:45 a.m. - Worked intel related to a tip that the suspect may be hiding in an apartment in Lewiston, which was investigated and deemed unfounded.

Oct. 27, 3:00 a.m. - Maine Forestry begins working on overhead Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as related to capabilities and mapping.

Oct. 27, 6:40 a.m. - A suspicious male was reported walking on Ferry Rd in Lisbon. Lisbon PD investigated.

Oct. 27, 8:00 a.m. - Search a shooting pit/range on Lisbon Street in Lisbon Falls, Search a vacant house lot in Bowdoin, Grid search Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant crime scene, Grid search Just in Time Recreation/Bowling Alley crime scene, Area around Brookfield Power Dam in Brunswick was searched, deconflicted with police department – Brunswick Police Department contacted, Follow-up on surveillance video footage from the vacant house lot in Bowdoin.

Oct. 27, 8:00 a.m. - MSP and Maine Warden Service underwater recovery teams were assigned to scan and dive the river near the boat launch.

Oct. 27, 8:00 a.m. - Sweep of riverbank for evidence was assigned to the Maine Warden Service.

Oct. 27, 12:19 p.m. - A 911 hang up call was received from Card’s mother’s residence. Tactical Teams and assets were deployed, and it was unfounded.

Oct. 27, 12:51 p.m. - Report of a male running in the woods on Cobbossee Road in Monmouth which was determined not to be credible.

Oct. 27, 2:00 p.m. - Tactical Teams cleared hunting blinds on Quarry Road in Bowdoin.

Oct. 27, 2:30 p.m. - Colonel Ross holds a virtual meeting with area Chiefs briefing them on the investigation.

Oct. 27, 4:29 p.m. - Colonel Ross makes NESPAC request for Dive and Underwater Recovery Teams and assets from New England States and New York.

Oct. 27, 6:26 p.m. - Tactical Teams take over security at two residences in Bowdoin.

Oct. 27, 6:33 p.m. - A sighting was reported on an ATV trail and Tactical Teams were assigned and it was determined to be unfounded.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27: AUTHORITIES FIND BODY OF ROBERT CARD

Oct. 27, 7:45 p.m. - Tactical Teams searching Maine Recycling overflow and discover the body what is believed to be Robert Card deceased.

Oct. 27, 7:48 p.m. - Command post is advised of the discovery and investigators work to positively identify the body of Robert Card.

Oct. 27, 8:07 p.m. - Notification was made to Lewiston Police Chief St. Pierre regarding the discovery.

Oct. 27, 8:10 p.m. - Notification was made to the Attorney General’s Office.

Oct. 27, 8:10 p.m. - Notification was made to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and approval was given for public release/dissemination of the identification based on photograph comparison.

Oct. 27, 10:10 p.m. - Notification was made to Robert Card’s family regarding his discovery and identification. The families of the victims are also notified of the discovery and identification.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28: MANHUNT CONCLUDED FOR ROBERT CARD; INVESTIGATION ON MOTIVE BEGINS

Oct. 28, 9:00 a.m. - Colonel Ross holds a virtual meeting with area Chiefs briefing them on the investigation.

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Lewiston vigil: Mourners comfort one another at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul during Sunday's vigil. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Investigators have yet to establish a motive but have increasingly focused on the mental health of Card, who was a firearms instructor.

Authorities said this week that Card’s family had brought their concerns about his deteriorating mental health to the local sheriff five months before the deadly rampage. Card had also undergone a mental health evaluation after he began behaving erratically at a training facility last summer.

Several thousand people attended vigils for the victims over the weekend, and residents started returning to work and school on Monday after stay-at-home orders were lifted.

Biden was alerted about the shooting as he hosted a White House state dinner honoring the bonds between the United States and Australia. He later stepped out of the event to speak by telephone with Maine Gov. Janet Mills and the state’s representatives in Congress.

Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Maine on Friday to pay their respects to the victims, meet with first responders and others and will “grieve with families and community members,” the White House said in a statement.

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