The suspect in the deadly mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, left behind a mysterious note in his car before he fled the scene, authorities said on Friday.
Robert Card, 40, is accused of killing 18 people and injuring 13 others at a bowling alley and a restaurant on Wednesday night, sparking a massive manhunt and forcing residents to shelter in place.
Card, who is believed to be a firearms instructor and a U.S. Army reservist, remains at large and is considered “armed and dangerous”, according to Maine Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck.
Sauschuck said that investigators found Card’s car abandoned near the Androscoggin River, where police have been searching with divers, helicopters and shoreline patrols.
Inside the car, they discovered a handwritten note that appeared to be addressed to Card’s family and friends.
Sauschuck did not reveal the contents of the note, but said it was “disturbing” and “indicative of someone who is struggling”.
He said the note did not provide any clues to Card’s whereabouts or motives for the shooting.
“We are still trying to piece together what led him to commit this horrific act of violence,” Sauschuck said.
He added that authorities are also looking into Card’s background, including his military service and any possible mental health issues.
Sauschuck urged anyone who has any information about Card or his movements to contact the police immediately.
He also asked the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
“We are doing everything we can to find him and bring him to justice,” Sauschuck said. “We will not rest until we do.”
The motive behind the Lewiston Maine shooting is still unknown, as the suspect Robert Card has not been captured or questioned by the authorities.
According to the news reports, Card may have been suffering from mental health issues, such as hearing voices and paranoia, and had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks in July. However, this does not necessarily explain why he decided to target a bowling alley and a restaurant, killing 18 people and injuring 13 others. Some experts have speculated that Card may have been triggered by romantic rejection or felt a sense of destructiveness as a matter of his masculinity, but these are only hypotheses and not confirmed facts.
The police are still searching for Card and hope to find him alive so they can interrogate him and understand his motives. Until then, the mystery note that he left behind in his car remains the only clue to his state of mind before the shooting.
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