Maine shooting: Lewiston shooting victims mourned at vigil; shooter Robert Card found dead

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Gives Conflicting Response to Mass Shooting

Asked on “Meet the Press” whether anything could have prevented the tragedy, the Florida governor appeared to offer two conflicting views on the subject, arguing that the government should have more power to institutionalize Americans considered a threat to themselves. and/or others, while simultaneously asserting that whistleblower laws, designed to prevent these people from owning guns, would be a step too far.

Presumably, Mr. DeSantis does not believe that Americans placed in mental health institutions through the power of state or federal governments should have access to firearms while in treatment.

“I would be more aggressive towards some of these marginal people who clearly show that they represent a major danger to society,” he promised.

John Bowden has the full story…

Statement from Maine Senator Susan Collins after the shooting

Lewiston begins to heal, days after shooter found dead

The parking lot was full Saturday morning at Governor’s Restaurant and Bakery in Lewiston after “a very quiet few days here,” manager Brittany Peterson said. “There was no movement; the only movements you heard were police sirens and helicopters.

Local authorities announced Saturday that counseling services were being set up in various locations for those directly affected by the shootings and for members of the broader community. Residents swarmed supermarkets and other stores, which had been completely closed since the shelter-in-place order was implemented Wednesday as a manhunt began.

Could the shootings have been avoided?

The warning signs appear to have been there with Card – with his threats against a National Guard base and his serious mental health issues.

Today, questions are being asked about whether the mass shooting could have been avoided if steps had been taken to prevent him from having access to guns.

Maine has very lax gun laws and people do not need a license or background check to purchase or conceal a firearm. Possession of semi-automatic weapons is also legal in the state. The state also does not have a whistleblower law in place – a law used to prevent individuals from purchasing or possessing firearms if they fear being a danger to themselves or others .

However, there is a yellow flag law that allows family members to contact law enforcement and request a temporary order barring a loved one from accessing firearms if they appear to be suffering from a seizure. Mental Health.

By law, the individual must first be taken into custody for a medical evaluation – which is what happened to Card this summer.

ICYMI: What happened to Robert Card?

Maine Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck confirmed Friday evening that Robert Card’s body was found in a wooded area, about eight miles from the scene of the shooting.

A member of the US Army Reserve reportedly committed suicide in an area near a recycling facility from which he had recently been discharged, CNN reported.

Maine Department of Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck said the body was found at 7:45 p.m. ET and that he called the shooter’s family — as well as the victims’ families — before the news conference .

“They lost a loved one in this scenario, and many members of this family have been very cooperative with us throughout. So they deserved that phone call,” he said.

Prior to that, Card had not been seen since he allegedly opened fire at a Lewiston bar Wednesday night.

Investigators traced his vehicle to a landing stage in Lisbon – about 13km from the crime scene – hours later.

Heartbreaking final text to Maine mass shooting victim who died trying to shoot Card revealed

Thomas “Tommy” Conrad had planned to carve a pumpkin at the bowling alley for children in the Lewiston community before a gunman opened fire in a mass shooting that left 18 people dead.

Now, mourners are leaving jack-o’-lanterns outside Just-In-Time Recreation in tribute to the 34-year-old manager, who was killed in the attack while trying to shoot the shooter.

As news of the massacre broke, Alex McMahan, co-owner of a chain of dispensaries in the area, texted his longtime client and friend Conrad: “Are you okay bro?”

“And he obviously didn’t respond,” Mr. McMahan said. The Independent.

A GoFundMe set up for Conrad’s family describes him as a man “devoted to his work, his play and his young daughter, Caroline.”

“He died a hero,” the campaign says. “He put his life on the line to charge the shooter and save the children there.”

Shooting victims remembered as vigil begins

A second vigil will take place on Sunday at 6 p.m.

Sunday’s vigil will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Franco Center in Lewiston to mourn the 18 lives lost in the mass shooting.

Last night a candlelight vigil took place at Worumbo in Lisbon.

Scenes from Lewiston as the city heals

Questions left unanswered after mass shooting

As the multi-day manhunt drew to a close, many questions still swirled.

What was in this mysterious note?

Could the tragedy have been avoided?

The Independents Rachel Sharp investigation…