BOWDOIN, MAINE: Maine law enforcement has come under fire after it emerged that officials reportedly waited outside suspected shooter Robert Card’s house for hours before serving a search warrant.
The 40-year-old Card, who is reported to be a US Army reservist, has been on the run since Wednesday, October 25 when he opened fire in two separate locations in Lewiston, leaving at least 18 people dead and another 13 injured.
He was allegedly driving a 2013 white Subaru, which was later found in Lisbon, about seven miles southeast of Lewiston.
Since then, more than 350 state and federal law enforcement officers have been searching the region for Card with the assistance of dogs, drones, and helicopters.
There is an arrest warrant out for eight counts of murder for Card, according to CBS News. On Thursday, Police even served a search warrant at Card’s home at around 5 pm.
Police could be heard yelling for someone to emerge and approach the front of the property, while TV news teams were requested to turn off their lights, according to the Independent.
Officers ordered someone inside to come out of the rural “with nothing in their hands”, adding that their “safety could be guaranteed.”
Maine state police said that the orders to 'come out with your hands up' were 'standard', and refused to comment on who was inside.
'The announcements that are being heard over a loudspeaker are standard search warrant announcements when executing a warrant to ensure the safety of all involved," said Shannon Moss, a spokesman for Maine state police, as per Daily Mail.
After several hours, the police started to leave the area, and by 9 pm, the last convoy—which included Maryland State Police—had left. The New Hampshire State Police chopper also departed.
Why did Robert Card target Schemengees Bar and Grille?
Card’s sister told authorities that he may have opened fire at Schemengees Bar and Grille and Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley in the hope of finding his former lover, ABC reported.
Court documents show his ex-wife filed for divorce in 2007 and they were granted joint custody of their child - though it's unclear whether she is his most recent ex.
Law enforcement sources told the outlet that the firearm instructor left a suicide note addressed to his son. However, the letter doesn’t reveal the motive behind his rampage.
A bulletin put out by the Maine Information and Analysis Center, a database for law enforcement officials, also noted that Card “recently reported mental health issues to include hearing voices and threats to shoot up the National Guard Base in Saco, ME.”
At the US Military Academy at West Point in New York, Card was undergoing training with his unit, the Army Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment, when his military commanders reported seeing him behave strangely in July.
He was then brought to the Keller Army Community Hospital for assessment.
Internet slams Maine law enforcement
The news of a police raid at Robert Card’s residence has garnered immense social media attention, with users slamming law enforcement for waiting outside before serving the search warrant.
“This sounds like Joe Biden talking to and negotiating with himself!” one user wrote “They wasted hours of taxpayer dollars attempting to negotiate with an empty house…. You can’t make this s**t up,” the second user said.
“Why would he be there, that’s what I don’t understand from the feds. Of all places why would he go to his house,” the third one fumed.
One asserted, “Wait a minute... weren't there already numerous reports that he had been spotted places other than his house?”
“Our law enforcement agencies are a complete joke. They have failed on numerous occasions which resulted in many murders,” another user wrote.
“So what made them think the shooter would just go back to his house and wait for them?” one more said.
