LEWISTON, MAINE: In a heart-wrenching tragedy that unfolded in Lewiston, Maine, on October 25, 2023, 18 innocent lives, including those of a father Bill Young, and his 14-year-old son Aaron were abruptly cut short as a US Army reservist unleashed a hail of bullets at a local bowling alley and restaurant, as per Daily Mail.
The manhunt for the alleged shooter Robert Card, 40, a resident of Bowdoin, has gripped the community, leaving them in shock and mourning.
Children's bowling league event was being held at time of shooting
Wednesday night witnessed a horrifying incident as gunfire erupted at Schemengees Bar and Grille and Just-In-Time Recreation, a nearby bowling alley located approximately 4 miles from the initial crime scene.
The bowling alley, popular among families, was hosting a children's bowling league, where parents and children had gathered for a night of fun.
Situated just 2 miles north of Bates College, Lewiston's second-largest city, the venue offered traditional tenpin bowling alongside the New England specialty, candlepin bowling.
The shooting, which ranks as the 36th mass killing in the United States this year, according to data from The Associated Press and USA Today in collaboration with Northeastern University, has left a community grappling with sorrow and shock.
Bill and Aaron Young described as 'innocent people' by cousin
Among the victims of this senseless act of violence were Bill Young and his 14-year-old son Aaron Young. Their lives were cut short during a night of leisure at the Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley, leaving their family and community devastated.
Bill's brother Rob Young, who had rushed to Lewiston from Baltimore, had been desperately searching for any information regarding their whereabouts after they had been out of contact since their ill-fated Wednesday night bowling outing.
The tragic news was confirmed by Bill's cousin Kim McConville, a resident of Pennsylvania. She described Bill and Aaron as "innocent people", emphasizing that they were simply out for a night of family fun at a children's event.
Winthrop High School, where Aaron was a freshman, also revealed that another student had lost their uncle in the shooting.
The school will remain closed on Friday due to the ongoing manhunt and plans to reopen with a two-hour delay on Monday.
No significant lead in hunt for alleged shooter Robert Card
As authorities launched an extensive manhunt for the suspected shooter Robert Card, the community remained on edge. The search efforts extended across land and water, with the Coast Guard deploying a patrol boat along the Kennebec River.
Despite hours of intense searching, no significant leads or evidence emerged, leaving investigators in a race against time.
In response to the unfolding situation, the Canada Border Services Agency issued an "armed and dangerous" alert to its officers stationed along the Canada-US border, urging them to be vigilant for any signs of Card's presence.
Meanwhile, Maine public safety authorities took swift action, issuing a shelter-in-place order for Androscoggin County and Northern Sagadahoc County.
The Maine Emergency Management Agency called upon residents to ensure the security of their homes and vehicles, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
In a bid to safeguard the citizens, Portland, Maine's largest city, made the difficult decision to close its public buildings, demonstrating the widespread impact of this tragic event on the entire region.
