2023-10-26 15:46:32
The gun attack took place on Wednesday evening (local time) in the small town of Lewiston. The shooter caused a bloodbath in a barbecue restaurant and a leisure center with a bowling alley and then fled. A major manhunt has been underway ever since. On Thursday, Maine Governor Janet Mills announced the official death toll at 18.
Police are looking for a 40-year-old man who is considered “armed and dangerous.” In photos from surveillance cameras he can be seen holding an assault rifle. The man is said to be a military reservist and a trained firearms instructor who was reportedly receiving psychiatric treatment in the summer. Nothing was known regarding possible motives.
Gun attack in the USA
Several people were killed in a gun attack in the town of Lewiston, Maine.
People should stay at home
The population in the area was asked not to leave their homes and several schools remained closed. On Thursday, the police expanded the security warnings to other locations around Lewiston because the perpetrator had not yet been caught many hours following the attack.
According to police, the first emergency calls were received at 6:56 p.m. local time on Wednesday evening. About ten kilometers from Lewiston, emergency services found the car they were looking for, a small white SUV.
Graphics: APA/ORF
Lewiston has a population of just under 40,000 and is located approximately 200 kilometers north of Boston on the east coast of the USA. Maine is one of the smaller and sparsely populated states and is located in the northeastern tip of the country. Major attacks with firearms occur much less frequently there than in other parts of the country.
Mayor shocked and dismayed
Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said he was shocked. “I am heartbroken for our city and our people,” he wrote in a statement. The place is known for its strength and courage. “We will need both in the coming days.”
The mayor of the neighboring city of Auburn, Jason Levesque, also expressed his dismay. Fear, panic and concern had spread among residents, he told reporters. “You can train for something like this, but you can never be fully prepared,” he added.
Biden is calling for the law to be tightened
The White House said US President Joe Biden had been informed of the incident and would continue to be kept up to date. The president once more called for stricter gun laws on Thursday. “Far too many Americans have a family member killed or injured by gun violence. This is not normal and we cannot accept it,” said the Democrat.
In the USA, rampages and fatal shootings are part of everyday life. Firearms are readily available and widely circulated in the United States. Bloody attacks with many victims regularly shake the country. After every major attack, there are new calls for gun laws to be tightened, for example for a ban on assault rifles, which are regularly used in rampages. However, the demands are in vain, not least because of resistance from the Republican ranks.
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