Residents of Lewiston in Maine came together for special church services in remembrance of the 18 people who died in a mass shooting on October 25. Robert Card, who lived in the city, mowed down over a dozen people in the deadliest incident in the state’s history, before killing himself at the end of a three-day police manhunt.
Rev. Daniel Greenleaf led the service at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul and told the congregation, “We can see the rays of light in darkness,” while calling on people to remember their faith.
In a separate service at Lisbon Falls Baptist Church, Rev. Brian Ganong led a somber service of reflection and pointed to the loss of security the city experienced in the wake of the tragedy. “But I understand that we live in a world that is evil,” he said.
Some family members expressed regret that Mr. Card was dead because they hoped for an explanation about the massacre. “I wanted him to be apprehended. I wanted to ask questions,” said Elizabeth Seal, whose husband died in the attack.
Rob Young, the brother of Aaron Young, who was killed along with his 14-year-old son, took a different view. He said no explanation from Card would bring his brother and nephew back. “We didn’t want to sit through a trial. We didn’t want to see all the gruesome details,” he added.
Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck described the incident, saying it began around 7 pm at the Sparetime Recreation bowling alley. Emergency dispatch workers started receiving calls just after 7 o’clock, with callers reporting an active shooter inside Schemengees Bar and Grille, around four miles from the bowling alley.
With 18 people dead, Robert Card vanished, and the city of Lewiston was placed under lockdown. Three days later, on Friday evening, October 27, police held a press conference to announce that Robert Card was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot in nearby Lisbon Falls.
