Robert Card is dead.
Card was the suspect in the mass shooting that killed 18 people at a bowling alley and a restaurant in downtown Lewiston on Wednesday. According to the New York Times, Card’s body was found outside of a recycling plant in Lisbon, Maine where he used to work. Other news outlets reported that he was in the same clothes that he was wearing on Wednesday and that he appeared to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
At 9:50 p.m., a text message and email informed students that Card was dead and issued an “official ‘all clear’ message that provides confirmation that the current threat is over,” per the email. The messages announced that updates scheduled for Saturday morning would not be delivered, given the “important development,” and said there would be opportunities for communal gathering and mourning in the coming days.
The massacres in Lewiston, and the subsequent manhunt that lasted over 48 hours, forced three days of lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders that shuttered towns across the state. The restrictions were lifted at around 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27, though Card’s body was not discovered until hours later.
At Bates, a week that was supposed to culminate in ceremony and celebration with the inauguration of Garry Jenkins as the college’s ninth president was instead marked by an abrupt shift to lockdowns and contingency plans. Students spent a harrowing Wednesday night trapped inside academic buildings, athletics facilities, Commons and their dormitories. Classes were cancelled on Thursday, Oct. 26 and Friday, Oct. 27, with students confined to their rooms except to collect grab-and-go food from Commons once a day. The inauguration of Jenkins will be rescheduled.
As of 6:20 p.m., before the discovery of Card’s body, Bates had planned to open campus buildings as normal on Saturday and return to in-person classes on Monday.
Students who need support should reach out to Counseling and Psychological Services, the Multifaith Chaplaincy and/or their Student Support Advisor. For employees, the Employee Assistance Program is available by calling 1-888-238-6232; additional resources can be found on the HR Homepage.
