Several dead in shooting in Maine “I think democracy and capitalism are incompatible”

Several people were killed in a gun attack in the town of Lewiston, Maine. There were several victims, a police spokesman said late Wednesday evening (local time). He did not want to give exact figures. The situation is still too unclear.

US media reported up to 22 deaths based on security sources. Councilman Robert McCarthy also mentioned this number in an interview with CNN. There are also “many, many more injured people.” The reports speak of dozens of injuries. There was initially no official confirmation of the number of victims.

The perpetrator could not initially be caught. According to their own statements, the police are looking for a 40-year-old in connection with the incident and have also published a photo of him. The man is “armed and dangerous.” According to media reports, it would be a firearms instructor trained by the military.

Police authorities in the city of Lewiston and Androscoggin County said emergency crews responded to shots fired at several locations. Police have released surveillance camera images of a suspected gunman. It showed a man with a gun pointed at him. Residents in the area were urged to seek safety.

The police also published a photo of a car and asked the public for information about the man and the car. ABC and CNN reported that the attacks took place at a barbecue restaurant and a recreational center with bowling alleys.

Lewiston is a city of approximately 39,000 residents in southwestern Maine. The state is located on the east coast of the US. McCarthy said the small town’s hospitals are not equipped to handle a situation like this: “They do what they can.” The situation is surreal. “It’s just so surreal,” McCarthy said. “You see it on the news and say to yourself: this will never happen here. And then it happens here and it just blows your mind.”

In the US, disasters and deadly shootings are unfortunately part of everyday life. Firearms are readily available and widely distributed in the United States. Bloody attacks with many victims regularly shake the country.

The White House said US President Joe Biden had been briefed on the incident and would continue to be kept informed. He spoke on the phone with Maine Governor Janet Mills and members of Congress from the state, offering the federal government’s full support after the “terrible attack.” Biden was hosting a state banquet for Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at US government headquarters on Wednesday evening as the attack took place in Maine. (sda/dpa)