After deadly bloody act in Maine: body of suspected shooter found The new speaker: milk face or devil?

Big relief in Maine: Police found the suspect’s body on Friday evening (local time), local authorities announced. Apparently the man committed suicide after his bloody act. “I’m breathing a sigh of relief tonight,” said Maine Governor Janet Mills. The suspect no longer poses a threat, the guesswork about the motive for the terrible act continues.

The gunman opened fire Wednesday evening at a recreation center and barbecue restaurant in the small town of Lewiston. He then escaped and his trail was lost in the wooded area. After a relatively short time, the police identified 40-year-old reserve soldier Robert C. as the suspected perpetrator. He reportedly underwent psychiatric treatment a few weeks ago and allegedly imagined he was hearing voices. It was initially unclear whether this was a reason for the terrible crime. According to media reports, the man left behind some sort of suicide note.

Difficult search for suspect

The police searched for the suspect for two days with a large number. The researchers also did not rule out an escape by boat. They received more than 500 tips from residents in connection with the search. The search was also very difficult because the sparsely populated area has many forests and swamps. Lewiston itself has almost 40,000 inhabitants and is located about 200 kilometers north of Boston on the American east coast.

Following the incident, a state of emergency prevailed in rural areas of the northern state, bringing public life to a virtual standstill. Authorities imposed a curfew of sorts and ordered tens of thousands of people in several communities not to leave their homes. Schools and shops remained closed out of fear of the missing perpetrator. The order was not lifted until Friday evening (local time).

“Tonight we are grateful that Lewiston and the surrounding communities are safe after people spent agonizing days in their homes,” US President Joe Biden said after the body was found. Countless “brave police officers” worked around the clock to find the suspect.

The motive for the crime remains unclear

But many questions remained unanswered for now, as authorities only released some details during a press conference late Friday evening. Governor Mills said the suspect’s body was found in the city of Lisbon, about a 15-minute drive from the two crime scenes. Police say she apparently suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Another press conference would take place on Saturday. Police could not say how long the suspect had been dead. His body was reportedly found at 7:45 p.m. – according to CNN near a recycling plant where the alleged gunman was believed to have worked until recently.

One could only speculate about the motives for the crime. For example, the suspect is said to have broken off his relationship with his girlfriend shortly before the crime and was often with her at the later crime scene. The authorities did not comment on this.

Youngest victim only 14 years old

Authorities also released the names of the 18 people killed on Friday. The youngest was only 14 years old, the eldest was 76. Moreover, more and more horrific details about the crime have emerged in recent days as eyewitnesses described their experiences. “I crawled around the corner, but at that moment I already had a gunshot wound in my arm,” said Jennifer Zanca, who was at the barbecue restaurant with friends at the time of the crime. She ended up hiding behind a garbage can. “I don’t know what to do now because it keeps happening and there have to be solutions.”

The massacre in Maine is the deadliest in the United States since the shooting at a Texas elementary school in May 2022. At the time, a gunman in Uvalde killed 19 children and two teachers. In the US, these bloody acts are unfortunately part of everyday life. Firearms are easily available there and widely distributed. This repeatedly leads to discussions about tightening gun laws, but so far without any results. As a rule, the push for stricter gun laws fails because of Republicans and the powerful gun lobby. President Biden also repeatedly calls for stricter regulations. He emphasized, “Americans should not live like this.” (saw/sda/dpa)