Maine mass-shooting was ‘unique’ because of multiple locations, manhunt, police chief tells panel

By DAVID SHARP and NICK PERRY

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — In the unfortunate history of U.S. mass shootings, the Lewiston massacre in which 18 people were killed was “extremely unique and extremely challenging” because it involved two separate locations followed by an intense search. That is according to Maine’s police chief, who was speaking to a panel investigating the shooting. Col. Bill Ross described some of the difficulties police faced during and after the Oct. 25 attacks on a bar and bowling alley by gunman Robert Card, who was found dead by suicide two days later. All told, 18 people were killed when an Army reservist opened fire. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey assembled the independent commission to determine whether anything could’ve been done under existing law to prevent the tragedy.