Tragedy Strikes Maine Community as 18 People Killed in Mass Shooting at Lewiston Bowling Alley and Restaurant

Eighteen people are dead and a manhunt is underway after a mass shooting at a bowling alley and restaurant in Lewiston, Maine Wednesday night.

Maine Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck said the shooting began shortly before 7 p.m. after authorities received a 911 call reporting a man shooting at Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley, at 6:56 p.m.

At a news conference Thursday morning, Maine Governor Janet Mills declared that today is a “dark day for Maine” and the Pine Tree State’s 1.3 million residents. She said the attacks in Lewiston had taken an emotional toll on her, as she had met her husband and raised their children in Maine’s second biggest city.

Colonel William Ross, with the Maine State Police, said multiple shelter-in-place warnings were issued in the region as police continued searching for the suspect. He urged residents to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the police.

The tragedy has left the community of Lewiston in shock, as Mills said it is a close-knit community with a long history of hard work, faith, and hospitality. She urged the community to come together to heal in the wake of the tragedy.

The investigation is ongoing and authorities have yet to identify the suspect.