International
USA: At least 16 dead in Maine shooting; police search for assailant
October 26 |
A man shot dead at least 16 people at a restaurant and bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday and then fled into the night, prompting a massive search by hundreds of officers as frightened residents remained holed up in their homes.
A police bulletin identified Robert Card, 40, as a person of interest in the attack who opened fire at the bowling alley at about 7:00 p.m. The man was described as a firearms instructor.
Card was described as a firearms instructor believed to be in the Army Reserve and assigned to a training facility in Saco, Maine.
The document, distributed to police said Card had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks in the summer of 2023. It did not provide details about his treatment or condition, but said Card had reported “hearing voices and threats to shoot up” the military base.
A phone number listed in Card’s public records was not in service.
Earlier, Lewiston police said in a Facebook post that they were dealing with an active shooter incident at Schemengees Bar and Grille and Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley about 6.4 miles away.
A bowler, who identified himself only as Brandon, said he heard about 10 shots and thought the first was a balloon burst. He then saw a man with a gun and ran to hide in the bowling area on top of the machinery.
He and a group of survivors were driven to a high school in the neighboring city of Auburn to meet with family and friends.
Melinda Small, owner of Legends Sports Bar and Grill restaurant, said her staff immediately locked its doors and moved the 25 customers and employees away from the doors after a customer reported hearing about the shooting at the bowling alley nearby.
Soon, police flooded the road and a police officer eventually escorted everyone out of the building.
After the shooting, police, many of them armed with rifles, took up positions as the city descended into an eerie silence, punctuated by occasional sirens, as people took shelter in their homes. Schools are closed Thursday in Lewiston, Lisbon and Auburn, as are municipal offices in Lewiston.
The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office posted two photographs of the suspect on its Facebook page showing the shooter entering an establishment pointing a gun.
Two law enforcement officials told AP that at least 16 people were killed and the number was expected to rise.
However, Michael Sauschuck, commissioner of the Maine Department of Public Safety, declined to provide a specific estimate at a news conference, calling it a “fluid situation.” State police were scheduled to hold a mid-morning news conference Thursday.
The two officials also said dozens of people had also been injured.
On its website, Central Maine Medical Center said staff was “reacting to a mass casualty event and mass shooting” and coordinating with area hospitals to receive patients. The hospital was locked down and police, some armed with rifles, remained at the entrances.
Meanwhile, hospitals as far away as Portland, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) to the south, were on alert for possible victims.
The order for residents and business owners to stay inside and off the streets of the city of 37,000 was extended Wednesday night from Lewiston to Lisbon, about 13 kilometers (8 miles) away, after a “vehicle of interest” was found there, authorities said.
Gov. Janet Mills issued a statement echoing instructions for people to take shelter. She said she had been briefed on the situation and will remain in close contact with public safety officials.
President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Mills and members of the state Senate and House of Representatives, offering “full federal support in the wake of this horrific attack,” according to a White House statement.
Maine does not require permits to carry guns, and the state has a long-standing culture of gun ownership that is tied to its hunting and sport shooting traditions.
International
Singer seriously injured after knife attack in Tokyo’s Akasaka District
A woman in her forties was stabbed on Sunday by a man in Tokyo’s busy Akasaka district, leaving her with serious injuries, according to local media reports.
At around 10:25 a.m. (local time), police received an emergency call reporting that a woman was bleeding after being attacked with a knife by a man wearing a black hood in the basement of a building in Akasaka, police sources told Kyodo News.
The woman sustained severe injuries to her abdomen and hand but was conscious when she was transported to a hospital, Tokyo Metropolitan Police said, adding that the suspected assailant fled the scene with what appeared to be a knife.
The victim, believed to be a singer, was reportedly attacked while waiting alone outside a live music club where she was scheduled to perform.
Police stated that they are searching for the suspect and noted that the woman did not know him.
International
Ombudsman confirms deaths of six minors in bombing targeting FARC dissidents
Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office reported on Saturday the deaths of six minors who had been recruited by guerrilla groups, killed during the deadliest airstrike ordered by President Gustavo Petro in an Amazonian region in the south of the country.
Amid pre-election criticism and pressure from the United States demanding stronger action against drug trafficking, Petro has intensified military operations against armed groups. Over the past week, a series of bombings have left 28 people dead.
The minors were killed in an airstrike announced on Tuesday against a camp belonging to dissident factions of the now-defunct FARC guerrilla in the department of Guaviare, resulting in 19 deaths—the largest operation of its kind under Petro’s administration.
“This is all deeply regrettable; it is war in its most painful and inhumane expression, harming the most vulnerable—minors recruited due to lack of protection and now turned into military targets,” said Ombudswoman Iris Marín in an audio message sent to the press, confirming the deaths of six minors without providing their ages.
Marín held the guerrilla group led by the country’s most-wanted man, alias Iván Mordisco, responsible for recruiting the children.
However, she also stressed that “the military forces must take every feasible precaution to protect children,” in accordance with international principles that require “careful evaluation of the means and methods of warfare to avoid disproportionate or unnecessary harm.”
International
Colombia reaches $4.5 billion deal to acquire 17 Gripen Fighter Jets from Saab
The Colombian government has finalized a negotiation agreement with the Swedish company Saab for the purchase of 17 SAP-39 Gripen fighter jets, valued at more than $4.5 billion, according to local media reports.
Colombian outlets indicated that payments are scheduled to begin in 2026, starting with an initial installment of 100 billion Colombian pesos. However, the aircraft will be delivered between 2027 and 2032, when the final jet is expected to arrive in Colombia.
This new contract represents the second-largest public purchase made by Colombia so far this century, surpassed only by the investment in the Bogotá metro system, local media noted.
The agreement is expected to be officially signed during the ceremony commemorating the 216th anniversary of the Colombian Aerospace Force, to be held in Cali on November 14 of this year.
Singer seriously injured after knife attack in Tokyo’s Akasaka District
Ombudsman confirms deaths of six minors in bombing targeting FARC dissidents
Arévalo warns of ‘Dark Interests’ targeting human rights defenders in Guatemala
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
Central America3 days agoArévalo warns of ‘Dark Interests’ targeting human rights defenders in Guatemala
-
International4 days agoVenezuela accuses U.S. of using Naval Deployment to pressure Maduro government
-
International3 days agoColombia reaches $4.5 billion deal to acquire 17 Gripen Fighter Jets from Saab
-
Central America3 days agoNewborn found in Costa Rican dump survives two days in unsanitary conditions
-
Sin categoría4 days agoConvicted gang member challenges Guatemala’s anti-gang law, citing Human Rights Violations
-
International2 days agoOmbudsman confirms deaths of six minors in bombing targeting FARC dissidents
-
International8 hours agoSinger seriously injured after knife attack in Tokyo’s Akasaka District