Minnesota's Public Safety Commissioner is calling the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine "senseless and inexcusable."
Commissioner Bob Jacobsen says unfortunately, it's a sad reminder that this type of incident can happen anywhere. He says in addition to the impact on the victims' families, something like this is beyond difficult for first responders.
"And those police officers that are out there every day doing this work and the ones that had to respond to this horrific situation too, my heart goes out to those first responders, police officers, paramedics, hospital staff and personnel," Jacobsen says. "Those community members that are dealing with this again, it just, it breaks my heart. Even from the State of Minnesota to the State of Maine, just knowing what they're going through."
Maine’s governor says at least 18 people were killed and 13 were injured in shootings in Maine. Gov. Janet Mills made the remarks at a press conference Thursday.
A man shot and killed the victims at a bowling alley and restaurant in Lewiston and then fled into the night, sparking a massive search by hundreds of officers while frightened residents stayed locked in their homes Thursday under a shelter-in-place advisory.
Mills said the shooting suspect, Robert Card, is considered armed and dangerous. Authorities urged residents to lock themselves in their homes and schools announced closures on Thursday.
It’s the 36th mass killing in the United States this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.