Photos of the alleged gunman were posted on social media as authorities said two scenes were under investigation in the Lewiston area
An “active shooter” armed with a long gun was roaming Lewiston, Maine, the state’s second-largest city, Wednesday night, leading to a county-wide lockdown and massive manhunt, authorities said.
He allegedly unleashed a shooting rampage at a local restaurant and a nearby bowling alley that was first reported to police around 8 p.m. local time. At least 22 people were killed, Lewiston City Councilor Robert McCarthy told CNN. Dozens more have been reported injured.
Lewiston Police and the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office posted several images of the alleged gunman on social media. Authorities asked residents to contact police if they recognized the suspect, who appeared to be a bearded white man wearing dark pants and a brown long-sleeved shirt.
“We are currently dealing with an active shooter incident,” Lewiston Police wrote on Facebook. “Please stay off the roads to allow emergency responders access to the hospitals.” The police also shared a photo of a white SUV believed to belong to the shooter.
They said Schemengees Bar and Grille and Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley, were scenes under investigation. The two locations are approxiametely a 10 minute drive from one another. Police have identified a parked, white SUV believed to belong to the shooter.
Kathy Lebel, co-owner of Schemengees, told Sun Journal a person walked in the restaurant and “started shooting.”
“It was just a fun night playing cornhole … it’s the last thing you’re expecting, right?” Lebel said. “I still feel like this whole thing is a nightmare.”
The Central Maine Medical Center said its staff was “reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter event.”
This story is developing….
