Challenges Confronting Law Enforcement in the Pursuit of the Lewiston Shooting Suspect

Law enforcement agencies are conducting a search in southern Maine to locate a man who has been accused of committing two mass shootings on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of 18 individuals. According to experts interviewed by CNN, there are numerous factors concerning his background that may pose challenges and potential dangers during the search.

The man in question, Robert Card, aged 40, has been the focus of the search for nearly a day. The shootings occurred in close proximity to each other, approximately 4 miles apart, in Lewiston, the second-largest city in Maine, located around 40 miles north of Portland. Currently, Card is facing an arrest warrant for eight counts of murder, a number that is expected to increase as more victims are identified, as confirmed by officials.

Authorities are currently continuing their search for Card, but they may encounter various obstacles. According to law enforcement experts, Card's expertise as a marksman and his status as a US Army reserves member, along with his claimed outdoorsman skills and apparent premeditation for the alleged attack, present significant challenges for investigators.

"Given his military training, he possesses advanced firearms proficiency and possesses knowledge of military tactics, particularly evasion techniques and strategies for remaining undetected," explained Jonathan Wackrow, a CNN Law Enforcement Analyst. "All of these factors make the task at hand particularly arduous for law enforcement."

His experience with guns and the outdoors

According to experts interviewed by CNN, Cards demonstrated expertise in handling firearms, which raises the level of danger during the search and any possible encounter with law enforcement.

Card, a certified firearms instructor, has been confirmed as a law enforcement professional by officials in Maine, CNN reported. According to Army records, Card serves as a petroleum supply specialist in the Army reserve, but has not been deployed for combat duties. A former colleague from Cards Army Reserve Unit, Clifford Steeves, confirmed that Card, despite never witnessing combat, has undergone comprehensive training, including firearm expertise. Steeves stated that Card is an exceptional marksman and one of the top shooters in their unit.

Lewiston Police Department identified Robert Card as a "person of interest" involved in the Lewiston shooting.

Lewiston Police Department

"His familiarity with weapons makes him a bit more dangerous," said Rob DAmico, a retired FBI agent and former member of the bureaus Hostage Rescue Team.

He used the example of instances where shootings are prevented when a gunman's weapon malfunctions, giving an opportunity for a bystander to intervene. D'Amico mentioned that as a firearms instructor, Card would be skilled in quickly resolving such malfunctions, possibly within a second. Michael Harrison, a former Baltimore police commissioner, also acknowledged Card's "capability" to cause significant harm swiftly. He expressed his worry about the suspect's potential to cause a similar level of devastation if confronted by law enforcement again.

According to Harrison, Card has the potential to engage in a violent confrontation as he "could position himself" for such an encounter. Harrison further stated that Card's surrender, suicide, or a violent encounter with the police are all possible outcomes of the search, all of which are highly perilous. Steeves, who spoke to CNN, informed that Card has undergone navigation training in the Army Reserves and is described as an individual who is at ease in outdoor settings.

Law enforcement in Maine is skilled at searching wooded areas, according to US Rep. Chellie Pingree, who remarked that the majority of the search is being conducted in such locations. "Finding individuals who are lost in the woods is something our exceptional law enforcement in Maine is accustomed to," she stated.

D'Amico noted that Card's residency in Maine likely contributes to his ease with outdoor activities, suggesting that he may have accumulated more outdoor experience than the average person's military bootcamp training.

His careful planning

Several law enforcement experts also pointed to what they said was evidence of careful planning by the suspect.

"The level of planning in this attack is evident," stated Juliette Kayyem, CNN's senior national security analyst. "The suspect has managed to evade capture for nearly 14 hours or even longer."

This sentiment was echoed by Wackrow, CNN's law enforcement analyst, who emphasized that the suspect's ability to escape after committing two shootings at different places "indicates a higher level of strategic planning behind the attack and, more significantly, showcases the suspect's skill in eluding law enforcement."

This planning can be demonstrated by the discovery of his car. Following the shooting, authorities shared a photograph of an SUV that was believed to be owned by Card, who was then considered a "person of interest."

A woman is hugged by a man at a reunification center at Auburn Middle School, in Auburn, Maine, after shootings in Lewiston on Wednesday, October 25, 2023.

Derek Davis/AP

- A timeline of the mass shooting in Maine and the subsequent search for a suspect is provided.

- At nearly 10 p.m., authorities found the suspect's vehicle, a white Subaru, at the Pejepscot Boat Launch in Lisbon, situated approximately 8 miles southeast of Lewiston. This led to speculation that the suspect may have fled on water.

"The question is whether he possesses a boat at that location or is he aware of a boat he could utilize as part of a second plan, or is it merely a result of him concluding his shooting and being in escape mode? These uncertainties exist," stated CNN's Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst, John Miller.

According to DAmico, an escape by water may facilitate the search as the waterways would restrict the suspect's movement. Additionally, he mentioned that a warm boat engine would attract the attention of authorities employing thermal imaging technology. However, DAmico believes it is more likely that the suspect fled in a second vehicle, either one he left at the scene or potentially stole.

Miller noted that the individual seemed familiar with the area, indicating that the decision to veer off toward the boat launch was intentional rather than accidental. This implies that he had a well-thought-out strategy in mind. According to Miller, the plan was to evade capture and remain at large, a characteristic often observed in cases involving active shooters. This, Miller added, introduces an additional complication. It is not merely a local manhunt, but rather a pursuit of someone possessing the means and expertise to create a substantial distance between themselves and law enforcement.