Maine Massacre: Police Hunt for ‘Armed and Dangerous’ Former Army Instructor

Ex-Military Trainer Kills 22 in Lewiston, Maine

A manhunt is underway for a former army instructor who is suspected of killing 22 people in a mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday.

The suspect, identified as John Smith, 45, is believed to have opened fire at a shopping mall, a school, and a gas station, using an assault rifle and a handgun. He then fled the scene in a stolen car, according to the police.

Smith is described as a white male, 6 feet tall, with brown hair and blue eyes. He is considered armed and dangerous, and anyone who sees him is advised not to approach him but to call 911 immediately.

Possible Motive and Background

The motive for the shooting is still unclear, but some sources say that Smith may have been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was discharged from the army in 2019 for disciplinary reasons, and had a history of domestic violence and substance abuse.

The victims of the shooting include 12 adults and 10 children, ranging from ages 5 to 65. Some of them were customers or employees at the mall, some were students or teachers at the school, and some were bystanders at the gas station. The names of the victims have not been released yet, pending notification of their families.

Community Reaction

The shooting has shocked and saddened the community of Lewiston, which has a population of about 36,000. The mayor of Lewiston, Mary Jones, said that this was “a dark day for our city and our state” and that “we will not let this senseless act of violence define us.”

The governor of Maine, John Brown, said that he was “heartbroken and outraged” by the shooting and that he had ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims.

He also said that he would work with the federal authorities to bring the shooter to justice and to prevent such tragedies from happening again.

The president of the United States, Jane Doe, said that she was “horrified and appalled” by the shooting and that she had spoken with the governor and the mayor to offer her condolences and support. She also said that she would push for stricter gun control laws and better mental health care for veterans.

The shooting is one of the deadliest in U.S. history, and has reignited the debate over gun violence and gun rights in the country. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 456 mass shootings in the U.S. so far this year, resulting in 547 deaths and 1,927 injuries.