Lewiston mass shooting suspect Robert Card found dead after massive manhunt, officials say

PRESS CONFERENCE HAPPENING AT LEWISTON CITY HALL. NOW TO SEE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING. EXCUSE ME. COMING HERE ON SHORT NOTICE, I STAND HERE TO TONIGHT TO SIMPLY REPORT THAT THE MAINE STATE POLICE HAVE LOCATED THE BODY OF ROBERT CARD IN LISBON. HE IS DEAD. I’VE CALLED PRESIDENT BIDEN TO INFORM HIM ABOUT THIS NEWS. I’VE INFORMED SENATOR KING, SENATOR COLLINS, REPRESENTATIVE PINGREE AND REPRESENTATIVE GOLDEN, COMMISSIONER SAUSCHUCK WILL DESCRIBE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THAT DISCOVERY AND SOME DETAIL IN A FEW MOMENTS. BUT THIS DISCOVERY IS ENTIRELY THANKS TO THE HUNDREDS OF LOCAL, COUNTY, STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT MEMBERS FROM ALL OVER AND PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES AS WELL. PEOPLE WHO SEARCHED TIRELESSLY TO ARRIVE AT THIS MOMENT AND ON BEHALF OF ALL MAINE PEOPLE, I WANT TO EXPRESS, EXPRESS MY PROFOUND GRATITUDE, FOOD FOR THEIR UNWAVERING BRAVERY AND DETERMINATION AND FORTITUDE AND FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF LEWISTON POLICE CHIEF SAINT. WHERE DO YOU GO? RIGHT THERE. THERE. THAT GUY. LEWISTON POLICE CHIEF SAINT PIERRE. LIKE MANY PEOPLE, I’M BREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEF TONIGHT, KNOWING THAT ROBERT CARD IS NO LONGER A THREAT TO ANYONE. AND I KNOW THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE AND MANY PEOPLE WHO SHARE THAT SENTIMENT. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT HIS DEATH MAY NOT BRING SOLACE TO MANY. BUT NOW IS A TIME TO HEAL AND WITH THIS SEARCH CONCLUDE, DID I KNOW THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTINUES TO FULLY INVESTIGATE ALL THE FACTS SO WE CAN BRING WHAT CLOSURE WE CAN TO THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES? AND I ASK THAT ALL MAINE PEOPLE CONTINUE TO KEEP THOSE FAMILIES AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THIS TRAGEDY IN THEIR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. LOUIS AN IS A SPECIAL PLACE THIS ISN’T US. LEWISTON IS A GREAT PLACE. IT’S A CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY OF FINE PEOPLE, PEOPLE WITH A LONG HISTORY, A HISTORY OF HARD WORK, WORK OF PERSISTENCE, OF FAITH, OF OPENING ITS BIG HEART TO PEOPLE EVERYWHERE HERE. AND TONIGHT, AT THE CITY OF LEWISTON AND THE STATE OF MAINE BEGIN TO MOVE FORWARD. AND ON WHAT WILL BE A LONG AND DIFFICULT ROAD TO HEALING. BUT WE WILL HEAL TOGETHER. THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE GRAD TITUDE OF ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MAINE TO THESE WONDERFUL MEMBERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO CAME FROM ALL OVER TO HELP US SOLVE THIS CRIME AND PUT CLOSURE ON THIS INVESTIGATION. ROBERT CARD IS DEAD. NOW I’M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER SAUSCHUCK. GOT MY BOSS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GOVERNOR. WE TRULY DO APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT. I THINK IT’S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT THE NEXT PERSON THAT SPEAKS THIS EVENING IS LEWISTON’S CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT CHAMPION. AND THAT IS DAVE SAINT-PIERRE. DAVE. THANK YOU, MIKE. AND THANK YOU, GOVERNOR, FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY. BEAR WITH ME, PLEASE. I CERTAINLY DID NOT HAVE MUCH TIME TO PREPARE A SPEECH HERE. I WANT TO I WANT TO SAY TO EVERYBODY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU CAN OUR COMMUNITY CAN NOW BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF AS AS THE GOVERNOR STATED, AND I CAN’T ECHO THAT ENOUGH. OUR WORK, AGAIN, IS NOT DONE HERE. I WAS VERY ELATED TONIGHT WHEN I GOT THE CALL FROM COMMISSIONER SAUSCHUCK ADVISING ME OF THE REVELATION OF WHAT TOOK PLACE IN THAT MR. CARD IS DECEASED AND NO LONGER A THREAT TO OUR COMMUNITY OR ANY OTHER COMMUNITY. I JUST DON’T WANT TO FORGET THE FAMILIES THAT ARE GRIEVING AND WILL CONTINUE TO GRIEVE. I DON’T WANT TO FORGET THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS THAT HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE EVENT TO COME TO A GOOD CONCLUSION. OUR MEN AND WOMEN OF THE LEWISTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, OF ALL OF OUR SURROUNDING AGENCIES, WE HAVE WITH US CHIEF MCGEE HERE FROM LISBON, WHERE WHERE MR. CARD WAS FOUND. AND THIS IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US THAT THIS CONCLUSION CAME TO LIGHT TONIGHT. WE’RE GOING TO WE’RE GOING TO GRIEVE FOR THE FAMILIES THAT LOST LOVED ONES HERE. WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK. WE’RE GOING TO PERSEVERE HERE. AND WE’VE BECOME BETTER PEOPLE FOR IT IN TERMS OF WORKING TOGETHER AS TEAMS, WE’VE LEARNED A LOT FROM SOME MISTAKES. WE’VE WE’VE WON A LOT OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS EVENING. UM, AGAIN, I WASN’T REALLY PREPARED FOR THIS ON A FRIDAY NIGHT AT 1030, BUT I’M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE AND VERY HAPPY TO SAY THE THREAT IS OVER. THANK YOU. THANK REACTION FROM YOUR OFFICERS WHEN THEY GOT THE NEWS, SIR, OF THIS, ARE WORKING THIS CASE. SURE. SO OUR OFFICERS ARE BEING NOTIFIED NOW AS WE SPEAK. SOME KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SOONER THAN OTHERS. THERE ARE MANY THAT ARE STILL HOME. THEIR HOME WITH THEIR FAMILIES. AND I’M QUITE CERTAIN AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THIS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL HOURS IN ANY SURROUNDING COMMUNITY HAS BEEN PAYING VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO AND AWAITING POSITIVE NEWS OR GOOD NEWS. AND THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST NEWS WE’VE HAD IN QUITE SOME TIME. THANK YOU. DAVID WAS THERE ANY WAS THERE ANY BELIEF AT THIS TIME THAT THE SUSPECT WAS DEAD BEFORE FINDING HIM, OR DID THIS COME AS A BRAND NEW REVELATION THAT YOU’D NEVER SAW COMING BEFORE THIS? SO OUR REALITY HERE IS THAT THE SEARCH HAS BEEN EXTENSIVE. IT’S BEEN THOROUGH, IT’S BEEN NONSTOP SINCE THE MINUTE WE STARTED SPEAKING WITH YOU AND LONG BEFORE THAT. SO ALL OF THESE OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE AS WE KNEW. WE CONTINUE TO SEARCH LOCATIONS IN SOME CASES MULTIPLE TIMES. AND WE WILL HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EXACTLY HOW THIS WENT DOWN. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER BRIEFING TOMORROW MORNING AT 10:00. AND I WOULD PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT NEXT STEPS FROM YOUR END INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD FIND IMPORTANT. AND I WILL SAY THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A LONG Q&A THIS EVENING. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT THIS INFORMATION OUT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE AND AS RESPONSIBLE AS POSSIBLE. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT THE TIME BETWEEN THE NOTIFICATION OF THE PRESS RELEASE AND NOW THERE WASN’T A LOT OF DETAILS. THERE WASN’T A LOT OF DETAILS THERE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO TALK TO THE VICTIMS FAMILIES. WE WANTED TO SAY THIS IS COMING NOW. IT’S IMPORTANT THAT THEY HEARD THAT INFORMATION IN AS CLOSE TO FIRST, ANYBODY ELSE. AND YOU KNOW WHO ELSE WE CALLED WAS THE FAMILY OF THE SUSPECT. AND THEY LOST A LOVED ONE IN THIS SCENARIO. AND THERE WERE MANY OF THAT FAMILY THAT WAS VERY COOPERATIVE WITH US THROUGHOUT. SO THEY DESERVE THAT PHONE CALL. SO WE HAD THOSE CONVERSATION TONIGHT BEFORE JOINING YOU HERE. WE ALSO GOT A CHANCE TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS THAT WE’VE BEEN SO INCREDIBLY HELPFUL OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, TO SAY THE LEAST. SO ONE SECOND. SO RIGHT HERE, SIR, WHERE EXACTLY DID YOU FIND HIM AND WHEN EXACTLY DID YOU? SO AT 745 THIS EVENING IS WHEN MR. CARD WAS LOCATED. I WON’T GIVE YOU AN EXACT ADDRESS. IT WAS NEAR THE RIVER ALONG ANDROSCOGGIN IN LISBON FALLS WAS THE ACTUAL LOCATION. AND MA’AM, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? MA’AM, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? WHEN DO YOU. WHEN DO POLICE THINK HE DIED? THAT ALL REMAINS TO BE SEEN. RIGHT? SO OUR REALITY IS THAT WE FOUND THAT BODY AT 745 AND IT’S 1025 NOW. SO THERE CONTINUES TO BE A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE HERE AT THE SCENE WITH THE MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE. SO THERE’S A MUCH, MUCH MORE FOLLOW UP TO HAPPEN. BUT SIR, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? ANY INDICATION THAT HE HAD AN ACCOMPLICE AND HOW HAS HE FOUND. I WON’T BE ABLE TO ANSWER EITHER ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT. ACCOMPLICES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. WE’VE HAD NO INDICATION OF THAT SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING. BUT AS WE’VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, THESE NEXT STEPS ARE GOING TO BE GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO DO THINGS AS FAST AS WE CAN IN THE SENSE THAT WE WANT TO PROVIDE CLOSURE AND INFORMATION, BUT ALSO SLOW THINGS DOWN A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE NEED TO LOOK AT VIDEO EVIDENCE. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE VARIOUS PIECES OF TECHNOLOGY THAT ARE IN PLAY HERE AND HOPES THAT THAT GIVES US SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AROUND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU’RE GOING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT. YES, MA’AM. WE UNDERSTAND THAT HE WAS FOUND AT RECYCLING CENTER, LOOKING AT PREVIOUS PEOPLE WHO ALSO I UNDERSTAND MORE, HAD YOU SEARCHED PREVIOUSLY THIS RECYCLING CENTER AND NOT FOUND ANYTHING? AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE UNDERSTAND THAT POSSIBLY HE MAY HAVE RECENTLY BEEN FIRED FROM THIS RECYCLING CENTER. CAN YOU BACK? YEAH, I’M HAPPY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT INFORMATION AND HOPES THAT I CAN GET THAT BACK TO YOU TOMORROW MORNING AT 10:00. THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. AGAIN, WE HAVE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S THAT WE NEED TO WORK WITH AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN PLAY HERE. I’M GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS AGAIN, AGAIN, WITH THE MINDSET THAT IT’S THAT IT’S 10:00 TONIGHT AND WE DO WANT TO COME BACK TOMORROW MORNING TO HAVE THIS RIGHT HERE AT THE SHELTER IN PLACE THIS AFTERNOON. SO BY THIS AFTERNOON, WERE YOU JUST LOOKING FOR REMAINS OR YOU KNOW, HOW DID YOU MAKE THAT DECISION TO LIFT THE SHELTER IN PLACE? YEAH, SURE. SO I THINK THAT THAT WAS AN ONGOING CONVERSATION SINCE THE MINUTE WE ACTUALLY PUT THAT IN PLACE, WE KNEW THAT THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT DECISION. CERTAINLY FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, IT MADE COMPLETE SENSE TO PUT THAT ORDER IN PLACE IMMEDIATELY BASED ON THE VIOLENT NATURE AND THE TRAUMATIC NATURE OF THESE CRIMES. AND AS THINGS PROGRESSED OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, SINCE WEDNESDAY TO NOW, WE’VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH VARIOUS TOWN AND CITY LEADERSHIP, WITH THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, WITH CHIEF SAINT-PIERRE, WITH BUSINESS OWNERS, WITH RESIDENTS. AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT BALANCE ACT OF PLUSES AND MINUSES. AND WE HAD THAT INITIAL SURGE WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES AND THOSE COMMUNITIES MADE PERFECT SENSE FOR AN ORDER. AND AS THINGS TENDED TO SLOW DOWN, WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY IMMEDIATE THREATS. WE MADE THE DECISION TO TO BACK OFF THAT WOULD ALSO JUST WANT TO MENTION THIS BECAUSE A FELLOW COMMISSIONER HAD ASKED ME TO DO THIS AND I COULD WALK OUT OF HERE FORGETTING IT. BUT COMMISSIONER CAMUSO SAID THAT AND PASSED ALONG THAT ACTUALLY THAT HUNTING RESTRICTION HAS BEEN LIFTED AS WELL. SO THE RESIDENT HUNTING OPPORTUNITY FOR TOMORROW IS OPEN ACROSS THE STATE OF MAINE TO INCLUDE THOSE FOUR COMMUNITIES. THERE’S A LOT OF PHONE CALLS THAT SHE WOULD RECEIVE AROUND THAT. BUT RIGHT HERE, MA’AM. GUNSHOT WOUND. CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT? YES, I CAN CONFIRM THAT. IT’S AN APPARENT SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUND. DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION, MA’AM? I’M SORRY. I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP. SEARCHED THAT AREA BEFORE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY IT WAS ONLY FOUND THIS OTHER TIME THAT YOU SEARCHED THIS AREA? I DIDN’T STATE THAT WE HAD SEARCHED THAT AREA BEFORE. SO SO THAT THAT YOU’VE SEARCHED THIS AREA BEFORE. OKAY. AS WE HAVE AS WE HAVE AS WE HAVE STATED IN THE PAST, WE TRY TO USE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN CONFIRM ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. SO YOU’RE REPORTING CAN SAY SOMETHING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, AND THAT’S FINE. WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AGAIN TOMORROW MORNING. BUT THINK WE’RE DONE TAKI