Suspected Maine shooter had history of liking far-right, anti-trans content online
Police tape in Lewiston, Maine. (Credit: Getty Images)
The man suspected of carrying out a mass shooting in Maine shooter had a history of liking far-right and anti-trans content online, social media accounts appearing to be him have shown.
On Wednesday (25 October), shortly before 7pm, a massacre began which left 18 dead and 13 injured at Sparetime Recreation bowling alley and restaurant in Lewiston, Maine, the state’s Democratic governor, Janet Mills, said in a news conference Thursday morning.
A warrant for the arrest of Army reservist Robert Card, has now been issued, charging him on eight counts of murder, and more could be filed as further victims are identified.
The Facebook and X, formerly Twitter, accounts of the 40-year-old have been deactivated, but according to screen grabs and videos of his accounts he followed and supported right-wing figures including Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump Jr.
Following the March shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, in which the shooter was identified as trans, Card reportedly ‘liked’ videos about they incident shared by former Fox News host, Tucker Carlson.
Trump Jr also weighed in on the tragic shooting, claiming that the trans community has been responsible for an “incredible rise” in mass shootings – in a tweet which also appeared in Card’s likes.
He had also liked a tweet from right-wing political commentator Dinesh D’Souza railing against banning firearms in the US.
The post reads: “Ban assault weapons? Well, cars kill more people than guns do. But we blame the drivers. We don’t ban large or fast cars. We understand that cars, like guns, don’t act by themselves. The blame lies with the people who operate these mechanical devices. Common sense 101.”
According to screenshots posted by YWN reporter Moshe Schwartz, Card only posted twice on X, once to respond to a CNBC story on Brittney Griner, who was freed from a 10-month Russian detention on 27 April, in which he wrote: “Mass murderer for a wnba player great job keep up the good work.”
Card, who is from Bowdoin, a town just east of Lewiston, is enlisted in the US Army Reserve and has recently reported mental health issues, including hearing voices, according to a Maine law enforcement bulletin, as reported by CBS.
Maine public safety official Mike Sauschuck said: “Card is considered armed and dangerous. He is a person of interest, however, and that’s what we’ll label them at moving forward until that changes. If people see him, they should not approach Card or make contact with him in any way.”
