UPDATE: At least 16 dead in Maine shooting and dozens injured | News

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — A person opened fireplace at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday night time, killing a minimum of 16 individuals and engulfing the state’s second-largest metropolis in chaos. The suspect remained at massive as authorities ordered residents and enterprise house owners to remain inside and off the streets.

Two regulation enforcement officers instructed The Related Press dozens of individuals additionally had been wounded. The officers weren’t approved to publicly talk about particulars of the continued investigation and spoke to AP on situation of anonymity.

Lewiston Police stated in an earlier Fb put up that they had been coping with an lively shooter incident at Schemengees Bar and Grille and Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley about 4 miles (6,4 kilometers) away. The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Workplace launched two photographs of the suspect on its Fb web page that confirmed a gunman strolling into an institution with a weapon raised to his shoulder.

“Please keep off the roads to permit emergency responders entry to the hospitals,” police stated.

On its web site, Central Maine Medical Middle stated workers had been “reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter occasion” and had been coordinating with space hospitals to absorb sufferers. A girl who answered the telephone within the emergency division stated no additional info may very well be launched and that the hospital itself was on lockdown.

Melinda Small, the proprietor of Legends Sports activities Bar and Grill, stated her workers instantly locked their doorways and moved all 25 prospects and staff away from the doorways after a buyer reported listening to concerning the taking pictures on the bowling alley lower than a quarter-mile away round 7 p.m. Quickly, the police flooded the roadway and a police officer ultimately escorted everybody out of the constructing 4 at a time. Everybody within the bar is secure.

“I’m truthfully in a state of shock. I’m blessed that my workforce responded rapidly and everyone seems to be secure,” Small instructed The Related Press. “However the identical time, my coronary heart is damaged for this space and for what everyone seems to be coping with. I simply really feel numb.”

The alert for Lewiston was made shortly after 8 p.m. because the sheriff’s workplace reported that regulation enforcement companies had been investigating “two lively shooter occasions.” Officers issued an replace round 10 p.m. for what they described as a manhunt.

“Keep away from the world till authorities give the all-clear,” the assertion stated. “Search various routes to avoid the world and any disruptions. If already working within the affected area, adhere to all directions issued by native officers, together with the shelter-in-place order.”

“We’re encouraging all companies to lock down and or shut whereas we examine,” the sheriff’s workplace reported.

A spokesperson for Maine Division of Public Security urged residents to remain of their houses with their doorways locked.

“Regulation enforcement is at the moment investigating at two areas proper now,” Shannon Moss stated. “Once more please keep off the streets and permit regulation enforcement to diffuse the state of affairs.”

Gov. Janet Mills launched an announcement echoing these directions. She stated she has been briefed on the state of affairs and can stay in shut contact with public security officers. The White Home stated President Joe Biden additionally had been briefed.

Lewiston, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Portland, emerged as a significant middle for African immigration into Maine. The Somali inhabitants, which numbers within the hundreds, has modified the demographics of the as soon as overwhelmingly white mill metropolis into some of the numerous in northern New England.

Ange Amores, a spokesperson for town of Lewiston, stated metropolis officers should not commenting on the taking pictures. Amores stated Maine State Police had been planning to carry a information convention, doubtless at metropolis corridor, to replace the general public on Wednesday night time.

Maine Sen. Angus King, an impartial, stated he was “deeply unhappy for town of Lewiston and all these fearful about their household, mates and neighbors” and was monitoring the state of affairs. King’s workplace stated the senator can be headed straight dwelling to Maine as soon as the Senate’s remaining vote is held Thursday afternoon.