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Maine mass shooting suspect Robert Card not arrested, search continues | Fact Check

BrieAnna J. Frank   Paste BN

The claim: Maine shooting suspect was arrested on Oct. 25

An Oct. 25 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) claims the suspect in a mass shooting that left 18 people dead and more than a dozen others injured in Lewiston, Maine, that day was arrested within hours of the attack. The post includes a video of a man lying on the ground while surrendering to police.

“MAINE SHOOTER HAS BEEN ARRESTED KNOWN AS ROBERT CARD (sic),” reads part of the post.

It was shared more than 400 times in less than a day.

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Our rating: False

This claim was false at the time it was made. Police were still looking for suspect Robert Card in the hours after the shooting, and no arrest had been made. Authorities confirmed the search continued on the morning of Oct. 26.

Manhunt for Card continued on morning of Oct. 26

Minutes after the claim was posted, the Lewiston Police Department wrote on its own Facebook page that it was still looking for Card as a person of interest in the Oct. 25 shooting, which occurred at a restaurant and bowling alley. Officials later identified him as a suspect.

Various news outlets also reported the search was still underway the morning of Oct. 26. An array of schools and businesses in the area were closed Thursday in light of the ongoing manhunt, the Associated Press reported. 

Fact check: Image of supposed Fox News chyron from North Carolina shooting is altered

Maine Gov. Janet Mills held a news conference alongside state and local law enforcement officials on Oct. 26 in which she said that Card was still at large.

"I want to thank all of our brave men and women of the Lewiston Police Department, fire department staff, medical personnel, first responders of any kind that … came from far and wide and have come together and continue to work tirelessly in bringing this situation to an end,” said David St. Pierre, the Lewiston police chief. “We hope to locate and hold the person accountable.”

Paste BN was unable to identify the origin of the video shown in the post, but it doesn't show Card's arrest.

While the post also claims there are "two suspects," only Card has been identified as a suspect in the shooting.

Paste BN reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

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