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Lewiston: Shocked and fearful Maine residents kept to their homes Friday as hundreds of heavily armed police and FBI agents searched intensely for Robert Card, an Army reservist who authorities say fatally shot 18 people at a bowling alley and a bar in the worst mass killing in state history.

Much of Thursday’s search focused on a large property belonging to one of Card’s relatives in rural Bowdoin, where trucks and vans full of armed agents from the FBI and other agencies eventually surrounded a home on Thursday.

The Cards have lived in Bowdoin for generations, neighbors said, and various members of the Card family own hundreds of acres in the area.

“This is his stomping ground,” Richard Goddard, who lives on the road where the search took place, said of the suspect. “He knows every ledge to hide behind, every thicket.”

Authorities repeatedly yelled for Card and anyone else inside the home to surrender. But hours later, they left, with state police saying it was unclear whether the suspect had ever been at the location.

Authorities say Card, 40, who has firearms training, opened fire with at least one rifle at a bar and a bowling alley Wednesday in Lewiston, Maine's second-largest city about 15 miles (24 kilometers) from Bowdoin. The attack left 18 people dead and 13 wounded, three of whom were hospitalized in critical condition, authorities said.

The victims of the shootings include Bob Violette, 76, a retiree who was coaching a youth bowling league and was described as devoted, approachable and kind. Auburn City Councilor Leroy Walker told news outlets that his son, Joe, a manager at the bar and grill, died going after the shooter with a butcher knife. Peyton Brewer-Ross was a dedicated pipefitter at Bath Iron Works whose death leaves a gaping void in the lives of his partner, young daughter and friends, members of his union said.

The manager of the youth bowling league vowed that the league would survive despite the devastating grief members were feeling.

“The people we lost were not just random league bowlers, they were people who contributed significantly to the development of our sport and our experience,” said Mark Fortier, who is also the manager of the Maine State US Bowling Congress.

Authorities have not said how many guns were used or how they were obtained.

People stayed behind locked doors in cities as far as 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the scenes of the shootings. Schools in Lewiston and Portland, and public buildings in Portland, remained closed Friday. Bates College in Lewiston also canceled classes Friday and postponed the inauguration of the school’s first Black president.

April Stevens lives in the same neighborhood where one of the shootings took place. She turned on all her lights overnight and locked her doors. She knew someone killed at the bar and another person injured who needed surgery.

“We’re praying for everyone,” Stevens said through tears.

The attacks stunned a state of only 1.3m people that has one of the country’s lowest homicide rates: 29 killings in all of 2022.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills promised to do whatever was needed to “hold whoever is responsible for this atrocity accountable."

As authorities searched for Card, details about his recent behavior emerged. He underwent a mental health evaluation in mid-July after he began acting erratically while with his reserve regiment, a U.S. official told The Associated Press.

A neighbor, Dave Letarte, said Card’s family let them deer hunt on their property and were kind, although Letarte said he noticed Card appeared to have mental problems for a while.

“People have problems, but you don’t expect them to go off the deep end like that,” Letarte said. “When we saw it on the news last night, I was shocked.”

Neighbors said the Cards owned the local sawmill, and that years ago a member of the Card family donated the land for a local church.

A telephone number listed for Card in public records was not in service. A woman who answered a phone number for one of Card’s relatives on Thursday afternoon said the family was helping the FBI. She didn’t give her name or additional details.

Eight murder warrants were issued for Card after authorities identified eight of the victims, and 10 more will likely be issued once the names of the rest of the dead are confirmed, police said.

Three of the 13 people wounded in the shootings were in critical condition and five were hospitalized but stable, Central Maine Medical Center officials said.

The attack started at Just-In-Time Recreation, where a children’s bowling league was taking place, just before 7 pm Wednesday.

Less than 15 minutes later, numerous 911 calls started coming in from Schemengees Bar and Grille a few miles away.

The search for Card covered both land and water. The Coast Guard sent out a patrol boat Thursday morning along the Kennebec River, but after hours of searching, they found “nothing out of the ordinary,” said Chief Petty Officer Ryan Smith, who is in charge of the Coast Guard’s Boothbay Harbor Station.

A car believed to belong to Card had been discovered by a boat launch in the town of Lisbon near the Androscoggin River, which connects to the Kennebec, and Card’s 15-foot (4.5-meter) boat remains unaccounted for, Smith said.

In many past US mass shootings, the suspect was found—whether dead or alive—within minutes. But Card was still on the loose more than a full day after the shootings.

The shootings mark the 36th mass killing in the United States this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

AP

Siddhartha Vanasthali Institute celebrated its 50th anniversary on Wednesday amid a program in Kathmandu.

During the event, the chief guest, Dr Sanduk Ruit, extended congratulations and well-wishes to the school and emphasized the school’s significant contributions to education over the past 50 years.

“The school has achieved this status through the persistent struggle and lifelong efforts of the late school principal, Laxman Rajbanshi, who educated over 25,000 students,” said Dr Ruit.

The chairperson of Siddhartha Vanasthali Institute Panauti Guthi, Capt Rameshwar Thapa, commended late Rajbanshi for his pioneering efforts in advancing the school.

He described Rajbanshi as an indomitable figure who faced challenges with unwavering determination. 

“Today the school’s alumni can be found in various regions across the country, occupying influential roles in policy-making,” said Capt Thapa.

On the occasion, the institute honored teachers who had dedicated two decades of service to the school. It also recognized the first two students who enrolled at Siddhartha Vanasthali Institute. 

Rupak Rajbanshi, principal of Siddhartha Vanasthali Institute, mentioned that the school had produced notable alumni like Gagan Thapa, Pradip Paudel, and Dipendra Shrestha, among others.

Actor Madan Krishna Shrestha expressed his joy that his son had the opportunity to study at the esteemed school, even though he himself did not get that chance.

The trailer for the film ‘Pashupati Prasad 2: Bhasme Don’, directed by Dipendra K Khanal, has been released. The trailer was launched amid an event at Labim Mall in Lalitpur. The film will depict the ups and downs in Bipin Karki’s life, reprising his role as ‘Bhasme Don’, seven years after the release of the first part, ‘Pashupati Prasad’.

Speaking at the event, Khanal stated, “We hope the audience will embrace the second part as warmly as they did the first. The film has been crafted exactly as the movie team envisioned, and we believe audiences will love this film too.”

Actor Karki added, “I don’t see Bhasme Don just as a character but as my identity. I feel proud to be recognized as Bhasme Don.”

The film’s actress, Swastima Khadka, said, “Actresses rarely get the chance to portray diverse roles. I had the opportunity to deliver a new performance not only in this film but also in other works of Director Khanal. The role of ‘Durga Mata’ in this film was challenging. I extend my gratitude to the entire production team for entrusting me with this character.”

Produced under the Tuki Arts banner, the film stars Karki and Khadka, along with Saugat Malla, Barsha Siwakoti, Prakash Ghimire, Rabindra Singh Baniya, Sajan Thapa Magar, Prakash Dahal, Bishu Poudel, and Ghanshyam Joshi, among others.

The film’s story is written by Khagendra Lamichhane, who is also the film’s producer. Cinematography by Krishna Bahadur Thapa and editing by Banish Shah, this film is scheduled for screening during the upcoming Dashain festival starting on Oct 21.

Actor Khagendra Lamichhane has introduced his book ‘Paaniphoto’. The book’s launch took place during an event in Kathmandu on Monday. The book was collectively launched by Neer Shah, Swastima Khadka, Nischal Basnet, Reecha Sharma, Manoj Pandit, Nischal Basnet, Dipendra K Khanal, Ashok Sharma, Saurabh Rai, Suraksha Pant, Malika Mahat, and the author himself.

During the event, writer and journalist Shivani Singh Tharu engaged in a discussion with Lamichhane about the book’s content. She noted that the book, characterized by its subtlety, carries a fresh and unique message. Actor Shah expressed admiration for Lamichhane’s dedication to the world of cinema as reflected in the book. He also expressed his happiness that the book was released after the film’s success.