US shooting: 16 killed in Maine, suspect at large, claim reports

At least 16 people have been killed in multiple shootings in Maine's Lewiston city on Wednesday, CNN reported citing multiple law enforcement sources.

Over 50-60 people are reported injured. Though it’s unclear how many are injured due to gunfire.

According to ABC News, the shooting spree took place at a bowling alley, a local bar and a Walmart distribution center.

Two law officials, on condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press that the death toll is expected to rise. They said that investigators were still processing the crime scenes and working to gather evidence.

Earlier today, the Lewiston Police said that it was investigating at least two active shooter events in the city, while posting two photographs of a suspect pointing what appeared to be a semiautomatic rifle, according to Reuters.

"We are encouraging all businesses to lock down and or close while we investigate. The suspect is still at large," the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on Facebook.

The Maine state police also warned about “an active shooter” on its social media platform X.

"We ask people to shelter in place. Please stay inside your home with the doors locked. Law enforcement is currently investigating at multiple locations," it said.

A US official said that President Joe Biden has been briefed on the incident, reported Reuters.

The shooting is the deadliest mass shooting in the United States since at least May 2022, when a gunman opened fire at an elementary school in Texas' Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 children and two teachers, according to Reuters, which cited data from the Gun Violence Archive.

The number of U.S. shootings in which four or more people were shot has surged since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. At least 647 such incidents were reported in 2022, the data from the archive showed.

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