Maine shooting victims mourned at Lewiston vigil – live updates

WATCH: Vice President Kamala Harris condemns ‘senseless gun violence’

Ominous timing: The Senate passed a relevant amendment just before the shooting

Mere hours before Robert Card, a US army reservist, allegedly began his shooting spree on Wednesday, the Senate approved an amendment that would cut down background check requirements for some veterans and service members with mental health issues.

The amendment aims to prevent veterans from losing their gun rights, and prevents the Department of Veterans Affairs from reporting certain veterans to the National Criminal Background Check system when their finances are being managed by a conservator at the VA.

Reports have suggested that Card had been hearing voices and was upset by them. Officials also said at Saturday’s press conference that there is a “strong mental health cloud over what happened,” but dismissed the theory that he had been hearing voices.

What was the motive for the attack?

Perhaps the biggest question looming in the wake of the tragedy is what could have driven suspect Robert Card to execute this brutal attack?

However, Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck confirmed at an early press conference on Friday that the suspect did leave behind a mystery note after allegedly going on the killing rampage.

Officials have refused to reveal the contents of the note, hinting that it may point to a possible motive for the killings.

Police sources had previously told ABC News that a “suicide note” addressed to his son had been found inside Card’s home during a search.

The sources said the note contained the suspect’s rantings as well as some personal information such as bank account details.

As well as the note, a law enforcement official told CNN that Card’s cellphone had also been recovered.

The ‘difficult corner’ Republicans have found themselves in regarding guns

The interview illustrates well the difficult corner where Republicans now find themselves — simultaneously pushing for the government to have more power against individuals in some areas and less power in others. And unable to risk the political consequences of supporting reforms to gun legislation, the party finds itself in the wilderness when attempting to offer meaningful responses to mass shootings, John Bowden reports.

The president’s response to the shooting

Mystery lingers around the note left by the suspected shooter

Maine’s Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck confirmed in a press conference on Friday that a note had been recovered in the wake of Wednesday’s attacks which left 18 victims dead and another 13 wounded.

However, Mr Sauschuck refused to reveal the contents of the note, hinting that it may point to a possible motive for the killings.

The revelation came hours before authorities found Card’s body in a wooded area close to a recycling area where he used to work. He appeared to have died from a self-inflicted wound.

Police sources had previously told ABC News that a “suicide note” addressed to his son had been found inside Mr Card’s home during a search.

The victims of the rampage

A bar manager, four deaf friends and a teenage bowler were among the 18 victims who were formally identified by police on Friday.

The ages of those caught up in the violence ranged from 14 to 76 years old. Some who died reportedly put themselves in the line of fire to protect others. Many GoFundMe pages have been set up for victims and their families — some have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, perhaps signaling a desire to end the gun violence epidemic.

The Independent has the full list of victims identified by police.

A timeline of the tragedy

• Months before the deadly attacks, Robert Card, a US Army reservist, was reportedly held in a mental facility for weeks over the summer. He was taken by police in July for evaluation at the urging of concerned military officials.
• In mid-September, a statewide awareness alert was issued after Card made threats against the base in Saco, Maine.

Fast forward to Wednesday, 25 October…

• Minutes before 7pm on Wednesday night, shots were fired at Just-in-Time Recreation, a bowling alley on Mollison Way in Lewiston, Maine.
• At 7.08pm, multiple 911 calls reported an active shooter at Schemengees Bar and Grill on Lincoln Street, just four miles from the bowling alley.
• Just after 8pm, Maine State Police urged Lewiston residents to shelter in place. “Please stay inside your home with the doors locked. Law enforcement is currently investigating at multiple locations,” the department wrote.
• At 8.06pm, police released a photo of the shooter to the media, and an hour and a half later, the Lewiston Police Department received a call identifying the man in photos as Card. Among the first calls were from Card’s family members, officials revealed on Saturday morning.
• Two hours later, at 9.56pm, state police officers alerted that they had found a “vehicle of interest” in Lisbon at Pejepscot Boat Launch, prompting the shelter-in-place advisory to extend to Lisbon. The Lewiston Police posted a photo on Wednesday night of a white Subaru station wagon. That vehicle was registered to Card, police said. A long gun was found in the vehicle.
• By Friday evening, police had found Card’s body — in a box trailer in Maine Recycling Corporation’s overflow lot. Authorities believe he took his own life. It’s not entirely clear how Card wound up at the recycling facility, but it is believed that he walked from the boat landing via a trail that linked the two locations.