Victims of a mass shooting in Maine that's claimed 18 lives are being treated at hospitals in Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey's office said Thursday, and Massachusetts is ready to send law enforcement and human service workers, including grief counselors, to its New England neighbor.
A manhunt is underway for 40-year-old Robert Card, the suspect in the killings Wednesday night at a restaurant and bowling alley.
"So many people right now are going to be in need of grief counselors, are going to be in need of mental health services," Healey told reporters at the State House on Thursday morning. "And I know the people of Massachusetts will step forward and support the great people of Maine ... in this time."
The governor added, "We just need to step up and show our solidarity in terms of comfort, and in terms of support in this time, in the weeks and in the months ahead."
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Law enforcement is in communication with Maine officials and "will remain at the ready to engage and support Maine in all ways," the governor said.
"I want to be really clear: At this time, there's no connections we are aware of between the alleged shooter and Massachusetts," she said. "Obviously if people see something, they should say something."
The Massachusetts State Police concurred. "At this time we are aware of no confirmed nexus between CARD and Massachusetts," the State Police said in a statement at around 12:40 p.m. Thursday. "We continue to monitor all available intelligence and will update our local law enforcement partners and the public of any developments that affect our state."
Residents of New Hampshire have also been on alert after a resident of Windham reported that they might have seen someone matching the description of the Maine shooting suspect while driving south on Interstate 93 on Thursday morning. The caller last saw the vehicle as it left the highway at Exit 3. Windham police said in a Facebook post "there is no credible information that the individual is currently in Windham."
Residents of Hudson were also on edge Thursday after information began circulating around town that the Maine shooting suspect had a local connection. "At this time there is no known threat to the residents of Hudson," Hudson police said on Facebook.
A Massachusetts state trooper assigned to the bomb squad and his K9 partner have responded to the Lewiston, Maine, area in the officer's capacity as an ATF task force officer, the State Police said.
Massachusetts State Police Colonel John Mawn has also been in contact with Maine counterparts about mutual aid, the State Police said, adding that "the full complement of Massachusetts State Police assets stand ready for deployment if requested, as necessitated by the evolving investigation and fugitive apprehension mission."
The State Police said their fusion center was "gathering and processing a large amount of continually evolving information."
As part of a "standard proactive deployment," the State Police deployed several patrols to the Massachusetts-New Hampshire state line Wednesday night to be on the lookout for the suspect's white Subaru.
"There was no intelligence that suggested the suspect had fled toward Massachusetts. The vehicle was later located abandoned in Maine," the State Police said.
Law enforcement in New Hampshire are also contributing resources to the search for the suspect in Maine. A SWAT team from New Hampshire is assisting with ground searches, detectives from the state police Major Crimes Unit is assisting, and a state police helicopter and members of the Special Enforcement Unit are providing air support.
"The State of New Hampshire stands with the people of Maine -- they are our friends, families, and neighbors. State officials have been in constant contact with our counterparts in Maine and have been assisting in the response and manhunt," Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement. "We will continue to provide as many resources as necessary so that justice is served."
“New Hampshire State Troopers will continue to remain vigilant and visible, especially along our Maine border until this situation is resolved,” Commissioner Robert Quinn of the Department of Safety added. “We will provide additional resources as requested by law enforcement partners.”
The U.S. and Massachusetts and New Hampshire flags are being lowered to half-staff at all state buildings through Monday, Oct. 30.
