LEWISTON, MAINE: Liam Kent, a Maine resident who grew up in close proximity to Robert Card's family home in Bowdoin, has shed light on the Card family's reputation, describing them as "gun fanatics" and asserting that the local community had a common understanding to "stay away" from them.

Card, 40, is at the center of a massive manhunt after 18 people were shot dead and 13 left injured at multiple sites in Lewiston, marking the deadliest mass shooting in the US in 2023.

Liam Kent's insight into Robert Card and his family

Kent provided unique insights into the Card family, stating, "The family complex is basically a compound. The family and Robert, they are all gun fanatics."

He further emphasized that it was widely known within the town to keep a safe distance from them, cautioning, "If you see them, just turn around and walk away."

The shooter's violent rampage unfolded at Lewiston's Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley and later continued at Schemengees Bar and Grille, as reported by the Maine State Police.

What makes Card's case particularly challenging for law enforcement is not just the scale of the tragedy but also his background as a highly skilled outdoorsman and a trained marksman in the US Army Reserve, recognized for his exceptional shooting abilities.

Card's military career began in 2002 when he enlisted in the Army as a petroleum supply specialist.

Liam Kent's vivid recollection of the Cards' love for firearms

Kent shared a vivid childhood memory, illustrating the Card family's affinity for firearms, saying, "I remember going into the town store when I was a kid, about gosh, 12, 14, and I remember very vividly this image that's been going around in my head. I am going to the store, and there's a waste station for deer, so he'd just killed a deer with his buddies, and the deer was hanging, and blood was dripping on the ground from the deer."

"He was covered in blood with a gun on his back, with a giant grin on his face, and they were all smoking cigarettes and drinking their morning coffee," he said, adding, "Also, they would shoot guns all the time, like you could hear it every day after school. It was like clockwork... I could even hear it in elementary school," as per NBC.

As the motive behind the tragic shooting remains uncertain, authorities have characterized Card as "armed and dangerous." The manhunt for the suspect is ongoing, and the public is urged to contact the police if they have any information related to his whereabouts or encounter him.