A manhunt is underway for the gunman responsible for two deadly shootings in Lewiston, Maine. The House finally has a new speaker. And a mother searched 172 days for her missing son, only to find out police had buried him.
Here’s what to know today.
Gunman at large after shootings leave at least 15 dead in Maine
At least 15 people were killed in two shootings last night in Lewiston, Maine, law enforcement sources said. At least 50 people were injured. The shootings at Schemengees Bar and a bowling alley called Sparetime Recreation forced residents into lockdown, and several schools and businesses will be closed today as the search for a person of interest continues.
Police are searching for 40-year-old Robert Card, described as a person of interest with 20 years of military service. He is believed to be armed with an AR-style rifle. A bulletin put out by a database for law enforcement officials noted that he was a licensed firearms instructor, and he “recently reported mental health issues to include hearing voices and threats to shoot up the National Guard Base in Saco, ME.”
Card’s vehicle was located in the nearby town of Lisbon last night, which has issued a shelter-in-place warning. State, local and federal authorities are participating in the search. “We have everybody on board right now,” said Jason Levesque, the mayor of nearby Auburn.
The shootings left the tight-knit town about 45 minutes north of Portland in shock. There were just 29 homicides in the entire state last year.
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Israel launches large ‘targeted raid’ inside Gaza
Israel has said it conducted a “targeted” raid on terrorist sites in northern Gaza using tanks overnight, before leaving the area, as part of what it called “preparations for the next stages of combat.” A ground invasion of Gaza is widely expected.
President said yesterday that he has “no confidence” in the death toll being provided by Palestinian officials, who say more than 6,500 people, including 2,700 children, have been killed by Israeli retaliatory strikes in the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas. At a news conference, Biden added “I’m sure innocents have been killed, and it’s the price of waging a war.” Biden said Israel should be “incredibly careful” to minimize civilian casualties, but did not clarify why he doubted the publicized death toll.
Hamas today called on Muslims and Arabs across the world to “escalate the mass movement” calling for an end to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, and to permanently open the Rafah crossing with Egypt to allow humanitarian aid to cross.
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says that Gaza’s health care system “is in a state of complete collapse.” At least six hospitals in Gaza have shut down due to a lack of fuel, according to the World Health Organization.
House finally elects a new speaker
After more than three weeks of chaos on Capitol Hill, House lawmakers elected Rep. Mike Johnson as the 56th speaker. He got 220 votes from Republicans, winning support from both right-wing detractors of former speaker Kevin McCarthy and centrists who opposed Rep. Jim Jordan. All 209 Democrats voted for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who handed Johnson the gavel after he was sworn in.
Now, Johnson faces some big tasks. He will have to work with his party and the White House to figure out how to fund the government before money runs out on Nov. 17 and deliver critical aid packages to Ukraine and Israel.
Before yesterday, Johnson was a little-known lawmaker, with some members of Congress saying this week that they hadn’t even met him. But the Louisiana Republican has ascended the ranks since he was first voted into office in 2016. After the 2020 election, he played a major role in devising an argument aimed at keeping in power, and has a solidly conservative voting record through the years. Here’s what else to know about him.
A potential end to the autoworkers strike
The United Auto Workers union and Ford have agreed to the terms of a tentative agreement after both parties participated in intense bargaining over the past two days, sources with knowledge of the discussion told CNBC yesterday. Now, the agreement will need to be ratified by UAW members, and it could signal the end of a nearly six-week strike against the Big Three automaker. Union members are also striking against General Motors and Stellantis.
Sources say the talks this week involved a proposal for wage increases of at least 25% over the term of the deal, as well as other improved benefits.
Politics in Brief
Trump fraud trial: Donald Trump stormed out of a New York City courtroom after a heated day in court in which he listened to more testimony from his former lawyer Michael Cohen, was called to the witness stand and fined $10,000 for violating a gag order.
Fire alarm incident: Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York indicated that he will plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge for pulling a fire alarm in a building on Capitol Hill last month as GOP lawmakers sought to kick off a vote ahead of a Sept. 30 funding deadline.
Ambassador to Israel: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced Jack Lew’s nomination to be the next U.S. ambassador to Israel. A final confirmation vote will likely occur next week.
2024 election: Some major Republican donors who have spent much of the year looking for a Donald Trump alternative are increasingly open to one presidential candidate: Trump himself.
Staff Pick: 172 days without answers — but police knew all along
This story began with a phone call from Bettersten Wade, a mother who had been unable to get authorities in Mississippi to explain why her adult son, whom she reported missing in March, was killed and buried in a pauper’s grave without her knowing about it. We talked about her monthslong search for the truth, and her heartbreak and confusion over the police’s handling of the case. Using public records requests, I obtained documents that helped explain some of what happened. But there are still many questions — some that Wade may never get answers to. — Jon Schuppe, enterprise reporter
In Case You Missed It
A Department of Veterans Affairs regional office manager cursed out and insulted his subordinates during a virtual town hall meeting when he assumed his microphone and camera were off, his colleagues said. He also wasn’t wearing pants.
It ain’t the Olympics, but a group of Floridians plan to host the “Florida Man Games’’ with events like the “Evading Arrest Obstacle Course,’’ the “Category 5 Cash Grab’’ and beer belly wrestling, themed according to the collective antics of the beer-loving, gator-possessing, rap-sheet heavy, mullet-wearing social media phenomenon.
A driver charged with murder in the deaths of four Pepperdine University students was driving 104 mph before the deadly crash in Malibu, California, the Los Angeles County district attorney said.
The FDA is “gathering information” in light of a lawsuit that alleged a college student with a heart condition died after drinking Panera Bread’s highly caffeinated Charged Lemonade.
Otis was just a tropical storm 24 hours before it made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane in Mexico. Scientists explain how it intensified so quickly.
Actor Michelle Williams’ narration of Britney Spears’ memoir is going viral, especially her impression of a particular NSYNC member.
Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
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