Those killed or injured in Wednesday night’s horrific mass shooting in Maine included participants in a cornhole tournament at a local bar and bowlers, including in a youth league, out for a night in the alley.
The night ended in unimaginable tragedy for the 31 people who were killed or injured in the violence.
All were shot after US Army Reservist Robert Card stormed into the Just-In-Time Recreation Bowl and Schemendgees Bar & Grille in Lewiston and opened fire with an assault rifle.
Card, 40, is now the subject of a massive manhunt by local, county, state and federal law enforcement.
Here’s what we know about the victim:
Bob Violette, 76 years old
Violette was a longtime bowling instructor teaching youth league bowlers at Just-In-Time when the shooting began, according to CBS News.
Maine mass shooting victim Bob Violette.facebook
He was a retired Sears mechanic who bowled at the venue almost every morning during the week and was in a couples league with his wife, Lucy, the Lewiston Sun Journal said.
Violette was also recently inducted into the Maine Bowling Hall of Fame.
“For as long as I can remember, there wasn’t a single kid he wouldn’t help,” co-worker Brandon Dubuc told CBS. “He was always a warm presence.”
Michael Deslauriers II (right) was killed in a shooting at a bowling alley.Keagan Deslauriers/Facebook
Tricia Asselin, 53 years old
Asselin, a part-time worker at Just-In-Time, was off work and bowling for fun Wednesday night when the shooter burst in, his family told CNN.
“What I’m told is when it all started happening, he ran up to the counter and started calling 911, and that’s when he got shot,” his brother, DJ Johnson told the outlet. “That’s just him. He will not run away. He will try to help.
Maine mass shooting victim Tricia Asselin.facebook
“He and I probably talk three or four times a week and we text every day,” he said. “His son was his whole life. From the day he was born until yesterday. He did everything for her … she was his world.”
Asselin is “the rock of the family” and “keeps everyone on the same level,” Johnson said.
“If there’s an argument, he’s the one who calms everyone down. If someone is having a bad day, they will call straight away to talk to you about it.”
Joseph Walker
Walker was the bar manager at Schengees Bar and was on duty when the gunman opened fire, just minutes after leaving the bowling alley about four miles away.
His father, Leroy Walker, confirmed that he was among the victims.
“He died a hero, because he took the butcher knife… and he tried to chase the gunman,” the grieving father told NBC’s Lester Holt. “The gunman shot him twice through the stomach.”
Schengees Bar and Gille Manager Joseph Walker. Facebook/Joseph Walker
When asked if knowing about his son’s last act of bravery helped ease his grief, Leroy put his hands to his head and said, “It makes it worse!”
Steven Vozzella
Vozzella was participating in a corn hole tournament for deaf adults when the shooting happened in Schengees – with his family confirming he was among the dead, CNN said.
According to social media, Vozzella is also deaf, and married his wife, Megan, just last year.
Maine mass shooting victim Steven Vozzella.Facebook/Megan Vozzella
Bryan MacFarlane, 40
MacFarlane, a member of Lewiston’s deaf community, took part in the tournament after recently moving back to his native Maine, his family told CNN.
His sister, Keri Brooks, told the outlet that her brother was among the first deaf people to earn his commercial truck driver’s license in Vermont.
“A lot of states don’t allow deaf people to drive trucks so I’m very proud of him for achieving that,” he said.
He said he drove the rig for several years.
“I grew up in Maine and the deaf community is a tight-knit community,” Brooks said. “Not only was my brother killed but my friends were also killed.”
Bill Brackett
Bracket was also attending a cornhole tournament at the time of the shooting, his family told ABC.
“I’ll never forget my laugh when you tried to learn some sign language in the cornhole,” said Nick Perry, a friend of the dead man, in a Facebook post on Thursday.
Maine mass shooting victim Bill Brackett.Facebook/Billy Brackett
Joshua Seal
Seal works as an American Sign Language interpreter for the Pine Tree Association, his wife, Elizabeth, said on Facebook.
“Not only is he an amazing father, he is also a good husband, best friend and my soulmate,” she wrote. “He loved his family and always put them first. That is what he will always be remembered for.
“We love and miss you so much, Joshua Alfred Seal.”
Ron Morin
Morin is remembered by his family as a cheerful man — and a regular sight at Taboo Hair Design in Lewiston, where his mother worked for more than a year, the Bangor Daily News reported.
“He was always smiling, happy,” a relative, Cecile Francoeur, told the outlet. “Just one of those people that if you’re having a bad day, he’ll make your day better just by being there.”
Morin’s family posted a photo of him on Thursday, with the caption, “Rest in Heaven, Ronnie. “This smile and your energy will forever be loved and missed.”
Michael Deslauriers II
Deslauriers was shot and killed while bowling with family and friends at Just-In-Time Recreation, Deslauriers’ father said in a Facebook post Thursday afternoon.
He and his friend, who were both shot dead in the mass shooting, “secured their wives and several small children
Michael Deslauriers II poses with friend Michael Deslauriers Sr/Facebook
Among the 13 victims injured in the shooting are:
Zoey Hutchinson, 10
The youngster was part of a youth league bowling team at Just-In-Time when he was shot in the leg and took shelter with his mother.
“I never thought I would go and get a bullet in my leg,” he told ABC News. “Why do people do this?”
“I’m more worried about, like, am I going to live?: he said. “Am I going to get out of here?:
His mother, Meghan Hutchinson, recalled the horrifying moments when the shots rang out.
“When I turned around, I saw the shooter like right behind me,” the mother said.
Justin Karcher, 23 years old
Karcher was seriously injured in two mass shootings, and is still on a ventilator in the intensive care unit after emergency surgery, his mother, Jessica Karcher, told reporters.
Four years ago she said her son was traumatized by another shooting when his father was gunned down in front of him in a Walmart parking lot.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
