US President Joe Biden on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in the gun violence incident in Maine, which killed 18 people and multiple injured.
Biden took to his social media 'X', and further expressed gratitude that Lewiston and surrounding communities are now safe, praising the law enforcement officers who worked round the clock to find the suspect.
"This was a tragic two days for the families in Maine who have been devastated by gun violence. At least eighteen souls were brutally slain and more were injured, and scores of family and friends prayed and experienced trauma no one ever wants to imagine. We're grateful that Lewiston and surrounding communities are now safe. I thank the brave law enforcement officers who worked around the clock to find this suspect," the post said.
In the trailing post, POTUS called on Republicans in Congress to fulfil their obligation to keep Americans safe.
"Americans should not have to live like this. I call on Republicans in Congress to fulfil their obligation to keep Americans safe. And I will continue doing everything in my power to end this gun violence epidemic. The Lewiston community, and all Americans, deserve nothing less," he added.
However, Robert Card, the suspect in the Lewiston, Maine, shooting rampage, was found dead on Friday night, the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Facebook, CNN reported.
He was found dead about 48 hours after the attack which left 18 dead and 13 wounded.
Maine Governor Janet Mills confirmed the news of the suspect's death and emphasised that he "is no longer a threat to anyone."
Jennifer Zanca, a survivor of the Lewiston shooting, stressed the urgent need for solutions to address gun violence in the nation. She told CNN's Anderson Cooper, "I don't know where to go from here because this just keeps happening, and there needs to be some solutions." Zanca highlighted the personal toll of such incidents and the importance of finding ways to prevent them.
The Lewiston, Maine, rampage stands as the deadliest mass shooting in the US this year and the deadliest since the Uvalde school massacre. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least 566 mass shootings in the country this year, CNN reported.
Moreover, Maine Senator Susan Collins called the mass shooting in Lewiston a "dark day" for her state, CNN reported.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
