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Laura Coates Live

Urgent Manhunt Underway For Maine Mass Shooting Suspect; U.S. Strikes Facilities Linked To Iranian-Backed Militias In Syria; CNN Shares The Stories Of The Mass Shooting Victims; Students At Bates College Shelter In Place. Aired 11p-12a ET

Aired October 26, 2023 - 23:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[23:00:00]

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LAURA COATES, CNN HOST AND SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: The desperate manhunt continues with a terrified community in lockdown, tonight on LAURA COATES LIVE.

Well, he is still out there somewhere. And he's armed, he's dangerous, the gunman who killed 18 people in Lewiston, Maine. Law enforcement is urgently searching for Robert Card, the person you see on the screen there, at this very moment. And we're more than 24 hours after those fateful shots rang out in a bowling alley and also at a bar and grill. It left at least 18 people dead and another 13 injured.

Earlier tonight, investigators said that they detected something inside or near the home. They don't know what or who they may have been detecting. They warned on a loudspeaker at one point, come out with your hands up. There was no response.

And now, Card is still on the Lewis. I mean, imagine what it would be like to be in the area of Lewiston tonight, fearing that the suspect in the killing of your neighbors, your friends, your loved ones, is out there somewhere under the cover of now darkness.

The police do not know for sure where this man is right now, but they do know he's a trained firearms instructor, he's a member of the United States Army Reserves, and he is one of the best shooters in his unit who's so far completely managed to evade them.

And law enforcement sources say that Card recently broke up with a longtime girlfriend. And so, investigators are now pursuing the theory that he went to the bowling alley and to the bar where 18 people were shot to death possibly because they were places the couple used to frequent. Can you imagine?

Let me get right to CNN's Brian Todd, who was on the scene near the suspect's last known address. Brian, a dramatic scene unfolding this evening at Robert Card's house. What did you see and hear tonight?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Laura, it was very dramatic and we thought for a while there -- that there might be a standoff going on. This occurred about 250 yards behind me where the home owned by the suspect, Robert Card, is located. Starting at about 7 p.m. Eastern time, law enforcement really just poured assets into this area, on this street, came right up to the house with tactical vehicles, armored vehicles, air assets like drones and helicopters converged upon the scene.

They had several personnel on the ground. They had canine teams and other technical assets. They also -- we noticed them fanning out in a field, in a farm field, just adjacent to the house for a short period. It might have been in an effort to surround the place.

At about that time, where we are, the media is at this position on a driveway overlooking this place. Law enforcement came up to us and said, you guys need to shut your lights off, your camera lights off. So, we --

COATES: Hmm.

TODD: -- filmed that in the darkness. The reason for that was that they said our lights were creating a danger for law enforcement. So, at that point, we shut our lights off, of course, and we filmed them in darkness.

But we observed a pretty dramatic scene. They had a law enforcement officer on a bullhorn as they put a spotlight on the front of the house, doing kind of a one-way dialogue. And at that point, we thought there may be someone in the house.

The dialogue kind of went like this: Come out with your hands up. Come out with nothing showing in your hands. Almost speaking to the person who had been inside on a personal level, saying, we know this could be intimidating for you. We can guarantee your safety. We don't want anyone else to get hurt.

And then at various times, they would again say, you know, we really want to talk to you. Please come out. Please follow our instructions. Come out and come to the front of the driveway where the truck is. Things like that.

It was very kind of matter of fact, a very deliberate way of speaking. It wasn't too urgent, but it went on and on for probably a good 30 minutes, and then it just abruptly stopped.

But at that point, they kept shifting their assets all over the place. The vehicles would move in a certain way. The spotlight would move to a different part of the house. And then they gradually just extracted everyone.

We're told right now there is -- there is really no scene here to be had as far as law enforcement presence. But we knew that they were looking for something.

[23:04:57]

Our sources indicate that they -- it was unknown whether he was there at the time or not, but they had to kind of do their due diligence and check around. We are told that they will return to this area tomorrow, possibly to search more areas of this property.

COATES: Is there any indication, Brian, as to why they thought that somebody was in that house to have that sustained communication in the back and forth?

TODD: Well, according to the sources that my colleagues have been working all night, Laura, they received an indication that someone or something might be in the house. What that indication was, we don't quite know, whether it was a tip from a neighbor who might have seen something or something else, but they did have an indication that something or someone was in the house.

And we have to stress, when they came here at 7 p.m. Eastern time, that was the second time they had been here today. Couple of hours before that, they had shown up not with the same kind of -- kind of overwhelming presence but with some tactical vehicles and officers, and they kind of approached the house, not quite rushing it, but they approached the house, and then we heard flashbangs going off.

Again, we're told that's standard procedure. When you're not sure something or someone is in there, you go in with force, you go in with flashbangs to kind of keep that element of surprise. After they did that, they kind of withdrew, and then they came back a couple of hours later.

COATES: Brian Todd, thank you so much. This is really still very quickly moving. Thank you for all that you're doing. Keep us posted.

I want to go now to CNN's John Berman. He is in Lewiston. John, the suspect, you just heard from Brian, they were looking at the home, the last known address. They were talking about coming out with your hands up. There was no response, no indication as to why they went there. The suspect remains on the run. What are you learning at this very hour?

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah, the suspect remains on the run, which means where I am in Lewiston, the second most populous city in Maine, some 40,000 residents here, they are in a shelter in place order right now. They have been told to secure your homes, secure your cars. And it's not just Lewiston here, but it's parts of two pretty big counties totaling about 100,000 people that have been told to shelter in place.

And that will extend now through tomorrow, assuming there are no dramatic developments overnight, which means that schools will be closed in these communities, a lot of businesses will be closed, banks have been closed throughout the state. L.L. Bean, as I've been talking about all day, was closed today. It's open on Christmas Day but it was closed today because of safety concerns.

So, people are having to alter their lives. And by and large, they are obeying these suggestions to stay indoors. Really, the roads are mostly deserted as you drive through here. Occasionally, what you will see is, you know, a police car drive by or a sheriff's vehicle, state police. We saw investigators behind us.

I'm by Schemengees Bar right here in Lewiston. And this is one of the crime scenes where eight people were killed. And we saw investigators, including FBI, going in and out all day there. But this situation, you know, it very much continues and it has people very much on edge, Laura.

COATES: I mean, you're talking about the cars and, of course, the vehicles, but you're very familiar with Maine, and for people who might not be as familiar with this area or how transportation really also happens in Maine, we're talking about estuaries, we're talking about bodies of water, we're talking about an area where boats are very common, how easy would it be for this individual not to escape maybe by car, but maybe to be eluding the officers by boat?

BERMAN: Well, remember, Laura, his car, the suspect's car, was found by a boat launch about 10 miles from here in Lisbon, Maine, right on the Androscoggin River. That's a river that's navigable. I mean, you can take a boat up and down that river.

The Kennebec River is another river a little bit north of here. You can take a boat up and down that. We know the Coast Guard was operating on the Kennebec River, searching for this suspect today.

And then not far from here, 15 miles east or so, is the Atlantic Ocean. And not just the ocean, but all kinds of inlets. As you were alluding to, there are so many cut-ins to the main coast all up and down the coast. There are a lot of possible places where he could run to and get in a boat.

Now, once you're in a boat, it's a different situation in terms of being on the run. Obviously, you've got no cover from the sky. You can't hide under trees when you're in a boat. And one reason we expect that there have been so many helicopters up in the air searching, drones up in the air searching, is to have eyes on these waterways, on the rivers, and further out maybe even on the coast.

The Coast Guard, very much aware of this, very much involved in the search operations now, Laura. You know, it's an all hands on deck. You know, no pun intended with the water references here, an all hands on deck search effort going on in this part of the state.

COATES: John Berman, please, my friend, stay safe. You are there. There is still an active manhunt. Please bring us what you can. We appreciate it so much.

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Joining me now, former FBI special agent Daniel Brunner and former FBI assistant director for the Criminal Investigative Division, Chris Swecker. He was the FBI special agent in charge of the search for the convicted serial bomber, Eric Rudolph.

You know, this is more than 24 hours later. I'll begin with you, Chris. As you're looking at how the last 24 hours have unfolded, tell me, what is your assessment of what has taken place, the suspect's actions, and really, how could he have been able to evade authorities altogether so far? CHRIS SWECKER, FORMER FBI ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION: Laura, I think this person is mentally -- mentally- disturbed. I mean, that's obvious just by the nature of the act itself. But also, we know there's a documented record of some sort of mental disorder.

But he planned well. I mean, he executed his plan. You know, he attacked two different places. He inflicted mass casualties. He's trained. He's a firearms instructor. He's a specialist in the Army, 21 years. He's an outdoorsman. So -- he obviously fishes and hunts in that area. That's a fishing and hunting area. Probably knows the area better than any local authorities, except maybe the wildlife officers.

So, although he's mentally disturbed, he planned this to the T, and I think his escape is part of that plan. He either -- he either got to that boat ramp and did a switch car situation like bank robbers do, he's in a clean car and he's hundreds of miles away, or he went with what's familiar, which is his boat, that river, the wilderness area in and around that area.

He probably pre-stocked and pre-selected some locations like Eric Rudolph did. You know, he could hang out in those woods for a long time without getting caught, just like Eric Rudolph. Eric Rudolph was on the run for five years and he never went more than eight miles from where he was last seen. So --

COATES: That's unbelievable.

SWECKER: -- this could be a very long-drawn-out search.

COATES: And think about the communities. They're on lockdown still, Daniel. The suspect, I mean, could have fled on foot, could have gone by boat, could have gone by car. There is a world, frankly, of possibilities. And we know at least that this person has been -- is the person of interest to have killed all of these people, that has the training, the firearm trainings, the military training as well.

So, walk me through what investigators, with all those possibilities, what are they doing right now to track him? They must have technology to figure out whether he is inside certain buildings. Is it the dogs? What do you do to tackle this?

DANIEL BRUNNER, FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Well, I think there's a lot of different leads that are being developed right now. The tactical operations specialist at the command center being led by the state police, and all the other entities are all there together, gathering every piece of evidence and every piece of lead.

They're looking at -- they're talking to Army CID, Criminal Investigated Division, looking at his army life, his personal life, his online presence. Everything that he has touched within the last five to ten years, they're looking into it, thus creating the lead.

So, looking into not only determine what his motive was but what his next steps were. You know, as Chris was saying, he absolutely -- he left it -- he left his vehicle at where there was a boat launch. He could have got into a second vehicle.

I think the theory of him going out into the open ocean on his small boat, it's going to be a little difficult because he would need fuel. So, I think the theory of either him taking the boat downriver and then getting off where Chris was saying, where he's got, you know, supplies set up, and he can go into the woods. I also think about Eric Rudolph manhunt. He, you know, was captured by a patrol officer five years after he was put on the 10 most wanted.

So, this man knows these woods. He's trained. He is expert at this -- at urban, in the woods. He can -- and he's got his weapons. So, he's a danger, but all the investigators are putting all the leads together to try and determine and get inside his mind before the events in which they occurred.

COATES: You know, and also, it could have been that we're talking about a car at a boat ramp that may be part of a strategic decoy operation. You just have no idea whether that was something that he had anticipated in some respect as well.

You know, you both mentioned these similarities between him and Eric Rudolph, and the amount of time it took to track him down. Getting into the mind of the why, for the victims and the families who are grieving the loss of their loved ones and a sense of security in this community, the motive might not be paramount, but that's also what investigators are looking at.

[23:14:57]

They developed a working theory, according to source who told my colleague, John Miller. That there is a theory that -- of why the suspect targeted the bowling alley. Why he targeted the bar and grill. He'd recently broke up with a longtime girlfriend and they frequented these locations. What do you make, Chris, of that theory that's right now being discussed?

SWECKER: Yeah, well, John is a very credible person. I worked with him with the FBI. He knows the difference between rumor and fact. So, I think it's a very plausible working theory. I have said all day long that this is a personal thing. When the issue of terrorism came up, I said it just doesn't have the indicators there.

So, there's a trigger or a set of triggers. And he has been digressing for a while, incidents at work, lost his job, supposedly broke up or had a breakup with his girlfriend, been hearing voices, just got hearing aids, and those voices were in his ear in those two places, apparently. And these are places that he frequented.

So, this could be part of just a slide, a gradual slide, and then a trigger. And I think that happens very often with mass killers like this. So, you know, the role of mental illness just looms large over this whole thing.

COATES: Daniel, you know, there's law enforcement trying to find this person. They're calling him armed and dangerous. You heard what Chris had to say about the indicia not reflecting maybe a terrorist angle. But there are law enforcement entities out right now who are likely afraid of running into a trap, being ambushed. Their safety and that of the community is certainly in peril.

What are the considerations for law enforcement tonight in terms of the cover of darkness and where we are?

BRUNNER: Well, that's obviously a danger, just like in the Pennsylvania manhunt where they were walking through an area and looking for him in a slow methodical method.

But what the community needs to understand is that law enforcement is putting themselves out there for that reason. That's why we took the badge, that's why we took the job, is to make sure we, even if we run into a danger, that we are getting ourselves out there to prevent it from someone in the community -- an additional person getting hurt. There at that lies the sacrifice that some of these law enforcements.

The most important thing is capturing and mitigating this threat, getting out there and moving through the area. Now, once they determine a location, whether it's woods or like in Pennsylvania where there's an area, that's when other assets will start focusing on that area, whether it be canine, whether it be aircraft, infrared looking down, you have also drone.

So, lots of different assets are being brought in. FBI Boston, FBI Albany, I'm sure New Haven, all the other federal assets, ATF, HSI, they're all coming in. I'm sure countless law enforcement agencies in the area are flooding the area saying, how can we help? And there -- and there lies where the Incident Command Center will then start pushing them into areas once they determine leads.

At this point, the investigators are out there, interviewing people, looking at data, looking at possible leads, looking at (INAUDIBLE), looking at suspicious activity, anything that could possibly provide a lead as to where he has gone. Those investigators who then develop the leads, send it back to the Incident Command Center, and then they'll start focusing the search teams in that area.

COATES: An extremely wide net and extremely broad expertise. Both of you, Daniel Brunner, Chris Swecker, thank you so much.

We are learning more tonight about the victims of this latest mass shooting. Coming up, I'll talk to the family of Tricia Asselin, who was bowling last night, and she lost her life just trying to save others.

And our other breaking news tonight, the United States striking two facilities linked to Iranian-backed militias in Syria. A report from the Pentagon is next.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COATES: We've got much more to come on our breaking news. The urgent manhunt for a mass shooting suspect continues in Maine. But first, some of the more other breaking news tonight. The Pentagon saying that the U.S. has carried out airstrikes in Syria targeting Iranian proxy facilities.

We'll go right now to CNN's Oren Liebermann, who is at the Pentagon for us, along with CNN military analyst, retired Major General Spider Marks. Oren, let me begin with you here. The United States striking two facilities linked to Iranian-backed militias, they say, in retaliation for attacks against U.S. forces in the region. What more do you know?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, these strikes happening just a short time ago, within the last couple of hours. Two U.S. F-16 fighter jets using precision-guided munitions to target two facilities in Eastern Syria in a town called Abu Kamal, right on the Iraq-Syria border there.

According to a senior defense official and a senior military official, the attacks targeted a weapons storage facility and an ammunition storage facility. In terms of how these facilities were picked, the officials said these were used by Iranian-backed militias and helped, assisted in the carrying out of attacks on U.S. forces over the course of the past nine days or so.

According to the Pentagon, there have now been a total of 19 attacks across Iraq and Syria against U.S. forces in those countries over the course or rather since October 17th, and it's because of those attacks and it's because of the link the Pentagon sees to Iran for those attacks that the U.S. felt the need at this point to respond and carried out these airstrikes in response.

In terms of whether there were casualties as a result of these strikes, the senior military official says there were people at these facilities earlier on in the day, presumably as they were being surveilled. But the official said that those were not civilians. The official said they're linked with either Iran or the Iranian-backed militias in the area, pointing the finger squarely at Iran there.

[23:25:02]

But in a statement about the strikes, it's worth noting that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was careful in his wording here. He said these were narrow strikes intended to protect U.S. forces, but also warned there could be more of these strikes should Iranian-backed proxies in the region continue to attack U.S. forces.

The U.S. also trying to draw a very clear distinction between the fighting going on in Gaza, between Israel and Hamas, saying that's not connected in any way at all to the purpose of U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria.

They're there as part of the coalition to defeat ISIS, and that shouldn't be viewed or connected in any way, trying to make very clear to Iran that the U.S. will, A, defend its troops, and B, try to keep this from spreading in any way with not only the forces added to the region over the past couple of days, but also carrier strike groups that are in and headed to the Middle East, as well as more U.S. forces in the region.

COATES: Oren, thank you so much. I mean, General Marks, to Oren's point, the U.S. has been warning Iran that they will defend our forces. Is this, in the narrowness of the strikes that Secretary Austin was mentioning, is this the correct approach to get that attention and get that message across?

JAMES "SPIDER" MARKS, CNN MILITARY ANALYST, FORMER U.S. MAJOR GENERAL: Well, I think the IRGC, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is what we're talking about, and look, there isn't a thing that takes place in Iran that doesn't have their fingerprints on it, they're in all aspects of society and, obviously, it's a military arm as well.

So, the IRGC understands clearly that we know that the linkage of what they're doing with Hezbollah as well as Hamas is crystal clear. And then their attacks after our support, U.S. support to Israel, both diplomatic support and in military presence, as Oren has laid out, is crystal clear. And so, they were going to go after U.S. presence both in Iraq and in Syria.

And realize that the Syrian Democratic Forces, those forces that are fighting against the existing Syrian government, are in northeastern Syria. And the United States has been there. We've had troops on the ground since about 2016 in support of their efforts to go after ISIS. It has been very successful. The United States has drawn those numbers down to about a thousand. That's what's there right now.

And this -- you know, the Shia Crescent that goes from Tehran all the way into Syria, is crystal clear, and the United States understands that we're right in the middle of a very hostile environment doing what needs to be done to keep that expansion. So, there's no mystery in terms of what the message is from the United States and the message that was received by Tehran.

COATES: Oren Liebermann, General James "Spider" Marks, thank you both for making this all the clearer (INAUDIBLE) a lot of fronts covering tonight. Thank you both so much for helping to clarify.

You know, our other breaking news tonight, it's a bit like drinking water from a fire hose in terms of what we are covering because there are so many important stories that we are covering tonight. We will give you the very latest. We got entire towns locked down as the urgent manhunt for the main mass shooting suspect continues. The stories of those we've lost is next.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNKNOWN: My son actually, because he's manager of the bar and everything else, picked up a butcher knife and went after the gunman to try to stop him from killing other people. And that's when he shot my son to death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: A father mourning his son's death, a son who tried to stop the gunman's deadly rampage. His son's name is Joseph Walker. And Walker's dad says that he believes he was targeted because he was trying to help others. It took him 14 hours to get word of his son's death. He is one of the four victims killed whose names that we have been able to confirm.

Forty-year-old Brian MacFarlane is another who tragically lost his life. He was at the bar and grill engaging in a cornhole tournament when he was shot and killed. MacFarlane was deaf and wouldn't have been able to hear the shots that were fired.

Thirty-nine-year-old Peyton Brewster -- Brewer Ross, excuse me, was also playing in that cornhole tournament. He is the father of a two- year-old child. His brother says he never had a bad thing to say about anyone.

Thirty-four-year-old Tommy Conrad was the manager at the "Just-In-Time Recreation" bowling alley. He is survived by his nine-year-old daughter.

Tricia Asselin was also killed at the bowling alley. She worked there part-time. But she wasn't actually there for work last night, only to bowl. She was just 53 years old.

Joining me now, Tricia Asselin's sister, Bobbi Nichols, and Tricia's niece, Shannon Desrosiers. Ladies, I'm just so sorry that we are meeting like this. And Bobby, I am so sorry for your loss in particular as well. How are you this evening?

BOBBI NICHOLS, SISTER KILLED IN LEWISTON SHOOTING: I'm a little bit of a mess.

COATES: As I understand, you were there in that place when this happened. You were with your sister who worked part time at "Just-In- Time Recreation." She was enjoying a night off at the bowling alley. You were bowling in another lane. Can you tell me what happened? What did you see?

NICHOLS: We were bowling in leagues. They had the junior leagues and then they had a bunch of other leagues. And we were on different teams. So, she was like six aisles down from me. So, I would bowl, I'd go over there and see her bowl.

And we heard a big bang. And I was actually in between where I was bowling and where she was bowling. And before I heard the bang, I looked, and she wasn't bowling. But I didn't think nothing of it.

[23:35:00] I turned around and started to walk back. And when I turned around, that's when I heard the big bang. And I looked before me, and I didn't see her. And then I heard another bang, and I knew it was a gun.

Everybody was yelling, it's a gun, it's a gun, run, run. People were running. Everybody was running. I got trampled a little bit. I -- you know, you're running outside in your bowling shoes.

COATES: Hmm.

NICHOLS: You know, leave everything behind. And I -- and I just kept running. And a bunch of us just kept running and running and running. And it was dark out and the lighting there is really not that good. So, you're running -- so we came to a fence and we couldn't go any further. And there were trees. We were hiding behind the trees. And the cops came. And they were everywhere. And I got home at 2:00 this morning.

COATES: At what point did you know your sister wasn't with you?

NICHOLS: I knew -- I knew right then, but somebody that was inside said that she called 911 and don't worry, don't worry. But I think it was like 8:39-ish maybe, I was told that she was deceased. That he was shot and killed her while she was calling for help.

COATES: Uh. Bobbi, did you ever see the gunman?

NICHOLS: No. I kind of seen the gun, but I didn't see his face. No, not really.

COATES: You saw the gun. Oh, my goodness.

NICHOLS: Yeah. But I don't know one gun from the next. So, I couldn't exactly say what it was. I'm not exactly sure.

COATES: Shannon, I mean, just hearing what your mother even went through last night and to know that this is your aunt that we're talking about right now, this is -- has been so devastating for your family. And I know that she also has a son. Can you tell me how your family is coping, how her son is coping?

SHANNON DESROSIERS, AUNT KILLED IN LEWISTON SHOOTING: It's hard. It's -- I don't know. So many emotions at once. Just to think you're -- you know, you saw or talked to your aunt only a couple days ago and now she's gone. And, you know, she leaves behind her son. She's a mother. She's a hard worker. She works three jobs. She would do anything to help anyone out. And it's just tragic for everybody.

COATES: Bobbi, you were at the bowling alley. Who was around you? We're being told that there were children who were bowling as well last night. Was it a full place? Who was around you?

NICHOLS: Yeah, it was full. You walk in, and to the right, I don't know how many aisles there are, but they had the junior leagues, and the first like probably six or so lanes. And then they have -- we had tournaments start on the next, you know, 10 lanes or so. And then on the other side, they had lanes over there, too, that were being occupied. Plus, they had people playing pool there and people were eating at the bar there.

So, um, it was pretty full for a Wednesday night. Yeah, I would say so. There was a lot of people there.

COATES: Can I ask how did -- who told what happened to your sister?

NICHOLS: Sam. She works inside. And I knew when she came out, because I'm pretty sure that -- she probably was the one that gave the tapes of who the person was. But I'm not sure why I'm saying that. Anyways, she came out, and I said, I want to know where my sister is, where's my sister? And she told me, I'm sorry. And I knew.

[23:39:57]

And I went right to my knees, and so did she. And I waited almost three hours to actually hear someone say that because I know -- I thought she was okay, that she was just in there helping, because that's what she does. She helps everybody.

COATES: Bobbi, I'm so sorry. I'm just so sorry for your loss and just hearing you describe your sister and what this must be like. Shannon, can you leave us with what you'd like the world to know about this wonderful soul?

DESROSIERS: Everyone that knew her knew that she would help anyone before herself. She put others before herself, as she did that night. And that's how people are going to remember her, as the good person that she was.

COATES: Bobbi Nichols, Shannon Desrosiers, thank you so much for sharing her life with us tonight. I appreciate it. And I'm so sorry.

NICHOLS: Thank you.

DESROSIERS: Thanks.

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[23:45:00]

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COATES: Well, tonight, as this urgent manhunt is underway, there are entire towns that are locked down as police hunt for a 40-year-old army reservist, Robert Card. A former reservist who served with Card told CNN that he's a skilled marksman and also an outdoorsman.

Joining me now, Tim Smith, survival instructor and a 24-year registered master main guide. And also, along with us today is forensic criminologist Brent Turvey.

Let me begin with you, Tim, because for most people, when you look at the terrain, it's, you know, heavily-wooded, it's rural, that could be an impediment. For someone like him and his skill set, this could be an asset.

TIM SMITH, SURVIVAL INSTRUCTOR: Yeah. It's really not super heavily- wooded down there. It's pretty built up. It's a pretty congested part of the state. So, as far as it being -- definitely different than say far Northern Maine, which where there's nobody around.

COATES: Could he have gotten to those areas and is the way that it looks (INAUDIBLE), would those be areas where his survival skills might be more readily available than the average person?

SMITH: Yeah, I think so. I think, you know, the -- basically, from where the events took place, the further north, the further west you go, the more remote it's going to get.

COATES: Let me ask you about this, Brent. I want to play for you what a neighbor of the suspect told CNN today. Listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVE LETARTE, ROBERT CARD'S NEIGHBOR: Just didn't seem like that kind of individual. Like I said, people have problems, but you don't expect them to go off the deep end like that. Like I said, when I saw it on the news last night, I was shocked.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: I would mention, his sister-in-law, Card's sister-in-law, also told CNN that this was a -- quote -- "acute episode" -- unquote -- and not who he is.

When you're looking at this, it must be pretty common for people to, one, be stunned by the behavior like this, but how aware is it that the families would be aware or anticipate something like this happening?

BRENT TURVEY, FORENSIC CRIMINOLOGIST: Well, in these kinds of cases, the individual is going to telegraph pretty much every part of their plan to those in their immediate environment. It's not going to be a secret to them.

What should be happening right now is they should be interviewing the intended target, whether directly or indirectly, which is his ex- girlfriend or his ex -- ex-girlfriend, essentially.

The job now is to figure out where he's going to go and if he has a plan to hit other targets because we already know he's got a list in his head, if not written out, of the places he thinks she's going to be or that she's associated with that he intends to inflict damage upon.

COATES: You have some concerns that this might not be the end of it. If the theory that this was somehow retaliatory or response to his recent breakup, there could be more people in danger. TURVEY: I wouldn't use the word retaliatory. It's more like a reaction. He has lost all the anchor points that sort of held him into reality. A successive series of events and the last thing being the breakup with the girlfriend.

She being the person around him becomes fixated as the focus of his -- of all of his cumulative losses. So, she probably knows better than anyone else what he might do next because likely he has told her, likely he has telegraphed her in some way.

COATES: Tim, we are more than 24 hours now into this manhunt. And part of the strategy for law enforcement will be to inflict stressors on this person of interest in order to bring him out of the shadows. What kinds of challenges would he be facing? The more desperate he becomes, if he is out in the wild in Maine in some respects, what are those challenges? The more desperate (INAUDIBLE) the food and shelter?

SMITH: Short term, it's going to be shelter, staying warm. Food is really not going to kick in for a couple of days. You know, as long as a week. The human body can go a long time without ingesting any food. But definitely, staying warm on the cold main nights and staying hydrated, those are going to be huge things physiologically.

COATES: Really important to hear both your perspectives. There's a lot of challenges for law enforcement. We're going to stay focused on what happens in this ongoing manhunt. Thank you both, Tim Smith and Brent Turvey.

A college campus was also on lockdown. Students sheltering in their classrooms and wherever they could be found. Fear striking Bates College in Lewistown after last night's shooting. I talked to the school's president.

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[23:50:00]

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COATES: Now, imagine the chaos when you've got 1,800 students to account for and your college is just minutes away from the site of a major mass shooting. They could be anywhere, the students.

That's exactly what happened at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. The campus, which would normally be full of students walking between classes and reading on the quad, was completely still today with the college and the surrounding community still in lockdown.

I asked Garry Jenkins, president of Bates College, about the status of the lockdown.

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GARRY JENKINS, PRESIDENT, BATES COLLEGE: The lockdown is still in place, and that's something that city officials determine and city and state officials determine, not the campus. But we're working closely with them, trying to get information to our students. We are really working, working hard at that.

[23:55:01]

But this is a resilient community. People are really supportive here, supportive of one another. Our staff has done a yeoman's job, Herculean efforts, to make sure that our students feel supported. So, we're providing resources around the clock.

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COATES: Thank you all for watching. Our live coverage continues in just a moment.

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PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and all around the world. I'm Paula Newton.

Two major stories we are following this hour. The manhunt for the suspect in that mass shooting in Maine is zeroing in on his last known address. And flares fired near the Gaza border where the Israeli forces amassed along it and promising ground raids will continue ahead of a planned full-scale incursion.