At least 10 dead in Maine shooting, number expected to rise

At least 10 dead in Lewiston, Maine shootings; suspect at large. Police urge residents to stay in homes with doors locked as they search for gunman. Multiple wounded, death toll expected to rise. Central Maine Medical Center responding to mass casualty event.

At least 10 people were killed Wednesday in shootings in Lewiston, Maine, U.S. and the death toll is expected to rise, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.

The officials said multiple people had also been wounded. Investigators were still processing the crime scenes and working to gather evidence. Police were searching for the man who opened fire Wednesday at two locations in the Maine city.

The officials were not authorised to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

Lewiston Police said in an earlier Facebook post that they were dealing with an active shooter incident at Schemengees Bar and Grille and Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley.

“Please stay off the roads to allow emergency responders access to the hospitals,” police said.

On its website, Central Maine Medical Center said staff were “reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter event” and were coordinating with area hospitals to take in patients.

The alert for Lewiston was made shortly after 8 p.m. as the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office reported that law enforcement agencies were investigating “two active shooter events.” The sheriff's office said the suspect was still at large.