Witness at bowling alley describes shooter as ‘relaxed and methodical’
Robert R. Card II was “relaxed and methodical” as he opened fireplace on patrons of Simply-In-Time Recreation bowling alley final Wednesday night time. That’s what eye-witness Danielle Grondin remembers within the seconds earlier than she and dozens of others started working for the exits to flee the gunfire.
“I didn’t have a way he had any set targets,” Grondin mentioned Sunday night. “My sense was he noticed somebody shifting and he shot.”
The photographs didn’t come rapidfire, however one after the other separated by a number of seconds, Grondin mentioned, probably as a result of Card’s gun stored jamming.
Within the largest mass capturing in Maine in trendy historical past, 18 folks have been killed Wednesday night time at Simply-In-Time Recreation and Schemengees Bar and Grille. 13 extra have been injured. Card, the topic of an intensive manhunt, was discovered Friday night time, useless of an obvious self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Time appeared to directly stand nonetheless and speed up from the second the primary shot interrupted the common Wednesday night time league video games on the common bowling alley, Grondin mentioned. Up till that time, it was simply one other night time stuffed with the form of laughter and banter that surrounds pleasant competitors within the bowing world.
“We have been in lane 10 and there have been 4 full lanes to the opposite facet of us,” mentioned Grondin, a Winthrop resident initially from Sabattus. “There have been no less than three leagues taking part in there that night time.”
Round 6:45 that night time Grondin mentioned she requested her boyfriend Shawn Chabot if he wished a second beer and a few meals. Chabot declined meals on the time, however was prepared for a second spherical.
On the bar, Grondin joked briefly with bartender Tom Conrad and thanked him earlier than heading again to her lane with a number of glasses of beer.
“I used to be most likely the final particular person to speak to Tom,” Grondin mentioned softly.
Conrad, together with six others within the bowling alley, have been killed within the mass capturing.
“I had simply sat down and put my glasses on the desk and I heard what I felt like was two balloons popping,” Grondin mentioned. “I’m so embarrassed to say my first thought was, ‘who introduced a paintball gun in right here?’”
Grondin stood as much as see what was occurring and got here nose to nose with Card standing about 20-feet away, making herself the proper goal, she mentioned.
“I noticed the sunshine — I can’t say if it was inexperienced or blue, however I noticed it pointing in our route,” she mentioned, referring to the sunshine from the sight on Card’s gun. “I froze — not in worry, however in confusion.”
Card was compelled to cease firing briefly as his gun appeared to jam, Grondin mentioned.
That’s when Chabot grabbed her and pulled her out of the road of fireplace and down a hallway.
“He misplaced me momentarily,” she mentioned. “Then he got here again and began pulling me in a unique route than everybody else was going.”
About 40 buddies and fellow league members have been all dashing in the identical route and Grondin mentioned she wished to stick with them.
However Chabot, along with his United States Navy and anti-terrorism tactical coaching, knew that in these conditions shooters need essentially the most casualties doable and {that a} group of 40 made for a big goal.
“He used his coaching,” Grondin mentioned merely. “He advised me it was his job to maintain me secure.”
As soon as outdoors, the couple fled to a close-by enterprise and tried to persuade the night time janitor to allow them to in. However the particular person on the opposite facet of the door didn’t perceive what they wished, in order that they fled to the Subway Sandwich store throughout the road.
As soon as regulation enforcement was on the scene — one thing Grondin mentioned occurred “in a short time,” she and Chabot joined the others who had escaped on the garden in entrance of the Simply-In-Time.
There she was in a position to borrow a telephone — like the general public who rushed out, her personal telephone was nonetheless inside — to contact household to allow them to know she was secure.
“We heard that [Card] had gone to the Walmart Distribution Middle subsequent,” Grondin mentioned. “I’ve two youngsters who work there.”
Borrowing a second telephone, Grondin referred to as her youngsters. After seven minutes which she mentioned felt like a yr, she heard again they have been beneath lockdown within the facility and secure.
“It’s bizarre, however at no level at time was I afraid for my very own life,” she mentioned. “However with my youngsters at risk, that’s once I misplaced it.”
What adopted was a blur, being taken away from the crime scene by police, giving her assertion to regulation enforcement personnel and at last arriving on the unification heart at a close-by college.
Now she is left with photographs that, irrespective of how onerous she tries, she will’t unsee.
“Each time I shut my eyes, I see him,” she mentioned, glancing at her kitchen clock which learn 5:37 p.m. “Each night time round this time I begin to shake.”
Grondin is aware of she is among the many fortunate ones. Those that made it out alive. Whilst she processes her personal trauma, she is grieving for the lives misplaced.
“After we first bought to the bowling alley, I noticed a girl who I’d gone to highschool with and we mentioned ‘howdy,’” Grondin mentioned. “When the capturing began she mentioned she ended up hiding beneath the ball machine ready to die.”
That girl’s husband, Jason Walker, was killed within the capturing.
Grondin and Chabot had not been to Simply-In-Time for some time as a result of Chabot had been on deployment. They have been wanting ahead to reconnecting with their buddies that night time.
When she had gone to get her bowling footwear, Grondin mentioned she bumped into Tricia Asselin, a good friend and girl who not solely bowled however performed golf with lots of the Apple Valley Golf Course Bowling League members.
“She and Shawn had an enormous hug,” Grondin mentioned. “I’m so glad that they had that.”
Asselin was shot and killed lower than an hour later as she ran for a telephone to name 911.
Now Grondin — like so many others affected by the mass capturing — is left making an attempt to make sense the place there is no such thing as a sense.
“It’s onerous to grasp the way it was we have been in a position to run out and somebody standing near me was shot and killed,” she mentioned.
Many are discovering consolation in gathering with a new-found bond none of them ever wished.
Random sights and sounds are triggering, she mentioned. Driving to the crime scene on Saturday to retrieve her automobile took all the things she had.
She is grateful for the help proven by group members and hopes that lasts, particularly for these instantly affected by the capturing.
“I don’t know if there’ll ever be regular once more,” Grondin mentioned. “For now, it’s someday at a time.”
