Campus Alert Archive
CMCC

An 18-Victim Mass Shooting Next Door Shut CMCC's Auburn Campus Mid-Manhunt

MEshelter in placeemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

Central Maine Community College in Auburn closed and sheltered during the two-day manhunt for the gunman who killed 18 people and wounded 13 in neighboring Lewiston on October 25, 2023. With the suspect at large, Auburn advised residents to shelter in place and CMCC was among the Lewiston-area colleges that remained closed on October 26. The campus reopened after the suspect was found dead two days later.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Central Maine Community College
Community College · ME
CMCC Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstruction221 chars
CMCC Alert: Due to the active shooter situation in Lewiston and the ongoing search for the suspect, Central Maine Community College is CLOSED. Shelter in place, lock your doors, and follow guidance from local authorities.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed wording: CMCC's exact closure notice is not published, so isVerbatimConfirmed is false and confidence is medium.
Auburn, which borders Lewiston, was placed under a shelter-in-place advisory during the manhunt for the suspect who killed 18 people in Lewiston on October 25, 2023.
ALL CLEAREmail
Approximate reconstruction162 chars
CMCC Alert: The shelter-in-place order has been lifted following the conclusion of the police investigation. Campus will reopen and normal operations will resume.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed wording; the timing follows the confirmed end of the manhunt when the suspect was found dead on October 27, 2023, but the exact text is not published.
CMCC's closure was a regional precaution driven by the off-campus mass shooting and manhunt, not an on-campus incident, illustrating how a nearby threat can shutter an entire community college.
Context

Background

Central Maine Community College sits in Auburn, directly across the Androscoggin River from Lewiston. On October 25, 2023, a gunman opened fire at a bowling alley and a restaurant in Lewiston, killing 18 and wounding 13. As an extensive manhunt unfolded, Auburn advised residents to shelter in place and numerous area institutions closed. Inside Higher Ed reported that CMCC, the Maine College of Health Professions, and the University of Southern Maine's Lewiston-Auburn campus all closed while the suspect remained at large. The manhunt ended when the suspect was found dead on October 27, 2023, after which the regional shelter-in-place was lifted and campuses reopened. The case demonstrates how a catastrophic off-campus shooting can force a multi-day closure across an entire college community.
Analysis

Key Findings

CMCC's closure was driven by an off-campus mass shooting and manhunt, not an on-campus threat
Auburn, bordering Lewiston, was under a shelter-in-place advisory during the search for the suspect
CMCC was one of several Lewiston-area colleges closed October 26, 2023; campuses reopened after the suspect was found dead October 27
Outcome
The Lewiston shooting on October 25, 2023 killed 18 and injured 13. An extensive manhunt for Robert Card spanned several days; Auburn, which borders Lewiston, was placed under a shelter-in-place advisory, and area colleges including CMCC, the Maine College of Health Professions, and USM's Lewiston-Auburn campus closed. The suspect was found dead on October 27, 2023, after which the regional shelter-in-place was lifted and campuses reopened.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Source
    Maine Colleges on Lockdown, Closed With Shooter at Large
    insidehighered.com
  2. News
    Manhunt continues for person of interest in deadly Maine shootings
    opb.org
  3. News
    18 killed, 13 injured in Maine mass shooting as police hunt for gunman
    cbsnews.com
Tags
shelter-in-placeactive-shootermanhuntlewistonmainecommunity-college
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion