Survivor Of Maine Massacre Speaks Out, Came Face-To-Face With Suspect

A survivor of the Maine mass shootingsthat occurred last week is speaking out, claiming she doesn't believe he had a specific motive or targets in mind.

Danielle Grondin, who came face-to-face with the shooter, is speaking out, claiming that she did not believe he had any person in mind when he opened fire at a bowling alley.

Danielle Grondin was at the bowling alley as part of the regular weekly league. Around 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, she went to the bar to order a beer and some food, even having a conversation with bartender Tom Conrad, who was one of the seven individuals killed in the shooting.

“I was probably the last person to talk to Tom,” Grondin told Bangor Daily News. “I had just sat down and put my glasses on the table, and I heard what I felt like was two balloons popping,” she added. “I am so embarrassed to say my first thought was, ‘Who brought a paintball gun in here?’”

That is when Grondin stood up and saw the Maine gunman just 20 feet away from her, with the gun's muzzle flashing "green or blue."

The rifle was pointed in her direction, but she got lucky as he stopped shooting at this point due to what Grondin claims was a jam in his gun.

Related: President Joe Biden Breaks Silence On Maine Mass Shooter’s Reported Death

That is when Grondin's boyfriend, Shawn Chabot, grabbed her and pulled her down a hallway. She says thanks to Chabot's military training, they were able to escape as they moved away from the easy target of a large group.

The couple was able to get to safety at a nearby Subway sandwich shop, which is when they saw law enforcement arrive at the bowling alley.

“We heard that [the gunman] had gone to the Walmart Distribution Center next. I have two kids who work there," she said adding, "It’s weird, but at no point [in] time was I afraid for my own life, but with my kids in danger, that’s when I lost it.”

After the facility was locked down, and she knew she was safe, that is when everything became a blur. She remembers law enforcement taking her statement as they were all taken to a unification center at a school close by for safety.

“I did not have a sense he had any set targets,” Grondin added. “My sense was he saw someone moving and he shot. “It’s hard to understand how it was we were able to run out and someone standing close to me was shot and killed."

She admitted to having PTSD due to the tragic events. "Every time I shut my eyes, I see him,” she said. "Every night around this time I start to shake.”

Robert Card is the primary suspect in the mass shooting that took place in Lewiston last Wednesday. He was found dead Friday evening after a massive manhunt took place over the course of 48+ hours. He was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police confirmed.

“At 7:45 [Thursday] night, Mr. Card was located deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Maine Department of Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck said Friday morning, confirming that Mr. Card died by suicide. Sauschuck also confirmed that the suspected gunman was found in a trailer in a recycling center from which Card had been fired.

Police also confirmed that Card purchased the guns he owned legally.

The 40-year-old army veteran recently stated he was hearing voices, and had allegedly threatened to shoot up the National Guard base in Saco. He was then committed to a mental health facility for two weeks this summer.

Law enforcement was also sent to Robert Card‘s home prior to the mass shootings that occurred after the Maine National Guard noticed Mr. Card acting strange. They then asked local police to check on the reservist, concerned he would “snap and commit a mass shooting.”

Sources told CNN that law enforcement attempted to contact Robert Card on September 16, which was just weeks before Wednesday’s massacres that occurred in a bowling alley and a bar.