Peyton Brewer-Ross, a 40-year-old White male, was a vibrant and cherished member of his community, known for his love of family, friends, and cornhole. His life was tragically cut short on the evening of October 25, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine, when he became a victim of the deadliest mass shooting in the state's history. On that fateful night, Brewer-Ross was at Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant, participating in a cornhole tournament, a pastime he was deeply passionate about.
It was there that a gunman, later identified as 40-year-old Robert Card, opened fire on unsuspecting patrons.
The attack on Schemengees was the second of two locations targeted by Card that evening. Minutes earlier, he had opened fire at the Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley, also in Lewiston, before making his way to the bar where Brewer-Ross and others were enjoying their evening. The senseless act of violence claimed the lives of 18 people in total and left 13 others wounded. Brewer-Ross, a dedicated pipefitter at Bath Iron Works and a loving father to his young daughter, was among those who did not survive. His death left a profound void in the lives of his fiancée, daughter, family, and the many friends who were drawn to his kind and charismatic nature.
In the aftermath of the shootings, a massive manhunt for Robert Card was launched, spanning multiple days and involving numerous law enforcement agencies. Residents of Lewiston and surrounding towns were urged to shelter in place as the search for the armed and dangerous suspect continued. The extensive search concluded on October 27, when Card was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a tractor-trailer at a recycling center in Lisbon, Maine, where he had previously been employed. An investigation into Card's motives revealed a history of mental health struggles, though a definitive reason for his horrific actions remains unclear.
