Lewiston shootings: Here’s what we know about the victims

On Wednesday night in Lewiston, Maine, Bill Young and his 14-year-old son, Aaron, were enjoying an evening at the small town’s bowling alley when a man holding a long gun and laden with what authorities say were likely hundreds of rounds of ammunition walked into Just-In-Time Recreation, a bowling alley, and began firing.

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Both Bill and Aaron were killed in the hail of gunfire along with five others at the bowling alley.

A few minutes later and a few miles down the road, seven people would die inside Schemengees Bar & Grille — several who were playing in a cornhole tournament at the gathering place. One man was killed in Schemengees’ parking lot.

In all, 18 people — seven at Just-In-Time, eight at Schemengees and three who died at the hospital — would lose their lives in the double mass shootings. Authorities have not said where the three who died at the hospital were shot.

Authorities are still looking for the suspect, Robert Card.

Here’s what we know about the victims:

Ron Morin

Family members told The Bangor Daily News and CNN that Ron Morin was among the people killed in Maine on Wednesday.

“He was just always smiling, happy,” family member Cecile Francoeur Martin told the Daily News. “Just one of those people that if you are having a bad day, he was going to make your day better just by his presence.”

He was shot Wednesday night at Schemengees Bar & Grille, CNN reported. Martin, who is a cousin of Morin’s wife, told the news network that the family was “asking for prayers and privacy during this incredible time of shock and profound grief.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Maxx Hathaway

Family members said Maxx Hathaway, a stay-at-home dad of two with a third on the way, was among the 18 people killed in Wednesday’s mass shootings in Lewiston.

Maxx Hathaway’s sister, Kelsay Hathaway, said his wife is due to give birth to his third daughter in just over a month.

“He was a goofy, down-to-earth person, loved to joke around, and always had an uplifting attitude no matter what was going on,” Kelsay Hathaway wrote on a verified GoFundMe campaign established after the shooting. “He loved anime, gaming and loved to play pool. Growing up he would always play dolls with my younger sister Courtney and always loved to get into trouble.”

She said that his wife, Brenda, his daughters, his family and his friends “meant to world to him and his loss will be felt among the communities that he was a part of and grew up in.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Joey Walker

According to witnesses at Schemengees, the bar’s manager, Joey Walker, picked up a butcher’s knife and tried to stop the man who had burst through the bar’s doors and began shooting.

Walker was killed, leaving behind — like the other 17 victims — a stunned and grieving family.

”It’s gonna be hard,” his father Leroy Walker, Sr., told CNN. “It leaves you an empty hole that I don’t know how it will be filled,” Walker said.

When pressed about how he was coming to grips with his loss, Walker said, “You have to let the Lord do what has to be done.”

Walker said he will rest upon his faith to get through the days to come, and that hate is not part of that equation.

“I just can’t hate him,” Walker said of the shooting suspect, Card. “I can’t hate this man. I’ve been taught different, at least I think so. ... Hate will never bring my son back.”

It’s not the first time Walker has dealt with loss. His daughter died 25 years ago in a car accident.

Bryan MacFarlane, Steven Vozzella

Members of the deaf community had gathered at Schemengees to take part in a cornhole tournament.

Bryan MacFarlane, 40, was playing in the tournament when he was killed, his sister Keri Brooks told CNN.

MacFarlane, who was one of the first deaf people in the state of Vermont to get his commercial trucking driver’s license, had recently moved back to Maine with his beloved dog, M&M, Brooks said.

Steven Vozzella was also at the cornhole tournament at Schemengees Bar & Grille when he was killed. His death was confirmed by the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf.

Bob Violette, Luceille Violette

Bob Violette, 76, loved bowling and, after the mechanic retired from Sears, he could be found most weekdays at the alley, the Sun Journal newspaper reported.

Bob Violette’s wife, Luceille Violette, 73, also died in the shootings Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.

He bowled with his wife and started a youth league at Just-In-Time, also known by its previous name, Sparetime.

Co-worker Brandon Dubuc described Violette as “so kind and he was always super understanding. He was very patient with everybody.” He said Violette helped with the youth league for “as long as I can remember. There wasn’t a kid that he wouldn’t help.”

According to a family member, Violette was reportedly killed trying to protect the children for whom he was responsible at the bowling alley.

Witnesses said he stood between the shooter and the children in his bowling league, shielding them from bullets.

Michael Deslauriers

As in several other accounts of the victims of the shootings, Michael Deslauriers II was killed while fighting back.

According to his father, Michael Deslauriers Sr., Deslauriers and his friend were shot after they made sure their wives and young children were out of the line of fire.

“I have the hardest news for a father to ever have to share,” Deslauriers Sr., wrote on social media. “They made sure their wives and several young children were undercover, then they charged the shooter.”

Deslauriers’ friend’s name has not yet been officially released, but the Newtown Action Alliance says his name is Jason Walker.

Tommy Conrad

Tommy Conrad was a new manager at the bowling alley according to a Facebook post. His father, Timothy Conrad, told ABC News that his son, the father of a 9-year-old girl, died in the shooting.

Tricia Asselin

Tricia Asselin, 53, is another person who will be remembered for her heroic actions. Asselin was trying to call 911 when the gunman shot and killed her at the bowling alley, her brother DJ Johnson told CNN.

Asselin, who worked at the bowling alley part-time, was there Wednesday night for fun, bowling with her sister.

Her actions, her brother said, come as no surprise to anyone who knew her.

“She wasn’t going to run,” Johnson said. “She was going to try and help.”

Asselin’s sister, Bobbi-Lynn Nichols, said she was trampled as people panicked and ran for the exits.

“I heard another bang, and I knew it was a gun. Everybody was yelling, ‘It’s a gun it’s a gun run, run,’” Nichols said. “People were running into everybody was running. I got trampled a little bit.”

Bill and Aaron Young

Bill and Aaron Young were at the bowling alley Wednesday night, according to Winthrop Public Schools Superintendent Jim Hodgkin. They were killed by the shooter.

While Hodgkin did not name the two, he confirmed that a Winthrop High School freshman and his father were among the shooting victims. He also confirmed the uncle of another student lost his life in the shooting.

Rob Young said his brother was a “man’s man,” the goofy “life of the party” — and his best friend. Aaron, an intelligent kid, idolized his dad and wanted to be just like him, Young told The Los Angeles Times.

“They were both the apple of each other’s eyes,” Young said.

Bill was 44. Aaron was 14-years-old.

Peyton Brewer-Ross

Peyton Brewer-Ross has been identified as one of the victims of the Lewiston shootings by his employer, Bath Iron Works.

“He’s into baseball and history. He also likes whimsical things like Superman, nerdy card games and dressing up like Macho Man to make you and himself laugh,” Wayne Benwell Jr., a close childhood friend, told the AP. “If this happened to any one of us, he’d be beside himself with grief. He was sensitive like that.”

Brewer-Ross was the father of a 2-year-old girl. It is believed he was taking part in the cornhole tournament.

Joshua Seal

Joshua Seal was also part of that group as an interpreter for the deaf. His death was confirmed by the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf. Seal was at Schemengees bar taking part in a cornhole tournament for deaf athletes, according to WGME.

He was a husband, a father to four children and a skilled sign-language interpreter.

Bill Bracket

Billy Bracket, a father of two, was also at the cornhole tournament at Schemengees Bar & Grille when he was killed. His death was confirmed by the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf.

Arthur Strout

Arthur Strout, 42, a father of five, was killed at Schemengees. His father, Arthur Barnard, had been with his son only minutes before the shooting.

“I left 10 minutes before this happened. He was supposed to leave with me and he decided he wanted to stay for a couple more games,” Barnard said.

“People loved him. They just loved him,” Barnard said.