UPDATE: Friday evening, the body of the suspected shooter was recovered from a river 10 miles from Lewiston, ending the manhunt following Wednesday evening's massacre. PPAI Media is sharing the experiences of promo pros living in Lewiston, as well as their reflections on the senseless violence.

UPDATE (Oct. 27): As of Friday morning, the suspected shooter remains at large. Through CEO Jo-an Lantz, Geiger has released the following statement to PPAI Media:

We remain deeply saddened in the wake of the tragic events that have unfolded in our community. The City of Lewiston is currently under a shelter-in-place order, and, as a result, Geiger's Lewiston headquarters will remain closed for the day, October 27th. Our thoughts and sympathies are with those who have suffered the loss of loved ones, and we stand in solidarity with the first responders who are unwaveringly dedicated to their duties.

A mass shooting at two locations Wednesday in Lewiston, Maine – home of industry distributor Geiger (PPAI 105182, D12) – left a reported 18 people dead and 13 injured.

The Incident

The shootings occurred early Wednesday evening in Maine’s second-largest city, and an active manhunt is underway for the suspect.

  • The shootings took place at Just-In-Time Recreation – a bowling alley that police identified as its former name Sparetime Recreation – and at Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant, beginning a little before 7pm.
  • Police have identified a “person of interest,” a 40-year-old firearms instructor and member of the U.S. Army Reserves, and have warned the public that the person should be considered armed and dangerous.
  • Residents in Lewiston, Lisbon and Bowdoin have been instructed to shelter in place.


Lewiston’s Geiger

In a statement shared with PPAI Media, Geiger – the No. 7 distributor in the 2023 PPAI 100 and one of Lewiston’s largest employers – announced that the company’s headquarters will be closed on Thursday.

“Our phones and electronic media have been flooded with your concern, prayers and support. The outpouring of support is very helpful.

We continue to be saddened by the reports coming in from last night’s tragic events. Our prayers are with our associates, their families, our Lewiston community and all those affected by these horrific events. The Geiger office in Lewiston will be closed today as the investigation is ongoing and the person of interest is at large. We thank all of the first responders who are dealing with these unprecedented events.

It’s often said that Maine is one small city and today we’re all heartbroken. We’re so thankful for all of the concern shared from our industry friends around the globe.”

Although Geiger’s office was closed when the incident began, at least three people were still in the building when the shooting happened, according to a comment on the company’s Facebook post.

Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant is less than half a mile away from Geiger’s headquarters and has hosted many gatherings among employees and associates over the years.