New House Speaker Mike Johnson said America is in a “dark time” and hoped the perpetrator who killed at least 18 people and injured 13 others in a shooting in Maine Wednesday would be apprehended swiftly.

Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican, told reporters Thursday that Congress is receiving police information about a person of interest involved in the slaughter in Lewiston.

“As you might imagine, our hearts go out to all those involved: the families and … the victims. And we’re so grateful for law enforcement. We trust and hope and pray that they’re able to apprehend this individual as quickly as possible so there’s no more injury or loss of life,” Mr. Johnson said.

“This is a dark time in America. We have a lot of problems. And we’re really, really hopeful, and prayer is appropriate … that the evil … in this senseless violence will stop.”

The Lewiston Police Department posted on its Facebook page that “Law Enforcement is attempting to locate Robert Card, 4/4/1983, as a person of interest regarding the mass shooting at Schemengees Bar and Sparetime Recreation this evening.”

The bulletin said Mr. Card “should be considered armed and dangerous.” He has remained on the loose, and a manhunt has ensued.

Mike Sauschuck, commissioner of the state Department of Public Safety, identified Mr. Card as a “person of interest” but pointedly refused to use the word “suspect.” He also refused to go into Mr. Card’s background.

CBS News reporter David Begnaud posted on X that Mr. Card is “a trained firearms instructor believed to be in the Army Reserve stationed out of Saco, ME.”

Citing law enforcement, Mr. Begnaud also posted that Mr. Card “recently reported mental health issues, including hearing voices and threats to shoot up the National Guard base in Saco.”

This was not Mr. Card’s first encounter with the mental health system, Mr. Benaud reported, saying the suspect was “committed to a mental health facility for two weeks in the summer of 2023.”

The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office released on its Facebook page two photos of a bearded, middle-aged White man walking into an establishment with an assault weapon raised to his shoulder.

Robert McCarthy, a Lewiston city councilor, said on CNN that police identified the suspect’s car as a white or silver Subaru and knew its license plate.

• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.