Who is Danielle Grondin? Maine mass shooting survivor 'froze' on coming face-to-face with gunman Robert Card
LEWISTON, MAINE: Maine mass shooting survivor Danielle Grondin, who confronted alleged gunman Robert Card, has said she did not think he had a target in mind when he opened fire inside a bowling center, killing seven people.
According to Grondin, Card was "relaxed and methodical" when he opened fire on the victims at Lewiston's Just-In-Time Recreation on October 25 night, as reported by Bangor Daily News.
Card was the primary suspect in last Wednesday's horrific shooting that claimed 18 lives. Following a major manhunt of more than 48 hours, he was found dead on Friday, October 27, evening with self-inflicted a gunshot wound.
The 40-year-old former army soldier claimed to have heard voices and made threats to shoot up the Saco, California, National Guard base.
This summer, Card was subsequently admitted for two weeks to a mental health facility.
Maine mass shooting witness Danielle Grondin breaks her silence
Grondin was there as part of the weekly league that meets at the bowling alley. She went to the bar at around 6:45 pm on the day to get food and a beer.
She even struck up a discussion with the bartender, Tom Conrad, who was one of the seven people who died in the shooting.
"I was probably the last person to talk to Tom," Grondin said to 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 continued.
"I am so embarrassed to say my first thought was, ‘Who brought a paintball gun in here?’"
As she got up, she noticed that Card was standing 20 feet away, with his weapon aimed at her, and the barrel of his gun flashing "green or blue."
According to Grondin, Card chose his victims at random and only stopped to clear his gun when his weapon jammed before carrying on with his shooting.
Grondin remarked, "I saw the light — I can't say if it was green or blue, but I saw it pointing in our direction. I froze — not in fear, but in confusion," per Daily Mail.
Danielle Grondin's boyfriend saved her
Grondin expressed appreciation for her boyfriend Shawn Chabot, who possesses tactical expertise from the Air Force and against terrorism, for saving her life.
When the couple saw law enforcement officers show up at the bowling alley, they managed to flee to safety at a neighboring Subway sandwich store.
Grondin added, "We heard that [the gunman] had gone to the Walmart Distribution Center next. I have two kids who work there."
"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."
Shooting survivor Danielle Grondin suffered PTSD due to the tragic events
Grondin claimed that after the facility was sealed down and she realized they were secure, everything else was a blur. After obtaining her statement, law enforcement brought the group to a nearby school's unification center.
However, Grondin said that the horrific events had left her suffering from PTSD. She said, "Every time I shut my eyes, I see him. Every night around this time I start to shake."
As people in the community attempt to get a grip on what happened, Grondin said she was finding solace in the community support.
Grondin continued, "I don’t know if there will ever be normal again. For now, it’s one day at a time."