Bob Violette, a retired mechanic and a longtime youth bowling instructor, was one of the first victims of the Lewiston mass shooting identified (Picture: Facebook)

Family members are beginning to identify the 18 victims shot and killed by a gunman in Lewiston, Maine.

A manhunt is still underway for Robert Card, the suspected shooter who opened fire at two locations in the New England town around 7.00pm on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, family members have begun to identify the 18 victims killed during the shootouts, which have now become the deadliest mass shooting in the United States this year.

Seven people were killed at the Sparetime Recreation bowling alley, the first location targeted that evening.

Investigators remove victims from Schemengee’s Bar in Lewiston (Picture: Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

One of those victims was Bob Violette, a retired mechanic and children’s bowling instructor. Violette’s death was confirmed by his daughter, the Portland Press-Herald reported.

Violette is survived by his wife of almost 50 years, as well as three sons and six grandchildren.

Another victim, Tricia Asselin, 53, was a part-time employee of the bowling alley a mother of an adult child. Her brother, DJ Johnson, told CNN he was traveling to Maine to identify her body.

‘What I’m told is that when it all started happening, she ran up to the counter and started to call 911, and that’s when she was shot,’ her brother said.

Tactical teams deploy in Lisbon, Maine during the search for suspected mass shooter Robert Card (Picture: EPA)

Even more people were killed when the shooter opened fire again at Schemengees Bar & Grill just a few blocks way.

Joseph Walker, the manager of Schemengees, was identified by his father, Auburn City Councilor Leroy Walker.

‘Joe was a great, great son,’ the grieving father told MSNBC, who grew his business at Schemengees and hosted numerous sports tournaments and fundraisers for a wide variety of causes.

Leroy said it took authorities over 14 hours to confirm that his son’s death.

‘We were up all night. We didn’t know where to go or who to turn to,’ he said.

Some of the victims appear to have been participating in one of the tournaments Walker was known to host.

Another victim was identified as Steven Vozzella, who was competing in a cornhole league for deaf adults at the bar.

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Family members are beginning to identify the 18 victims shot and killed by a gunman in Lewiston, Maine.