Ottawa, Oct 27 (IANS): The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has issued an "armed and dangerous" alert to its personnel stationed along the country's border with the US after the two mass shootings in the American state of Maine led to the death of at leat 18 people.

In its alert issued late Thursday, the CBSA asked its officers to be on the lookout for the suspect, identied as 40-year-old Robert Card a trained firearms instructor and a member of the US Army Reserves, who also injured 13 people in the shootouts in Lewiston city on Wednesday night, reports Xinhua news agency.

"The CBSA is aware of the tragic events in Maine. Our officers have been alerted to the high risk of this situation, and we are on the lookout with our law enforcement partners. Our thoughts are with the citizens of Maine and all those affected," it said in a post on X..

The Agency added that it is working with Canadian and US law enforcement partners to "protect Canada's borders against any threat or attempt at illegal entry".

The city of Lewiston is located some 260 km southwest of Canada's New Brunswick province.

As of Friday, hundreds of police have continued a massive manhunt to nab Card, who is considered "armed and dangerous".