Join our Evening Headlines email list to receive a daily summary of the most recent news.
Register for our complimentary US Evening Headlines newsletter.
A
Nearly seven days following a tragic event where 18 individuals lost their lives in Lewiston, Maine, concerns are increasing about the potential for this tragedy to have been avoided.
New details are being discovered about potential red flags regarding the alleged shooter, Robert Card. These concerns were brought up by both his relatives and the Army months prior to the tragic incident.
In May, five months prior to the shooting, Card’s family notified the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s office about his mental health and access to firearms. This was the first warning received.
In July, Card underwent a psychiatric evaluation for a fortnight following an altercation with other members of the Army.
In September, the Army Reserve reached out to the sheriff’s office to request a wellness check on Card, based on a fellow soldier’s worry that he may commit a mass shooting. As a response, the authorities issued a warning to all law enforcement agencies in the state, stating that Card was “considered dangerous and armed” and was experiencing episodes of psychosis.
One week prior to Card’s alleged shooting at two businesses in Lewiston, resulting in 18 fatalities and 13 injuries, the alert was canceled. Two days after the incident, he was discovered deceased from an apparent suicide.
Following the shooting, officials are under increasing pressure to clarify if they could have taken further action to prevent the tragedy, considering the previous warnings on record.
Workplace concerns
According to NBC News, Card was employed as a truck driver at Maine Recycling Corporation from February 2022 to the beginning of June 2023. Colleagues shared unsettling statements made by Card, highlighting his obsession with guns and possible paranoia.
A previous colleague stated that the individual accused of the shooting had a significant change in demeanor one year into their employment at the recycling facility.
According to the source, he suddenly reacted with anger. Despite having a good day, he would accuse me of touching him. He also accused me of sexually harassing him and calling him a pedophile.
A past colleague remembered that Card often talked about firearms and even mentioned his desire to purchase a silencer.
The source did not hear Card directly make any threats of workplace gun violence, but the former colleague had a thought: “One day, he might shoot someone.” The source also mentioned, “He kept talking about guns in a forceful and intense manner. It was a strange situation.”
A previous coworker, on the other hand, remembered that a manager had been informed about reported threats of gun violence in the workplace by Card. The individual expressed disappointment that the concern seemed to be disregarded.
Family members’ warnings
In May, his relatives reached out to the authorities with concerns about his mental well-being and access to firearms.
On May 3, 2023, Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry issued a statement stating that the family of Mr. Card had contacted their office. In their communication, the family expressed their concerns about Mr. Card’s deteriorating mental health since January. They also mentioned that Mr. Card had access to firearms, raising further worries for his safety.
According to the incident report obtained by ABC News, a warning at the top read “USE CAUTION IF RESPONDING” to Card’s residence due to his “PARANOID BEHAVIOR.” The report also noted that Card had “10-15 FIREARMS.”
The officer who responded stated that he was informed by Card’s son about his father’s mental health concerns. According to the son, around January, his father began to believe that people were talking about him in public, even when he was not in close proximity to others.
The son of the suspect in the shooting believed that his father was possibly experiencing auditory hallucinations or developing paranoia. This seemed to be a common issue as the officer noted that the suspect often accused others of attacking him, including being labeled as a pedophile.
The former wife of Card expressed concern about their son spending time with Robert, citing potential concerns about his declining mental health.
Both his ex-wife and son expressed that they “both don’t want Robert to know they are bringing this information forward to law enforcement, for fear it will aggravate the situation,” the report stated. The pair were “simply going to try and avoid contact” and that “everyone agreed” the “best avenue of getting Robert some help” might be to contact the army reserves.
A deputy from the sheriff’s office reached out to authorities from Card’s army reserve unit. They confirmed that they would speak with him and make sure he receives the required medical attention, as stated by Sheriff Merry.
In the May report, it was confirmed that the officer did make contact with Card’s superiors, and it was revealed that there had been significant worry about Robert in recent times.
The officer who responded noted that Card had been making accusations towards other soldiers, claiming they had called him a sex offender. This aligns with some of the behavior witnessed by Card’s son. One sergeant expressed gratitude to the officer for bringing these concerns about Card to his attention. This was especially important as the unit was preparing for a training exercise involving weapons and explosives.
Card’s time at a psychiatric hospital
On July 15th, the following incident was reported to have taken place at West Point in New York.
On July 15, 2023, Card was lodging at a motel near West Point with fellow soldiers. They decided to stop at a convenience store to purchase beer, as stated in a report from the county sheriff. It was during this time that Card claimed three of his colleagues had called him a paedophile and threatened to handle the situation.
Card confronted a close acquaintance in the group and allegedly pushed him while demanding that he no longer refer to him as a pedophile. Although he calmed down during the return to the hotel, he reiterated that he would handle the situation. When asked for clarification on his statement, Card remained silent.
Card isolated himself in his motel room and ignored attempts from his fellow soldiers to interact with him. It wasn’t until the following day that other soldiers were able to access Card’s room with a keycard. Upon being questioned, Card revealed that he wished for people to stop discussing him. However, when a soldier assured him that no one was talking about him, Card reacted by abruptly shutting the door in the soldier’s face, according to the report.
The officers were prompted to bring him to a base hospital after the entire incident. There, a psychologist assessed his condition and concluded that he required additional treatment. He stayed at Four Winds Psychiatric Hospital in New York for two weeks before being discharged.
by his lack of access
Card wanted to purchase a gun silencer, but was unable to do so due to his lack of access.
The owner of the store informed ABC News that three months prior to his alleged shooting of 18 individuals, Card was denied the purchase of a firearm suppressor.
According to Rick LaChapelle, owner of Coastal Defense Firearms, a man entered their establishment and completed a form. He marked a box that admitted his involvement with an institution. The staff handled the situation professionally by allowing him to finish the form, but ultimately had to inform him that they could not provide him with a silencer due to his answers.
The form was completed by the outlet. When asked, “Have you ever been declared mentally unfit or hospitalized in a mental institution,” Card checked off the affirmative option.
Mr. LaChapelle reiterated, “We fulfilled our responsibilities and potentially preserved numerous lives by simply adhering to the correct protocols.”
The officer named Card punched his colleague.
In September, a representative of the Maine National Guard asked the sheriff’s department to perform a wellness check on Card. This was after he physically assaulted one of his colleagues, raising concerns that he may have been capable of carrying out a mass shooting.
Card and a comrade, both soldiers, were driving back from a gambling establishment when Card brought up the topic of being accused of being a pedophile once more.
According to the report, Card claimed to possess guns and planned to target the drill center at the Saco base along with other locations. He also expressed his intention to retaliate against those who had him confined to a mental health facility.
Card seemed to shift the blame onto the soldiers, claiming that the reason he couldn’t purchase guns after his two-week stay was due to “commitment.” The soldier warned him to stop talking about shooting places and people because it could get him in trouble, but Card proceeded to punch him.
As a result of this exchange, the Maine National Guard asked for a welfare check.
system
The ineffective welfare monitoring and notification system.
The letter stated that it is better to be cautious when it comes to Card because he is skilled with a gun. If he decides to follow through with the threats against the soldier, he would be successful.
On September 15th, the sheriff’s officer attempted to locate Card but was unsuccessful. However, they did find a jet ski and motorcycle registered to Card at what seemed to be his residence. As a precautionary measure, the officer issued a file 6 alert to other agencies, including a warning about Card being armed and dangerous and providing details of his behavior. Sheriff Merry stated that the alert emphasized the need for extreme caution among officers.
The officer talked to Ryan Card, the suspect’s brother, on September 17th and verified that Card had access to Ryan’s guns. According to the report, the guns were stored in a safe.
It has been reported that Ryan Card informed the authorities that he was collaborating with his father to relocate the firearms, and also expressed his intention to prevent his brother from having access to any additional guns.
Sheriff Merry wrote that the File 6 alert was cancelled on October 18.
What was the reason behind Card’s permission to possess firearms?
The reason behind how he was able to have ownership of more than twelve guns, despite the obvious string of warning signs that should have stopped him, is still unclear.
Officials had previously stated that the firearms in his possession seemed to have been acquired through legal means.
The recent tragedy has sparked renewed backlash towards the gun laws in Maine.
Although other states have adopted red flag laws, which permit family members or authorities to request a court to issue an order limiting an individual’s access to firearms if they are deemed a danger to themselves or others, Maine has not done so.
The state has implemented laws known as yellow flag laws. These laws state that if a family member reports an individual to law enforcement, they may be taken into protective custody. A mental health professional will then assess the individual to determine if they pose a risk.
According to Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck, these laws pertain to individuals who are under protective custody by law enforcement and whether there is probable cause to believe that they may have a dangerous weapon.
According to him, if we meet these requirements, you can bring someone in for a yellow flag assessment or a weapons restriction order assessment. At that point, your criteria shifts from predicting serious harm to predicting foreseeable harm.
Last week, Mr. Sauschuck clarified that there was no evidence of Card being involuntarily committed for treatment. However, this information is now being closely examined following the release of more details about his two-week stay at a mental health facility.
According to Jonathan Crisp, a retired Army attorney, being involuntarily admitted to a mental health facility is considered a significant event in the Army. This triggers a chain of notifications and subsequent limitations per Army regulations.
According to his explanation, when functioning properly, a government official documents the event in a military system that notifies the FBI. This allows the agency to add the individual’s name to a list of individuals prohibited from purchasing firearms.
According to Mr. Crisp, if he was taken against his will and refused admission, it would be an easy decision. He believes this should have been reported.
The reason for why it did not occur is still a subject of inquiry, as the investigation into the heinous act and the circumstances leading up to it continues.
Source: independent.co.uk
