Robert Card, the alleged shooter responsible for the tragic Lewiston bowling alley massacre, is undergoing a thorough examination at Boston University's CTE Center in an effort to ascertain possible connections between his military service and subsequent mental health decline. In October, the horrifying incident left a community shattered, with 18 individuals killed and over a dozen others wounded at a local hangout spot.
After his death by suicide, which ended a tension-filled manhunt, scientific inquiry into Card's condition took a pivotal turn. Found in a state of demise in the woods days following the massacre, a direct complication of trauma sustained during military maneuvers, experts are eager to discern whether Card's brain bears the scars that herald cognitive and behavioral deviations typically associated with traumatic brain injuries such as CTE, CBS News Boston reports.
Card broke the silence at the Lewiston establishment with gunfire. He had joined the Army reserves back in December 2002, serving as a petroleum supply specialist. It was during this time that some red flags began to surface. Card's service at Camp Smith had shielded him from the high-decibel explosions of combat, yet even in the absence of such extreme conditions, signs of erratic behavior weren't discounted by his peers, as reported by ABC News.
The Maine Chief Medical Examiner's office has taken a keen interest in the outcome of tests on Card's brain. Explaining this proactive approach, office administrator Lindsey Chasteen remarked that "The reason further testing is being conducted on Mr. Card’s brain is that in an event such as this, people are left with more questions than answers," in a statement obtained by ABC News. "It is our belief that if we can conduct testing (in-house or outsourced) that may shed light on some of those answers, we have a responsibility to do that."
Cementing the seriousness of his mental health, in the months leading up to the mass shooting, Card's degenerating psychological state didn't go unnoticed by his family, fellow reservists, and local law enforcement. Revelations of him hearing voices and harboring suicidal thoughts were alarming to many who encountered him. Despite these clear warnings and his two-week institutionalization for psychological treatment, the tragedy couldn't be averted. Even as the Army stripped him of his ability to participate in active duty exercises. With results expected to emerge within the next 6-8 months, many hold their breath in anticipation that some clarity can be found in the weave of neuroscience and fatal human actions.
