A final report released Tuesday by a special commission indicates both the Army Reserves and local police missed opportunities to intervene before Maine's deadliest shootings, as reported by Boston 25 News. The report criticizes the handling of the gunman's psychiatric crisis and the failure to seize his weapons, which could have potentially prevented the tragedy that claimed 18 lives on Oct. 25, 2023, in Lewiston.
The 215-page report outlined faults with the Army Reserves for not ensuring proper care for the 40-year-old gunman, Robert Card and for the local police that did not utilize the state's yellow flag law to take his weapons. Daniel Wathen, chair of the commission acknowledged the immensity of the loss, stating, "None of us can begin to imagine the pain you people have experienced on that terrible day," Boston 25 News reported.
Similarly, a report by Pocket details multiple failures by the US Army Reserve and local law enforcement, showing a dire portrait of missed opportunities and a lack of proactive measures. The report hones in on Card's Army Reserve unit, which chose not to share critical information regarding his mental decline, and the inefficacy of Maine's "yellow flag law," which proved cumbersome to enforce.
Card's alarming behaviors and verifiable threats were documented in the months leading up to his violent spree, yet neither his military superiors nor local law enforcement effectively intervened. His family and fellow reservists were aware of his delusional behavior, and even the Army Reserve received a text from a colleague of Card's expressing concerns about a potential mass shooting, according to Boston 25 News. Despite all these red flags, Card's personal cache of weapons was never secured.
Findings by Boston University researchers on Card's brain indicated possible traumatic injury, which might have exacerbated his psychiatric symptoms, suggesting a nuanced and tragic interplay of mental health issues and unaddressed warnings. However, the reports focus on factual recounting of events, stating through the words of Wathen, "We weren’t charged with that responsibility," of making actionable recommendations, as cited by Pocket.
In the wake of the report, Maine's legislature has taken steps by passing new gun laws, including a three-day waiting period for gun purchases. Yet, for the survivors and the victims' families, the search for accountability continues. The calls for a transparent and accountable process resonate across the state, with one survivor, Bobbi Nichols, remarking to Pocket, "Too many people [were] passing the buck, and you got 18 people dead." As the anniversary of the shooting nears, memorials in Lewiston stand as painful reminders of a day marred by violence and the consequences of failed interventions.
