Posted on Oct 31, 2023
Documents show Lewiston mass shooting suspect had been on law enforcement's radar for months
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Law enforcement in Maine received multiple reports in recent months of the Lewiston shooter’s paranoia and deteriorating mental health, including concerns that he might “snap and commit a mass shooting.”
Documents released Monday show that police made several attempts but never contacted Robert R. Card II before last Wednesday’s mass shooting. The documents also show that members of Card’s family and Army unit leaders said they planned to remove guns from his home and attempt to get him into treatment.
The 40-year-old Bowdoin resident killed 18 people and injured another 13 at a Lewiston bowling alley and a bar last Wednesday using a high-powered rifle. He was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound two days later, ending a massive manhunt that had locked down part of the state.
In the aftermath of the worst mass shooting in Maine history, many people are asking what law enforcement knew about Card — an Army reservist described as a skilled marksman — and whether anything could have been done to prevent the tragedy.
There are also questions about why police did not apparently attempt to use Maine’s “yellow flag” law, which allows them to take potential dangerous people into “protective custody” and seek a court order to temporarily confiscate their firearms.
On Monday evening, Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry released several police documents detailing his department’s interactions with Card’s family members as well as members of his Army Reserve unit.
Documents released Monday show that police made several attempts but never contacted Robert R. Card II before last Wednesday’s mass shooting. The documents also show that members of Card’s family and Army unit leaders said they planned to remove guns from his home and attempt to get him into treatment.
The 40-year-old Bowdoin resident killed 18 people and injured another 13 at a Lewiston bowling alley and a bar last Wednesday using a high-powered rifle. He was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound two days later, ending a massive manhunt that had locked down part of the state.
In the aftermath of the worst mass shooting in Maine history, many people are asking what law enforcement knew about Card — an Army reservist described as a skilled marksman — and whether anything could have been done to prevent the tragedy.
There are also questions about why police did not apparently attempt to use Maine’s “yellow flag” law, which allows them to take potential dangerous people into “protective custody” and seek a court order to temporarily confiscate their firearms.
On Monday evening, Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry released several police documents detailing his department’s interactions with Card’s family members as well as members of his Army Reserve unit.
Documents show Lewiston mass shooting suspect had been on law enforcement's radar for months
Posted from mainepublic.org
Firearms and Guns
Violence
Lewiston
Mental Health
Law Enforcement
Posted 1 y ago
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MSG Thomas Currie
The question has to be what do we want the government to do and when.
Hindsight is always 20/20. In this, and the overwhelming majority of such tragedies, it is easy to look back and say "They should have seen this coming!" Of course it is always "They" who should have seen it coming -- because THEY are always the ones who should have "done something."
In this case, it does seem that the local police perhaps should have done more -- but exactly what? Should they have sent a SWAT team to break down his door and throw him in jail... without charges? Exactly what was the basis for police to take extreme action against a man who had not committed any crime? His unit and his family told police they were concerned -- but no one took our a mental inquest warrant to have him examined and committed. His family assured police they were taking his firearms (obviously they didn't take all of them).
Card had been in a mental hospital in New York earlier, but he had been released. The reports aren't clear but it is likely that his stay in the mental hospital in NY was voluntary because there is no mention of him ever being committed by a court. Whether the stay was voluntary or not is a question because other reports mention that Card had attempted to purchase a suppressor and had been denied because he checked the box about having been in a mental institution on the ATF form 4473. He may have checked that box incorrectly because the instructions specify that "The term does not include a person in a mental institution for observation or a voluntary admission to a mental institution." No background check was actually performed because he was disqualified based on having checked the box on the form.
If he actually had been committed to the mental hospital by a court, then he would have been a "Prohibited Person" which would have given authorities grounds to remove any firearms in his possession (it would have also made discharge mandatory from the military).
Overall, this tragedy is probably one where hindsight is very clear -- but there was still no basis for extreme action before hand. I'm sure this will fuel more demands for new laws that would be even more vague and allow police to shoot anyone that someone suspects might do something someday, but we need to ask ourselves is that really the country we want to be. If so, then George Orwell was only off by 40 years when he titled his book 1984.
Hindsight is always 20/20. In this, and the overwhelming majority of such tragedies, it is easy to look back and say "They should have seen this coming!" Of course it is always "They" who should have seen it coming -- because THEY are always the ones who should have "done something."
In this case, it does seem that the local police perhaps should have done more -- but exactly what? Should they have sent a SWAT team to break down his door and throw him in jail... without charges? Exactly what was the basis for police to take extreme action against a man who had not committed any crime? His unit and his family told police they were concerned -- but no one took our a mental inquest warrant to have him examined and committed. His family assured police they were taking his firearms (obviously they didn't take all of them).
Card had been in a mental hospital in New York earlier, but he had been released. The reports aren't clear but it is likely that his stay in the mental hospital in NY was voluntary because there is no mention of him ever being committed by a court. Whether the stay was voluntary or not is a question because other reports mention that Card had attempted to purchase a suppressor and had been denied because he checked the box about having been in a mental institution on the ATF form 4473. He may have checked that box incorrectly because the instructions specify that "The term does not include a person in a mental institution for observation or a voluntary admission to a mental institution." No background check was actually performed because he was disqualified based on having checked the box on the form.
If he actually had been committed to the mental hospital by a court, then he would have been a "Prohibited Person" which would have given authorities grounds to remove any firearms in his possession (it would have also made discharge mandatory from the military).
Overall, this tragedy is probably one where hindsight is very clear -- but there was still no basis for extreme action before hand. I'm sure this will fuel more demands for new laws that would be even more vague and allow police to shoot anyone that someone suspects might do something someday, but we need to ask ourselves is that really the country we want to be. If so, then George Orwell was only off by 40 years when he titled his book 1984.
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