In the month preceding the most devastating mass shooting in the history of
Maine, authorities were notified of indirect threats made by a U.S. Army
reservist. This turned out to be one of several overlooked warning signs
preceding the catastrophic event. Two high-ranking law enforcement officials
conveyed that a warning to be vigilant for
Robert Card, a firearms instructor, was circulated state-wide in mid-September after
he made threatening remarks against his military base and fellow service
members. However, despite intensifying security measures at the base and
checking Card’s residence – both of which yielded no results – the situation
was not pursued further.
“The additional patrols lasted about two weeks. However, the individual
never made an appearance,” stated Jack Clements, the Chief of Police in
Saco, where the U.S. Army Reserve base that Card attended is located. Joel
Merry, the Sheriff of Sagadahoc County, which encompasses the area where
Card resided, reported that his office was alerted to the threats made by
the reservist in September by the Army Reserve. Subsequently, the sheriff
disseminated a warning to all law enforcement agencies across the state
following an unsuccessful welfare check at Card's residence. “We were unable
to find him,” Merry remarked, noting that he was unsure if any additional
follow-up occurred as he did not have the relevant reports immediately
available.
Military representatives have refrained from providing further information
about Card, particularly whether the threats reported to the sheriff in
September were new or a repetition of threats made during an Army Reserve
training session near West Point, New York, in July. During that time, Card
was reportedly admitted to a mental health facility for a two-week period
after displaying erratic behavior and expressing delusions of hearing voices
and intentions to carry out a shooting at a military base.
The 40-year-old Card ultimately unleashed a barrage of gunfire using a rifle
at a bowling alley followed by a bar in Lewiston, resulting in 18 fatalities
and 13 injuries. Following a rigorous two-day manhunt that left the state in
a state of high alert, Card was discovered deceased from a self-inflicted
gunshot wound. Despite his previous threats, the FBI reported that Card was
not on their radar, clarifying that they had neither received nor possessed
any information regarding him. They also confirmed that their instant
background check system did not contain any information that would have
barred Card from legally purchasing a firearm.
The circumstances surrounding Card’s case highlight numerous overlooked
warning signs, raising critical questions about potential preventive
measures that could have been taken by the military, law enforcement, mental
health professionals, and family members. While Maine lacks a red flag law,
it does implement a “yellow-flag” law, which permits police to request a
judge to order the removal of firearms from an individual if deemed a threat
by a medical professional.
Chief Clements defended the actions of his department in response to the
alert regarding Card, describing it as a standard notification about veiled
threats made by an individual. He emphasized that his department frequently
receives similar alerts and ensured that they addressed this particular
notification with the attention it warranted, maintaining vigilance at the
base for any signs of Card. “We had no interaction with this individual and
received no calls from the reserve center reporting any issues,” he stated.
The New York State Police also had an encounter with Card on July 16 when
they were called to West Point by the commanders of the Army Reserve’s 3rd
Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment due to concerns about Card’s erratic
behavior and threats made against other members of his military unit during
a training exercise. The State Police subsequently took Card to the Keller
Army Community Hospital at West Point for a two-week mental health
evaluation.
The actions taken by the New York State Police in response to Card’s threats
remain unclear, as the agency has declined to comment on the ongoing
investigation and has not provided access to reports or potential
body-camera footage from their interactions with Card. “This is an active
investigation, and we do not comment on ongoing investigations or those
where we are not the lead agency,” the agency stated.
Jonathan Crisp, a former army lawyer with two decades of experience,
highlighted that when soldiers are involuntarily admitted to mental health
facilities by their superiors, it is considered a “reportable” event under
Army regulations. This necessitates notifying other authorities, and a
provost marshal is required to enter the incident into a military database
to alert the FBI, potentially leading to the individual’s name being added
to a background list preventing them from purchasing weapons. “If they had
to take him in and he was resistant, it’s clear-cut,” Crisp stated. “This
should have definitely been reported.”
However, Michael Sauschuck, the Commissioner of the Maine Department of
Public Safety, pointed out in a press conference that while Card had a
history of mental health issues, there was no evidence to suggest that he
had ever been involuntarily committed. “It’s important to note that just
because mental health is a factor in this situation, the overwhelming
majority of individuals with a mental health diagnosis are not violent,”
Sauschuck commented.
Jody Madeira, a law professor at Indiana University who has conducted
extensive research on gun laws, explained that police in one state have the
capability to alert their counterparts in another state if they deem someone
to be a threat, and the military has the same ability to communicate with
local police. She expressed her belief that there was a significant
oversight in this case, as Card’s threats and his subsequent mental health
evaluation should have activated a yellow flag, resulting in the seizure of
his firearms upon his return home. “He was overlooked,” Madeira stated.
“There were obvious warning signs.”
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