The Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office is now investigating a mass shooting that occurred on October 25, 2023 in Lewiston, Maine, according to an initial interim report issued by an independent commission.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey formed an independent commission to assess what happened before Robert Card killed 18 people and wounded 13 at a bowling alley, then what happened afterward and how authorities responded to the mass shooting.
Daniel E. Wathen, former chief justice of Maine’s highest court, chaired the commission. Wathen was joined by a former chief forensic psychologist for the state and a former US attorney. The committee met seven times starting in November to consider what could have prevented this tragedy and all future tragedies.
The committee’s hearings included statements from survivors, victims’ families, law enforcement and members of the U.S. Army Reserve.
A police presence at the Schemengees bar where a mass shooting occurred yesterday in Lewiston, Maine on October 26, 2023.
JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images
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The attacker, Card, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound three days after the mass shooting. Card was a member of the US Army Reserve and served as an oil supply specialist.
Before the shooting, Card’s behavior had drawn flags. “He was suffering from some type of mental crisis, had recently assaulted a friend, threatened to shoot up the Saco Armory and harm others,” according to the report. Card also owned a number of firearms. These flags, which upset friends and family, “had probable cause to initiate the yellow flag process,” according to the report.
The Yellow Flag Law — enacted in 2020 — allows another person to report a gun owner who appears to pose a threat. Once reported, the local police can either take the person into protective custody or order a mental health evaluation by a medical professional. Then, if the doctor and the police declare it necessary, the police can request a court order to temporarily confiscate the weapon from the person. Finally, if all other steps have been taken, the court can temporarily revoke the gun license or confiscate the gun.
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Cardo’s family warned police he had become paranoid and said they were concerned he had gained access to weapons in May. In July, Card pushed a colleague from work and then locked himself in a motel room. He was then hospitalized in the psychiatric ward for two weeks.
The following month, he was declared unfit for deployment and the Army banned him from handling weapons while on duty.
Then, in September, one of Card’s fellow reservists told an Army supervisor he was concerned about Card’s behavior. “I believe they will break out and do a mass shooting,” read the reservist’s text.
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Law enforcement officers gather outside a high school in Lewiston, Maine on October 26, 2023.
JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images
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A statement from the Independent Commission said law enforcement officials said the state’s yellow flag law complicates the ability to confiscate guns from potentially threatening and dangerous gun owners.
During the hearing, it was revealed that Sgt. Aaron Skolfield went on leave in mid-September and “his superiors failed to assign another deputy to take further steps”. According to the report, “SCSO did not take the necessary steps” to initiate the yellow flag process and bring Card into police custody.
The commission shared that it “unanimously” concluded that “the decision to shift the responsibility for removing Mr. Card’s firearm to Mr. Card’s family was an abdication of law enforcement responsibility.”
In addition, multiple law enforcement officials shared insights into the post-shooting process. Authorities have admitted that some opportunities to find him after the tragedy were missed.
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Source: HIS Education