The commission investigating the tragic mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, has released its interim report, pointing to missed opportunities by local law enforcement that could have prevented the devastating loss of 18 lives at the hands of gunman Robert R. Card II on Oct. 25.
According to the commission, the local sheriff’s department had enough evidence to take Mr. Card into custody and remove his weapons due to concerns about the likelihood of serious harm. Instead, the decision was made to leave the responsibility of removing his weapons to his family, which the commission deemed as “an abdication of law enforcement’s responsibility.”
The commission, comprised of seven members, has been gathering testimony from various sources, including Mr. Card’s Army Reserve supervisors, police officers, survivors, and family members of the victims. The panel has been investigating the events leading up to the shooting, highlighting Mr. Card’s increasingly erratic and paranoid behavior in the months prior.
Despite concerns raised by colleagues and supervisors in the Army Reserve about Mr. Card’s mental health, attempts to intervene and remove his weapons were unsuccessful. This has prompted questions about the effectiveness of law enforcement communication and follow-up, as well as the state’s “yellow flag” law, which allows for the removal of weapons from individuals deemed to be a risk.
While the commission did not make specific recommendations regarding changes to the “yellow flag” law, it emphasized the importance of officers being knowledgeable about the process and dedicated to following through with investigations.
The commission plans to hold additional hearings before issuing its final report, which will also address the recent autopsy findings showing evidence of brain trauma in Mr. Card. The report from Boston University’s C.T.E. Center revealed signs of “moderately severe” damage to the white matter in Mr. Card’s brain, raising questions about the impact of his experience as a grenade instructor in the Army Reserve.
As the investigation continues, the community in Lewiston remains shaken by the tragic events and hopeful that lessons learned from this incident will lead to meaningful changes to prevent such tragedies in the future.
