Maine police were alerted about the potential for a mass shooting by Robert Card several weeks before he carried out the rampage, according to reports.
The Maine National Guard had requested a welfare check on Card, an army reservist, after he made threats against his US army base. This alert was issued less than six weeks before Card killed 18 people in a mass shooting, as reported by CNN citing a law enforcement source.
A statewide awareness alert was issued in mid-September to track down Card, but law enforcement authorities were unable to locate him. Later, a fellow guardsman revealed concerns that Card was capable of committing a mass shooting.
Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry sent the awareness alert to all law enforcement agencies in the state after a deputy was unable to locate Card during a welfare check at his home.
The responding officer filed a missing person’s report, known as File 6, before closing the case on October 1, a mere 24 days before the massacres, as reported by CNN.
Sheriff Merry commented, “We couldn’t locate him.” He further said that he couldn’t recall if there was any follow-up because “I don’t have any reports in front of me.”
The statewide alert was issued months after Card had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks in July due to erratic behavior and claims of hearing threatening voices related to a military base, according to the Associated Press. However, officials at a recent press conference stated that they had not come across any records indicating that Card had been involuntarily committed for treatment.
The National Guard informed the Sagadahoc sheriff’s office that Card had begun hearing insulting voices in the spring, which gradually worsened over time.
Additionally, a National Guard letter revealed that Card was committed to a mental health facility after an incident outside a convenience store where he accused three soldiers of calling him a pedophile. The letter stated that Card threatened to take care of them, resulting in an altercation with one soldier. Other soldiers managed to calm Card down before he locked himself in his motel room. The next day, he was taken to a base hospital where further treatment was deemed necessary, leading to a two-week psychiatric stay.
Police were requested to conduct another welfare check on Card in September after he was accused of assaulting a fellow soldier while driving home from a casino. The National Guard provided a statement to the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office, stating that Card had made threats about shooting up places and people. Concerns were raised about his potential for a mass shooting.
An Army spokesperson confirmed that Card’s unit had requested a health and welfare check from the sheriff’s office as a precaution. However, due to an ongoing Army investigation, no further details could be provided.
Public safety officials have acknowledged the strong presence of mental health issues in this case. Card, who was accused of killing 18 people and injuring 13 others, ultimately died by suicide. Law enforcement authorities searched for Card for several days before finding his body.
The combination of Card’s experience as a firearms instructor and his mental health struggles, along with the statewide alerts following his threats, raise questions about existing gun safety laws and the actions that could have been taken to prevent this tragedy.
Chief Clements defended his department’s response to the alert, describing it as a “generic thing” that merely reported veiled threats made by Card. He emphasized that such alerts are not uncommon, and although his team diligently looked for Card, they were unable to locate him.
Former Army lawyer Jonathan Crisp explained that when soldiers are involuntarily committed to mental health facilities, it is a “reportable” event under Army regulations. This triggers a network of alerts and subsequent restrictions. The incident should have been reported if Card had resisted admission to the facility.
