New York, September 3 (AP) Survivors and families of victims from Maine's deadliest mass shooting are taking legal action against the federal government. They argue that the U.S. Army could have prevented a tragedy they describe as “one of the most preventable mass tragedies in American history.”
In October 2023, Robert Card killed eighteen people when he opened fire at a bowling alley and a bar and grill. An independent commission, appointed by the governor of Maine, found that there were numerous missed opportunities for intervention by Army officials and civilian law enforcement as Card's mental health deteriorated. Card was later found dead by suicide, two days after the shootings.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court on behalf of over 100 survivors and family members of victims, accuses the U.S. government of negligence. They claim that this negligence “directly and proximately caused the mass shooting.” The lawsuit alleges that Army officials and others “failed to act reasonably, broke promises made to Card's family and community, violated mandatory policies, procedures, and disregarded directives and orders.”
“By March 2023, the United States and its personnel knew Card was paranoid, delusional, violent, and lacked impulse control. The Army knew he had access to firearms. The Army promised to remove his guns but did not fulfill that promise,” the lawsuit claims. “Worse, through its acts and omissions, the Army withheld information and actively misled local law enforcement, thereby preventing others from intervening and separating Card from his weapons.” Attorneys are set to provide further details on Wednesday at a news conference in Lewiston, near the site of the shootings.
The attorneys initiated the legal process against the government nearly a year ago by filing notices of claim, asserting that the Army failed to act despite being aware of Card's declining mental health.
Card's mental health issues led to his hospitalization, leaving him paranoid, delusional, and with homicidal ideations. He even created a “hit list” of intended targets, according to his attorneys. Family members and fellow reservists reported delusional and paranoid behavior from Card months before the acts of violence. The Army had hospitalized him during training in July 2023 in New York, where his unit was training West Point cadets. However, it is acknowledged that no measures were taken to ensure Card was taking his medication or complying with follow-up care at his home in Bowdoin, Maine.
Perhaps the most significant warning came in a September text from a fellow reservist: “I believe he's going to snap and do a mass shooting.” “From the start, the Army disregarded its mandatory policies and procedures, and regulations when dealing with Card,” the lawsuit states. “Despite the serious issues Card presented at the company or battalion level, they were not reported up the chain of command to senior military officials with the knowledge, experience, and resources to address them. Instead, low-ranking, part-time personnel mismanaged the risks, resulting in disastrous consequences.”
Following the shootings, Army officials conducted an internal investigation. Lt. Gen. Jody Daniels, then the chief of the Army Reserve, reported “a series of failures by unit leadership.” Three Army Reserve leaders were disciplined for dereliction of duty. After the governor's commission presented its final report last August, the Army issued a statement expressing its commitment to “reviewing the findings and implementing sound changes to prevent tragedies like this from recurring.”
The Lewiston shootings have resulted in new gun laws in Maine, a state known for its hunting culture and gun ownership traditions. These laws have sparked legal challenges from gun rights advocates in the state, making them a contentious issue nearly two years after the events. (AP) SKS NPK NPK
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