Authorities Warned About Maine Gunman Weeks before Tragic Massacre due to Concerns of Potential Mass Shooting
Maine gunman's alarming behavior, including threats in a parking lot and assaulting a soldier, raised concerns among authorities The National Guard sought police assistance, as a soldier feared he would commit a mass shooting The family even considered securing his weapons, tragically leading to the devastating massacre
The Maine National Guard requested local law enforcement to conduct a wellness check on a reservist who had killed 18 individuals, as a soldier was worried that he might "suddenly and indiscriminately shoot a large number of people." This information was shared with CNN. On September 16, officers from the Sagadahoc County and Kennebec County Sheriffs Offices attempted to contact the man, just under six weeks prior to the tragic incidents at a bowling alley and a bar that occurred on Wednesday, as stated in law enforcement documents obtained from a source.
According to CNN, the content reveals the sequence of events involving the Sagadahoc County sergeant who requested assistance, attempted to communicate with the reservist without success, and later received troubling information from both the Maine National Guard and the family of the individual responsible for the shooting.
The source familiar with the welfare check report informed that the Sagadahoc County Sheriffs Office sergeant who responded was informed that the individual, when answering the door of his trailer, typically did so with a concealed handgun, out of sight from anyone outside.
People attend a candlelight vigil to honor the victims of the Lewiston shootings on Saturday in Lisbon, Maine.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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According to the report, the responding officer discovered through a letter from the National Guard that a fellow guardsman expressed worries about the reservist potentially engaging in a mass shooting. The 40-year-old individual carried out two shooting rampages in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday evening, resulting in the tragic deaths of 18 individuals at Just-in-Time Recreation and Schemengees Bar & Grille.
Following the initial panic, there were 48 hours characterized by fear and lockdown until his lifeless body was discovered on Friday night. He appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, approximately 10 miles away.
CNN's report brings forth fresh concerns regarding the failure to thoroughly assess whether the man posed a threat, despite the existence of alarming warning indicators that were known to authorities and are now being revealed for the first time.
Maine's "yellow flag" law allows for the evaluation of individuals with access to weapons. In the first step, law enforcement takes custody of someone believed to be dangerous and has them assessed by a medical professional. Following a diagnosis, a judge can grant an order to temporarily confiscate firearms, as per the law.
According to a source, it seems that a Sagadahoc sergeant who attempted to check on the individual generated a missing persons report, referred to as File 6. However, it remains unclear if any actions were taken regarding the individual's access to weapons. The source mentioned that the case was closed on October 1, 24 days prior to the tragic events of the massacres.
CNN began questioning the level of information regarding threats and the mental well-being of the shooter, encompassing all law enforcement in the state. State Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck, when approached by CNN for his stance on the matter, simply responded with "I decline to answer." Furthermore, he added, "Taking into account the available evidence, we will persist in resolving this issue."
On Sunday, a state police spokesperson confirmed that the organization was responsible for leading the manhunt and homicide investigations. However, he declined to provide any additional information and directed CNN to direct questions about prior knowledge to Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry.
The spokesperson also mentioned that neither the Department of Public Safety (DPS) nor the Maine State Police had requested a teletype on Robert Card before October 26. Additionally, there were no bulletins or assistance requested from the MSPs Maine information and analysis center. It is important to note that DPS does not have regulatory authority over law enforcement agencies in Maine.
CNN was unsuccessful in contacting Merry on Sunday. A woman, who opened the door at his residence, stated that he was uninterested in speaking, implying that he wanted to remain silent.
CNN also made attempts to obtain comments regarding this story from the shooters family and the Maine National Guard, both closely involved in the September incidents concerning the man's well-being. However, there has been no response from either party.
The gunman was found dead from a seemingly self-inflicted gunshot wound days after the massacre.
Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images
Parking lot threats
Soon after the suspect, identified as Robert Card, was identified, reports surfaced concerning his mental health struggles. The Sagadahoc County Sheriffs Office allegedly received information from the Maine National Guard indicating that Card had spent 14 days in a psychiatric hospital in July before being discharged.
He was admitted to the hospital following an altercation with fellow soldiers in New York state in July.
In the spring, the National Guard reported to the Sagadahoc sheriff's office that their reservist had started experiencing offensive auditory hallucinations, which had progressively worsened.
According to a letter from the National Guard, on July 15, in the vicinity of West Point, he and his fellow soldiers made a visit to a convenience store to purchase beer. In the parking lot, he confronted three individuals who allegedly accused him of being a pedophile. Expressing his intent to handle the situation, he engaged in a physical altercation by confronting one of his longtime friends, pushing him, and insisting that the accusations cease.
The law enforcement source told CNN they said they calmed their comrade down, got back to the motel, where he locked himself in his room and would not respond.
First row: Tricia Asselin, Peyton Brewer-Ross, Tommy Conrad, Michael Deslauriers II, and Bryan MacFarlane.
Second row: Arthur Strout, Joseph Walker, Joshua Seal, Maxx Hathaway, and Ron Morin.
Third row: Bill Young, Aaron Young, Stephen Vozzella, Bob Violette, William Bracket, Jason Adam Walker, Keith D. Macneir, and Lucille M. Violette.
The individuals listed above are associated with the Maine Department of Public Safety.
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Details about the victims of the Maine mass shooting
The following day, a different guardsman received access to his room and encountered him. According to the report, the man instructed him to go away and forcefully attempted to shut the door in his face. The guardsman brought the man to a base hospital, where a psychologist concluded that he required additional treatment. As a result, he underwent a 14-day psychiatric stay.
Punching a soldier
After his release, there was another incident that led to the Maine National Guard calling for a well-being check.
According to the National Guard statement given to the Sagadahoc County Sheriffs Office, the man and his soldier friend were driving back from a casino when he brought up the subject of people accusing him of being a pedophile. The statement revealed that the friend warned him to stop talking about shooting places and people, as it would lead to trouble. In response, the man punched his friend. Disturbingly, the friend reported that the man claimed to possess guns and expressed intentions of carrying out a mass shooting at the Saco drill center and other locations. The friend expressed concern that the man may reach a breaking point and follow through with his threats.
Extra patrols were conducted in response to the threat at the National Guard facility in Saco, as stated by Saco Police Chief Jack Clements during an interview with WMTW Maine. However, the guardsman involved in the incident did not appear. Upon discovering the threat to the Saco base, Sagadahoc County Sheriff Merry promptly issued an alert to all law enforcement agencies in Maine, as reported to The New York Times in September.
CNN had not been able to independently verify that.
Merry told The Associated Press it was the Army Reserve who tipped him off to the possible danger.
A spokesperson from the Army informed CNN that Sgt. 1st Class Robert Cards unit had contacted the sheriffs office to request a health and welfare check.
"In September, the Sagadahoc County Sheriffs office responded to a health and welfare check upon the request of Sgt. 1st Class Robert Cards unit, as they were concerned for his safety," stated Lt. Col. Ruth Castro. "The Army treats all allegations with gravity, and we are unable to provide additional information due to an ongoing investigation."
Brother told police the family could secure the weapons
The shooter had already obtained the high-powered Ruger SFAR rifle, which was ultimately used in the killings. This firearm, along with a Beretta 92-F 9mm semi-automatic pistol, had been purchased earlier in July.
On September 16, when the Sagadahoc and Kennebec officers arrived at his residence, they were unable to make direct contact with the shooter. However, they swiftly became aware of his mental health issues and possession of firearms, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the situation. As the reservist refused to open the door for the officers, they resorted to contacting individuals acquainted with him via phone calls.
The unit commander told one officer that the man no longer had any Guard weapons and arrangements had been made with his brother who had retrieved his personal firearms.
A woman is hugged by a man at a reunification center at Auburn Middle School, in Auburn, Maine, after shootings in Lewiston on Wednesday, October 25, 2023.
Derek Davis/AP
Heres a timeline of the mass shooting in Maine and the hunt for the suspect
The commander also reportedly told the officer that he thought it best to let the man have time to himself.
The next day, the Sagadahoc officer interviewed the brother of the shooter who cautioned that the man might be armed if he opened the door.
"I was later informed by the brother that he and his father would take necessary measures to prevent [the man] from obtaining firearms. They have a secure method to store his weapons," the source stated, referring to a welfare check report.
On September 17, the police officer informed the brother that their aim was to ensure the safety of his sibling and prevent any harm to himself or others. The officer assured assistance from their department in coordinating a mental health assessment if required. However, thirty-eight days later, the National Guard reservist entered a bowling alley and initiated a shooting spree. Tragically, the victims included a 14-year-old boy who was participating in a cornhole tournament for the deaf with his father and other contestants. Subsequently, the assailant proceeded to a bar and claimed more lives, including the manager who bravely attempted to intervene.
CNNs Haley Britzky contributed to this report.
