Weeks Prior to Massacre, Maine Authorities Were Informed of Shooter’s Intimidations

Authorities throughout Maine were warned just a month before about veiled intimidations made by the U.S. Army reservist who later conducted the most devastating mass shooting in Maine’s history. This alarming event adds to a series of overlooked warning signs leading up to the tragedy.

Local police officials revealed to The Big Big News that a statewide cautionary notice was disseminated in the middle of September, advising officers to be vigilant regarding Robert Card, a firearms trainer who had made threats against his military base and colleagues. However, increased surveillance at the base and a visit to Card’s residence yielded no trace of him, leading law enforcement to turn their attention elsewhere.

Jack Clements, the Chief of Police in Saco, where the U.S. Army Reserve base that trained Card is located, stated, “We increased patrols for approximately two weeks. The individual never appeared.”

Joel Merry, the Sheriff of Sagadahoc County, under whose jurisdiction Card’s residence falls, reported that his department had been alerted in September by the Army Reserve about Card’s menacing behavior. Merry then disseminated this alert to all law enforcement agencies across Maine after his deputy found nothing during a welfare check at Card’s residence.

“We were unable to locate him,” said Sheriff Merry. As for subsequent actions, Merry could not specify, stating, “I do not have any pertinent reports at my disposal.”

The military remained reticent about Card, particularly regarding whether the threats communicated to the Sheriff in September were novel or were the same threats made by Card during a prior Army reserve exercise near West Point, New York. In July, Card was temporarily committed to a mental health facility after displaying erratic behavior and verbalizing threats.

Robert Card, aged 40, eventually carried out a shooting at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, resulting in 18 fatalities and injuring an additional 13 individuals. After a rigorous two-day manhunt, he was found deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed that Card had not been under its scrutiny. It stated, “There was no information in our possession that would have precluded Card from purchasing firearms legally.”

This case exposes a critical lapse in identifying warning signs, raising numerous questions about potential preventative actions that could have been taken by military officials, law enforcement, mental health professionals, and family members.

Although Maine lacks a comprehensive red flag law, it has a more constrained “yellow-flag” law enabling the police to petition a judge for firearms removal if a medical expert identifies the individual as a threat.

Saco Police Chief Clements defended his department’s response to the Card alert, indicating that such alerts are frequent and that his officers took appropriate precautions.

“We never had any interactions with this individual, nor did we receive any communications from the reserve center about problematic behavior,” he said.

The New York State Police had previous encounters with Card when they were summoned by the commanders of the Army Reserve’s 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment concerning Card’s unstable actions and threats during a training exercise. What followed was a two-week mental health assessment. However, the agency declined to comment on this matter.

Legal and military experts suggest that Card’s involuntary commitment to a mental health facility should have triggered certain alert mechanisms within the Army and the FBI, which seemingly did not happen.

Michael Sauschuck, Maine’s Commissioner of Public Safety, noted that despite Card’s history of mental illness, there was no evidence to suggest that he had ever been involuntarily committed.

Jody Madeira, a law professor at Indiana University, opined that Card’s previous threats and psychological assessments should have instigated a yellow flag procedure, resulting in the confiscation of his firearms.

“It appears he fell through the cracks,” said Madeira. “Warning signs were clearly present.”

Reporters Condon and Mustian filed this report from New York, with contributions from AP reporter Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine, and research assistance from Rhonda Shafner in New York.

For further inquiries, contact AP’s global investigative team at [email protected].

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Maine Mass Shooting Warning Signs

More about Maine Mass Shooting Warning Signs

• Maine’s Yellow-Flag Law
• U.S. Army Reserve Policies and Regulations
• FBI’s Instant Background Check System
• Mental Health Commitment Laws by State
• Red Flag Laws in the United States
• New York State Police Procedures and Guidelines
• Analysis on Effectiveness of Law Enforcement Alerts
• Gun Ownership Regulations and Public Safety
• Overview of Mass Shootings in the United States
• Understanding the Role of Mental Health in Violent Behavior