Weeks before the shootings in Maine, police were dispatched to the residence of the shooter out of fear that he “is going to snap and commit a mass shooting.”
According to evidence that was provided with CNN, the United States Army requested that local law enforcement investigate the reservist who was responsible for the deaths of 18 people after a soldier became concerned that he may “snap and commit a mass shooting.”
According to papers and a source within the law enforcement community, deputies from the Sagadahoc County and Kennebec County Sheriff’s Offices replied on September 16 and made attempts to get in touch with Robert Card. This was less than six weeks before the atrocities that took place in a bowling alley and a pub on last Wednesday.
According to the information that CNN was able to gather, the Sagadahoc County sergeant phoned for assistance, attempted to talk to the reservist but was unsuccessful, and then received unsettling details from the Army and the shooter’s family.
After the initial hysteria, there was a period of terror and lockdown that lasted for forty-eight hours. Finally, on Friday evening, his body was discovered about ten miles away, allegedly with a gunshot wound that he had inflicted on himself.
The investigation done by CNN raises further issues about the lack of follow-through to ensure that the individual was not a threat, despite the fact that the authorities were aware of major warning flags that are only just now being made public for the first time.
In the welfare report that was provided in detail to CNN, the Maine National Guard was named multiple times as the origin of the concerns and the alarming information regarding the conduct of the shooter. In the days leading up to the publishing of this story, the Maine National Guard did not reply to calls for comment; nevertheless, on Monday, they stated that they were not involved.
According to a statement that was distributed to the media, “[The shooter] was not a member of, nor had he ever served in the Maine National Guard.” “If you have any questions regarding his service record, please contact the United States Army Reserve.”
Separately, in response to a request for information made by CNN, the United States Army stated that the shooter’s unit had requested a health and wellness check “out of an abundance of caution after the unit became concerned for his safety.” This was said to have occurred “after the unit became concerned for his safety.” The following was continued in the email statement sent out by the Army’s spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Ruth Castro: “The Army takes all complaints seriously. We are unable to provide any further information at this time as the Army is conducting an inquiry into the matter.
The state of Maine has a provision known as the “yellow flag” law, which can be used to evaluate a person who has access to guns. The first thing that law enforcement should do is take someone who is suspected of being dangerous into custody, and then they should have that person evaluated by a trained medical specialist. According to the legislation, a judge may provide an order to temporarily confiscate guns from a person after the individual has been diagnosed.
According to the source who spoke to CNN, a File 6 missing person’s report appears to have been issued by the Sagadahoc sergeant who sought to check on the man. However, it is unclear whether any action was taken in reference to the shooter’s access to firearms. According to the insider, it appeared as though the investigation had wrapped up on October 1, which was 24 days before the massacres.
