Evil mass shooter's family warned cops of mental issues 5 months before massacre

31 October 2023 , 13:11

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Robert Card's mental health problems were known for months (Image: AP)

Maine gunman Robert Card’s family warned the authorities that his mental health was deteriorating five months before the deadliest mass shooting in the US this year.

In May, Card’s family contacted Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office regarding his mental health, sparking multiple interactions between Card and the authorities over the summer. The sheriff’s office spoke to officials from the gunman’s Army Reserve unit - who assured the deputies they would ensure Card was given medical attention, according to Sheriff Joel Merry.

Last Wednesday, Card opened fire in a Lewiston bowling alley and a bar killing 18 people and wounding 13 in Maine’s worst ever mass shooting. A two-day manhunt culminated in Card being found dead from what was believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot.

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After accusing soldiers of calling him a paedophile and locking himself in a room during army training in New York last summer, Card underwent a mental health evaluation. A bulletin was sent to police after the shooting, revealing that Card had recently been in a mental health facility for two weeks after threatening to shoot up a military base and “hearing voices”.

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Mourners turned up to a large vigil on Sunday in Lewiston, signing "I love you" (AP)

The sheriff’s office released documents revealing the warning signs of Card’s erratic behaviour - revealing the failure to make a sufficient enough intervention and prevent the gunman’s rampage. The documents, released on Monday, provide a timeline of events.

On September the 15th a deputy visited Card for a wellness check after a soldier in his reserve unit said he was concerned Card would “snap and commit a mass shooting" - because he was hearing voices again. The deputy could not find Card, resulting in a statewide alert to locate him with a warning that he would be "armed and dangerous".

Card’s unit decided to confiscate his military-issued firearms - confirmed by army spokesperson Lt. Col. Ruth Castro, who added that Card had been declared “non-deployable”. The reserves unit commander allegedly assured the sheriff’s deputy that the army was trying to source treatment for Card, but that he thought it best to let Card have time to himself for a bit”.

People linger following the heartbreaking vigil following Wednesday's mass shootings (AP)

The deputy reached out to Card’s brother, who said he put the firearms in a gun safe in the family farm, and would ensure Card couldn’t access other firearms. But after Card was found dead following the shooting, he was found with a wealth of weapons, including a rifle in his car, and a rifle and handgun on with his body.

Almost three months ago Card tried to buy a silencer - a device which quiets down gunshots - according to a gun shop owner in Auburn. But authorities have not confirmed whether they suspect Card’s shooting was pre-planned or not.

The sale was approved by federal authorities, but didn’t go through after Card filled out a form and answered “yes” to the question: "Have you ever been adjudicated as a mental defective OR have you ever been committed to a mental institution?" Silencers are more heavily regulated than firearms themselves in most states.

Investigators into the mass shooting are still trying to discern a motive but are increasing their focus on Robert Card ’s history of mental health problems. Lewiston is now returning to life after the horror they witnessed last Wednesday, with 1,000 people attending a vigil in the Basilica of Saints Peter & Paul.

Alex Croft