An independent commission investigating the tragic October 2023 mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine has concluded that the local sheriff's department had sufficient proof to capture the shooter before he carried out his devastating attack, resulting in the loss of 18 lives.
The preliminary report, drafted by the Independent Commission to Investigate the Facts of the Tragedy in Lewiston, highlighted the presence of several missed opportunities that could have potentially altered the course of events.
The commission was examining the sequence of events that preceded Army reservist Robert Card's tragic act of killing 18 people at a bowling alley and a bar on Oct. 25, along with the actions taken in response.
The commission expressed its concerns regarding Sgt. Aaron Skolfield's response to a report made five weeks before the shooting. The report indicated that Card was experiencing a mental health crisis, having previously assaulted a friend and made threats about shooting up the Saco Armory.
Skolfield, a member of the Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Office, should have recognized that he had sufficient evidence to initiate a "yellow flag" procedure, according to the commission. This procedure enables a judge to temporarily confiscate an individual's firearms in the event of a psychiatric health emergency.
Commission Chair Daniel Wathen emphasized that their work was far from complete and that the interim report aimed at providing policymakers and law enforcement with crucial information they had acquired.
"I'm in agreement with the committee's findings as far as they go, and I do think it's a legitimate point that the Sagadahoc Sheriff's Office could have done more to intervene," Wathen said in a statement.
Robert Card, who tragically passed away from a self-inflicted gunshot following an extensive search, had an enviable record within law enforcement. Concerns were raised by both family members and fellow service members regarding his behavior, declining mental health, and the potential for violence beforeto the shootings.
In May, concerned relatives alerted the police about Card's increasing paranoia and raised worries about his possession of firearms. In July, Card was admitted to a psychiatric unit for a two-week period following an incident where he pushed a fellow reservist and secluded himself in a motel room.
In August, the Army issued a directive that prohibited him from being responsible for weapons during his duty and deemed him ineligible for deployment. In September, a fellow reservist reached out to an Army supervisor expressing deep concerns about Card, stating their belief that he may be on the verge of committing a mass shooting.
However, commission members were informed by law enforcement officials that the existing yellow flag law in Maine poses challenges when it comes to confiscating firearms from individuals who may pose a threat, according to NECN.
