Lewiston, Maine — Lawyers representing 100 survivors and family members of victims of the deadliest shooting in Maine history have begun the formal process of suing the Army and a military hospital for failing to act to arrest the reservist responsible for the tragedy, lawyers announced Tuesday.
The individual notices of claim indicate the military was aware of the reservist’s declining mental health which caused him to become paranoid, delusional and express homicidal thoughts, producing a “hit list” of those he wanted to attack.
“It is difficult to conceive of a case in which army personnel could have more warning signs and options for intervening to prevent a service member from committing a mass shooting than what happened in the case of Army Reservist Robert Card,” the attorneys wrote in their opinions sent Friday.
Notices of Claim from four law firms are a required step in suing the federal government. The military will have six months to determine whether to respond, after which legal action can be taken.
Eighteen people were killed when Card, 40, opened fire at two locations he had frequented – a bowling alley and a cornhole league hosted by a bar and grill – on October 25, 2023. 13 other people were injured. Card was found dead two days later from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
An independent commission appointed by Maine’s governor concluded that there were ample opportunities for intervention by civilian law enforcement and the military. For now, attorneys for victims, families and friends who suffered losses are focusing on the military, not a private hospital that treated Card or civilian law enforcement.
The Department of Defense, the US Army and Keller Military Hospital “broke their promises, failed to act reasonably, violated their own policies and procedures, and failed to comply with directives and orders” , the complaint states.
In September 2023, when Card threatened to “shoot up” a gun store and his friend warned of “a mass shooting,” the military failed to provide critical intelligence about two doctors recommending that Card not not have access to weapons when she asked local law enforcement. officers check on his well-being. Card’s commander even downplayed the threat by undermining the credibility of the soldier who issued the warning and refusing to share any information at his disposal, according to the allegations.
Cynthia Young, whose husband William and 14-year-old son Aaron were killed at the bowling alley, said in a statement that the pain and trauma never goes away. “As terrible as the shooting was, it is even more tragic that there were numerous opportunities to prevent this and they were not taken,” she added.
The documents say there may have been a time when mass shootings were so rare they couldn’t be predicted, but “that hasn’t been true in America for decades.”
“Mass shootings, like what happened in Lewiston, are an epidemic in America. Therefore, those in positions of responsibility and authority are required to appreciate the warning signs and behaviors that report a risk of mass violence, to take them seriously and to act to prevent their occurrence,” the allegations state.
