Victims of Maine’s deadliest shooting start process of suing the Army
LEWISTON, Maine– Lawyers representing 100 survivors and family members of victims deadliest mass shooting in Maine history Lawyers on Tuesday began the formal process to sue the military and an Army hospital for failing to act to stop the reservist responsible for the tragedy.
The individual claims show that the army was aware of the reservist’s problems decline in mental health causing him to become paranoid and delusional and express murderous ideas, creating a ‘hit list’ of those he wanted to attack.
“It is difficult to imagine a case in which Army personnel would have more warning signs and opportunities to intervene to prevent a soldier from committing a mass shooting than what happened in the case of Army Reservist Robert Card,” attorneys wrote in their communications. emailed on Friday.
The claims by four law firms are a necessary step in suing the federal government. The military has six months to determine whether it will respond, after which a lawsuit could be filed.
That was eighteen people killed when Card, 40, opened fire on Oct. 25, 2023, at two locations he was visiting — a bowling alley and a cornhole league hosted by a bar and grill. Another 13 people were injured. Card was found dead two days later from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A independent committee appointed by the governor of Maine, concluded that there were ample opportunities for intervention by both civilian law enforcement and the military. For now, advocates for victims, family 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 U.S. Army and Army Keller Hospital “broke their promises, failed to act reasonably, violated their own policies and procedures, and ignored directives and orders,” the claim says.
In September 2023, when Card threatened to “shoot up” an armory and warned his friend of “a mass shooting,” the military failed to provide critical background on two doctors who recommended that Card not have access to weapons when it told the local law enforcement requested 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 he had, the claims say.
Cynthia Young, whose husband William and 14-year-old son Aaron were killed at the bowling alley, said in a statement that pain and trauma never go away. “As terrible as the shooting was, what is even more tragic is that there were many opportunities to prevent it and they were not taken,” she added.
The documents said there may have been a time when mass shootings were so rare that they couldn’t be predicted, but “that hasn’t been the case in America for decades.”
“Mass shootings, like what happened in Lewiston, are an epidemic in America. “Consequently, those in positions of responsibility and authority must appreciate the warning signs and behaviors that signal the risk of mass violence, take them seriously and take action to prevent their occurrence,” the claims say.