(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Victims of the deadliest mass shooting in Maine history last October have begun the legal process for suing the Army for failing to act on the warning signs displayed by the shooter, deceased reservist Robert Card.
Lawyers for the victims and their families served a notice on the Army on Tuesday, nearly a year after Card shot and killed 18 people last October in the deadliest mass shooting in Maine history.
“Sadly, the October 25 mass shooting was preventable. For at least seven months leading to the shooting, the Army and its personnel were aware that Card’s mental health precipitously and unexplainably declined, leaving him paranoid, delusional, with violent ideations and limited impulse control,” the lawyers said in their notice.
Lawyers for last October's Maine mass shooting victims have notified the Army that they plan to sue it for failing to act on the obvious warning signs displayed by the shooter, Robert Card. Their notice included a picture of all the victims killed.
"After Card’s Army colleague… pic.twitter.com/UE6HoYrJET
— Ken Silva (@JD_Cashless) October 15, 2024
“Despite these warnings, the Army failed to act. Even worse, in September 2023, after Card’s Army colleague warned of an explicit threat to commit a mass shooting, rather than taking decisive action, the Army and its personnel withheld critical information from local law enforcement, downplayed and minimized the risks, and discouraged local law enforcement from acting,” they added.
The lawyers’ allegations have been thoroughly documented through investigations by the state of Maine and the Army itself.
The state’s special commission released its final report in August, finding that both the Army Reserve and police missed opportunities to intervene in a gunman’s psychiatric crisis and initiate steps to seize weapons from the spiraling reservist. The commission also faulted the Army Reserve for failing to do more to ensure Card’s health and deal with his weapons.
Four law firms are jointly representing some 100 plaintiffs in the pending legal action.
Meanwhile, a woman who lost her husband and son in the shooting is seeking the Card’s health and military records through the probate process.
A judge on Oct. 1 granted Cynthia Young’s petition to become a special administrator of Card’s estate so she can have legal authority to obtain the records for herself, others who lost loved ones, and attorneys preparing lawsuits. The move was not opposed by Card’s son, who is his sole heir.
Complete medical records from the Army reservist’s time in two hospitals and full records from his lengthy career in the Army Reserve may help families understand why the mass shooting occurred and what steps could have prevented it, said Travis Brennan, one of her lawyers.
“It’s a critical piece of the puzzle. Without that information, there are a lot of unanswered questions. Obtaining this information is critical to a fundamental objective here — which is accountability,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
