Investigation Reveals Traumatic Brain Injury in Maine Mass Shooter Who Killed 18 – Sky Bulletin
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The Boston University research team has uncovered significant traumatic brain injury in Robert Card, the Army reservist responsible for Maine’s deadliest mass shooting. An analysis of Card’s brain tissue, released by his family and conducted by Dr. Ann McKee at the university’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center, displayed nerve fiber degeneration, inflammation, and small blood vessel damage.
Card, who worked as a hand grenade training instructor, is thought to have suffered from repetitive low-level blast exposure. Dr. McKee indicated a possible link between these brain injuries and the behavioral changes observed in Card during the final months of his life.
Card’s family, echoing the findings, extended their apologies for the tragic incident to the victims, survivors, and their families.
As a part of the inquiry into Maine’s most devastating shooting on October 25, which took 18 lives at a bowling alley and a restaurant and bar in Lewiston, Army officials are expected to provide testimony before a commission set in place by Gov. Janet Mills.
The commission, which is comprised of former judges and prosecutors, is tasked with piecing together the events of that day and reviewing the adequacy of the police response.
In the time leading up to the shooting, both police and the Army were alerted to Card’s deteriorating mental condition.
Card displayed alarming signs of paranoid behavior, prompting concern among relatives about his gun access, as revealed by police body camera footage and interviews with his fellow reservists.
Following incidents of concerning behavior, including an altercation during training and being locked in a motel room, Card was hospitalized in July. A fellow reservist expressed fears in September that Card might engage in a mass shooting.
Card’s death was by suicide, found after the most extensive manhunt in state history. Since the tragic event, there has been significant critique of law enforcement’s missed interventions and Maine’s mental health resources.
The commission’s final hearing, the seventh, will take place in Augusta, with an interim report anticipated by April 1, according to commission chair Daniel Wathen.
Law enforcement defended their handling of the situation in previous hearings, citing difficulties in weapon removal due to state law.
In light of the massacre, Maine Democrats, led by Gov. Mills, are spurred to amend state gun legislation to facilitate weapon removal from those posing a threat.
Democrat proposals also include a 72-hour waiting period for most firearm purchases, a measure supported by gun control advocates in the state.
“We can best secure our communities through both meaningful gun safety reforms and public health investments,” stated Nacole Palmer of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition.
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This report was contributed by Whittle from Portland.
The tragic events in Maine have highlighted serious issues regarding mental health and gun safety laws. The analysis of Robert Card’s brain tissue sheds light on the potential impact of traumatic brain injuries on behavior, particularly in the context of his military service and later actions. As the community continues to grieve, there is a clear call to action for both legal reform and greater public health measures to prevent such devastating events in the future. The findings and subsequent changes in law enforcement strategies and legislation will be significant in shaping Maine’s and the nation’s response to gun violence and mental health crises.
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