In relation to the shooting incident that killed 18 people in Lewiston, Maine, on the 25th, a preliminary warning of danger was issued by the relevant authorities regarding the possibility of a suspect committing a crime, but criticism is being raised that sufficient follow-up action was not taken.<\/p>\n
Several months before the tragedy, a colleague reported that he was “concerned that he might suddenly explode and go on a shooting rampage,” and although this fact was shared with the local police, it did not lead to any action to remove the weapon from him.<\/p>\n
According to U.S. media reports, including CNN broadcast on the 30th, the U.S. Army announced that the unit of Army Reserve Sergeant Robert Card (40), who was identified as a suspect in the shooting several months before the tragedy, had requested the police to check on Card’s safety.<\/p>\n
Sergeant Card’s unit requested a health and welfare check from the police out of concern for his safety, and police in Sagittarius County, Maine, where he lives, responded to the unit’s request.<\/p>\n
The reason why the Maine National Guard, to which Card belongs, made this request to the police was because of two previous incidents that raised concerns about Card’s mental health.<\/p>\n
According to information shared by the police with the National Guard, Card went to New York for military training on July 15th, and while on his way to a convenience store, an unpleasant incident occurred with other colleagues in the parking lot, and he was taken to a mental hospital and hospitalized for two weeks. There was a fact that he was discharged from the hospital.<\/p>\n
Card allegedly started an argument, saying he knew his colleagues were calling him a pedophile. His colleagues said that Card had already started hearing auditory hallucinations of insults to himself in the spring, and that they were getting worse.<\/p>\n
After being discharged from a mental hospital, an incident occurred where he punched a friend in the car while visiting a casino with a military colleague.<\/p>\n
According to the co-worker’s report, Card said at the time that he had a gun and that he would take it to the Saco Training Base (Maine) and other locations and shoot people.<\/p>\n
The co-worker said, “I was concerned that he would suddenly explode and go on a shooting rampage,” and this report was also relayed to the police.<\/p>\n
After Card’s threatening remarks, Sacco Base strengthened its security for a while, but Card did not lead to an actual attack on the base.<\/p>\n
Sheriff Joel Merry of New Jersey County, who was notified of this information by the military, said in an interview with the New York Times that he shared the relevant information with the Maine State Police in September.<\/p>\n
Sagittarius and Kennebec County police visited Card’s home on September 16 at the county’s request but did not meet him.<\/p>\n
Police visited and met with Card’s older brother the next day, and his brother told police that he and his father would not allow Card to possess weapons. Police told his brother they could help with Card’s mental health evaluation if needed.<\/p>\n
But that was the end. About a month later, on the 26th of last month, Card opened fire at a bowling alley and restaurant in Lewiston, Maine, killing 18 people. Among the victims was a 14-year-old boy.<\/p>\n
According to CNN, Maine has a “yellow flag law” that can be applied to assess the eligibility of individuals to possess weapons. Under this law, law enforcement agencies, such as police, can detain people deemed dangerous and have them evaluated by a medical professional, and depending on the results of the diagnosis, a judge can authorize the temporary removal of weapons from the person.<\/p>\n
There was also evidence that Card was already aware that he had a problem with his mental health.<\/p>\n
According to the NYT report, on August 5th, about two months before the crime, Card went to a gun shop in Auburn, near Lewiston, to pick up a gun silencer that he had previously ordered but was rejected.<\/p>\n
This was because Card wrote \u2018yes\u2019 to the question \u201cHave you ever been judged as mentally defective or hospitalized in a mental hospital?\u201d in his reporting documents.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, with the confirmation of Card’s death on the 27th, the stay-at-home order in the Lewiston area was lifted, and residents of Lewiston gathered at churches and other places over the weekend to mourn the victims of the shooting and comfort the victims’ families.<\/p>\n
Maine, located at the very tip of the northeastern part of the continental United States, is a region that has been considered one of the places with relatively rare crime across the United States, and Lewiston is also a peaceful city with a population of about 40,000, so residents are said to have been shocked by the news of their acquaintances’ sacrifices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"