On October 25, 2023, the community of Lewiston, Maine, was changed forever in the worst way imaginable thanks to the cowardly attack of Robert Card. Attacks at both the Just-in-Time Recreation bowling alley and Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant left 18 victims dead and another 13 injured. The Robert Card manhunt that would ensue found the Army Reservist with a self-inflicted gunshot to the head days later. Now, some answers may be coming to light as to why the heinous events took place in the first place.
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Was Robert Card in the Military?
Robert Card served in the Army Reserve. He was working as a Petroleum Supply Specialist and an Instructor who helped train others in the use of hand grenades.
Sgt. 1st Class Robert Card was a part of the 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment, who lived in the area as a resident of Bowdoin, Maine, for years.
Before entering the Army Reserve, Robert Card’s background was pretty typical and showed no red flags.
He went to Bowdoin Central School and Mount Ararat High School before pursuing higher education at the University of Maine but didn’t graduate. There was a DUI arrest but nothing violent of record.
However, things would change near the end of his two decades of serving in the Army Reserves. This began in 2022 and by the following year, suspecting paranoia was a part of the problem.
Robert Card’s ex-wife and child reported mental health issues after a change in his typically friendly manner, including auditory hallucinations after being fitted for hearing aids.
Red flags went off after Card’s behavior changed and his comments raised eyebrows. This includes threats to shoot up a military base, which were reported by the Army Reserve to law enforcement.
Robert Card was forced to stop training. He was taken to West Point’s Keller Army Community Hospital for a psychological evaluation that resulted in two weeks of hospitalization.
During his time in the Four Winds Psychiatric Hospital, while Card received medication, which he would stop taking after leaving the facility. The staff didn’t look at the possible effects of a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Non-Deployable Status
Just because you have mental health issues, doesn’t mean you’ll be banned from the military; however, there are restrictions that can occur. Robert Card’s mental health would inspire such change.
Upon returning, the Army stopped allowing Card access to guns and ammo making him non-deployable. At the same time, a gun shop denied Card’s purchase of a silencer.
What followed was months of violent and concerning behavior, the loss of his job, and failures by Card to report to his unit’s battle assembly. Robert Card’s unit would eventually send a wellness check as a result.
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TBI Could Be a Factor in Robert Card Maine Attack
Today, Robert Card is dead and questions remain as to how someone, who seems to have been struggling, got to this point and why they did what they did. Now, researchers may have more answers.
Boston University researchers analyzed the brain tissue of Card and have reported evidence of traumatic brain injuries. This is due to nerve fibers showing signs of degeneration, injuries to small blood vessels, along with inflammation.
Dr. Ann McKee, who works at the Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center, found signs of TBI, and the family of Robert Card released the findings publicly.
While we still don’t know if TBI caused the attacks, the exposure to repeated low-level blasts as a hand grenade Instructor is under scrutiny.
The connection between Robert Card and Lewiston, Maine, is sadly cemented in a dark legacy. However, with the research ongoing by the military and universities, there is hope to better understand and prevent future events.
Again, there has been no direct connection between Robert Card having signs of TBI and the attack. Regardless, the community, military members, and society as a whole deserve answers for a safer world.
Lab Finding Reveals Card Had Profound Brain Damage, Similar to Blast Damage
A specialized laboratory at a Boston University C.T.E. Center specializing in the research of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (C.T.E.s) recently examined Robert Card’s brain. What they found was profound brain damage usually associated with repeat exposure to weapons blasts. These shocking findings were in an autopsy report by Maine’s chief medical examiner’s office.
The report revealed that the white matter in Card’s brain had “moderately severe” damage. Sometimes, it was missing entirely from certain sections of the brain. Additionally, Card’s brain had evidence of scarring and inflammation that suggests repeat trauma exposure.
The report said that Robert did not have a C.T.E. Furthermore, this type of damage has been found in other military Vets who had weapons blast exposure during military service. Furthermore, the report stated, “While it is unclear whether these pathological findings are responsible for Mr. Card’s behavioral changes in the last 10 months of life, based on our previous studies it is likely that brain injury played a role in his symptoms.”
These new findings may be the push the military needs to further investigate the risks of repeated blast exposure from firing heavy weapons. Currently, Pentagon guidelines state that exposure to repeated grenade blasts do not pose a risk to troop’s brains. Servicemembers are hopeful that this autopsy discovery will bring about the necessary change needed to reduce blast exposure in combat units.
Want to learn more about the laboratory findings, and how Card’s scans could help us better understand the effects of modern warfare on the human brain? Check out “The Alarming Findings Within a Mass Shooter’s Brain” on The Daily podcast.
Maine’s Governor Rolls Out Legislation That Will Increase Access to Mental Health Services
As a result of the Main shooting, the state’s governor put out multiple proposals for mental health legislation. The first would help strengthen the state’s risk protection order law. Law enforcement noted that Maine’s yellow flag law made it hard to remove Robert Card’s weapons even though they had warning signs. The change would allow law enforcement to get a protective custody warrant.
Governor Mills’ next proposal extends the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to private sales of firearms. Aside from those two things, the proposals would also establish a statewide network of crisis receiving centers. This is so that someone suffering a mental health crisis can obtain care quickly.
The supplemental budget also includes other proposals aimed at crisis response and mental health. The proposal includes an additional plan to create a Maine mass violence care fund. Furthermore, $5 million will cover physical and mental health expenses for those not covered by insurance.
Updated by Lauren Piette
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