Small towns are meant to be peaceful and safe, not the sites of mass shootings.
On Oct. 25, Robert Card went on a rampage in Lewiston, Maine, in two different locations, taking the lives of 18 and injuring 13 more. The 40-year-old opened fire in a bowling alley and a restaurant, violently tearing apart a close-knit community.
And, as tragic as this situation is, the greater tragedy is that all the signs were present, and this situation could have been prevented if the proper measures had been taken.
Card, who was enlisted in the U.S. Army reserve at the time of the shooting, sounds many alarms for being at risk of gun violence. He had a history of mental health issues—Card claimed that he hears voices, and his cousin referred to him as schizophrenic. Furthermore, Card verbally threatened to shoot up a military base in Saco, Maine, which should have been a sign that Card could conduct potentially dangerous behavior.
In fact, due to his concerning actions, Card was committed to a mental health facility for two weeks last summer. Following this, in July, Card was behaving erratically while training at the U.S. Military Academy. As a result, law enforcement was called in, and Card was transported to a hospital to be evaluated.
Yet, in spite of this, Card still had legal access to his firearm, which is a semiautomatic weapon of an unknown brand that is thought to be an assault rifle with an extended magazine and scope. He also possessed several more firearms in his home.
Card was legally allowed to carry his firearm despite the clear signs that he had a tendency towards violence, was mentally unstable, and certainly not fit to own or carry a firearm.
Maine has a loose restriction on weapons for those who are deemed unfit to carry them—known as a “yellow flag” law, the legislation, which was passed in 2019, states that an officer can “temporarily remove guns from people deemed to pose a threat to themselves or others.” However, this can only be done after there is a signature from a judge and a medical provider. As of now, it is unknown if Card had triggered a “yellow flag” law.
It should not take a tragedy to reform gun laws.
And still, somehow, even massacres are not enough for local, state, and federal governments to take action. Card was legally allowed to carry his firearm despite the clear signs that he had a tendency towards violence, was mentally unstable, and certainly not fit to own or carry a firearm.
There was no “good guy with a gun” to save the day either. No townsperson stopped Card in his tracks with their personal firearm—unfortunately, not even the law enforcement officers could. Two days after the shooting, Card was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Sadly, horrific events like the one in Lewiston will occur regardless of gun control; although, with the right restrictions and red flag laws, the frequency of these devastating events has the potential to decrease. This, in turn, will save countless lives of innocent people and prevent dangerous weapons from falling into the harmful and twisted hands of murderers like Card.
