Three Army Reserve officers have been disciplined for “dereliction of duty” following an investigation into the Oct. 25 shooting of a reserve master sergeant in Maine who killed 18 people, according to an Army report.
The Office of the Secretary of the Army released the report. title “Summary of investigation ordered by U.S. Army Reserve commander following mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine,” Tuesday.
A report from the U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC) noted that based on the investigation's recommendations, “three officers” in the shooter's “chain of command” were disciplined. The report did not name the officers disciplined. USARC investigators noted “multiple failures in communication between the military hospital, the civilian hospital, and Staff Sergeant Card's chain of command” that “affected Staff Sergeant Card's continuity of medical care.”
Investigators concluded that Card carried out the shooting, which left 18 people dead and 13 injured, due to his “deteriorating mental state.” The sergeant committed suicide two days after the shooting. Card was “not on duty or under the direct command of the United States military” at the time of the shooting.
Card's mental health crisis began in the “fall of 2022,” when he “began experiencing a series of emotional events and behavioral health issues, including auditory hallucinations, the need for new hearing aids, and interpersonal conflicts with others, including fellow USAR troops.”
The sergeant's family reported his deteriorating mental condition to local police in May 2023, and a behavioral health evaluation at a hospital diagnosed him with a “short-term psychotic disorder,” according to the report. (RELATED: 'He's going to lose it': Suspect Robert Card's best friend warned authorities before shooting: Report)
A court date to consider whether to “involve” Card in the hospital was “cancelled,” resulting in his release in August 2023. Hospital officials did not provide a reason for his release to USARC's inquiry, according to the report.
“After being released from the hospital, Card effectively lost contact with medical professionals” and became socially isolated, before committing what investigators described as “the worst mass shooting in Maine's history” and killing himself two days later.
“My heart and soul goes out to all the families and people who witnessed what happened,” Army Reserve Commander Lt. Gen. Jody Daniels told reporters. The Associated Press report.
BREAKING: Three reserve officers have been disciplined for dereliction of duty following a riot in Maine that left 18 people dead, an Army report said. https://t.co/WE9knL4x1T
— Associated Press (@AP) July 23, 2024
“I am trying my best to understand what happened and to make changes for the future,” Daniels added, according to the Associated Press.
“While we cannot bring back the lives of those lost in Lewiston, we can and must work together to prevent future shootings,” Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins said in a statement to the outlet.
