An analysis of brain tissue from Robert Card, the Army reservist responsible for a mass shooting in Maine last year, revealed significant evidence of traumatic brain injuries. Researchers from Boston University found degeneration in nerve fibers, inflammation, and small blood vessel injury in Card's brain.
Dr. Ann McKee from Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center stated that while the pathological findings couldn't definitively explain Card's behavioral changes, brain injuries likely played a role in his symptoms. Card had been exposed to numerous low-level blasts during his time as an instructor at an Army hand grenade training range.
Card's family issued an apology for the attack, expressing sorrow for the victims, survivors, and their families. The Army officials are set to testify before a special commission investigating the deadliest mass shooting in Maine's history, which claimed 18 lives in Lewiston.
Prior to the shooting, warnings were raised about Card's deteriorating mental health. Concerns were voiced by family members and fellow reservists about his paranoid behavior, weight loss, and access to firearms. Despite these red flags, Card was not prevented from carrying out the tragic event.
The commission, established by Governor Janet Mills, is also reviewing the police response to the shootings. Law enforcement officials have defended their actions leading up to the incident, citing challenges posed by existing laws in removing guns from potentially dangerous individuals.
In response to the tragedy, calls for changes to gun laws in Maine have intensified. Proposals include allowing law enforcement to seek protective custody warrants to remove weapons from dangerous individuals and implementing a 72-hour waiting period for most gun purchases.
Gun control advocates have emphasized the need for comprehensive gun safety reforms and increased public health investments to address the pressing issue of gun violence.
The commission's hearings have been instrumental in shedding light on the case, with an interim report expected to be released by April 1. The impact of the mass shooting has reverberated not only in Maine but also beyond, underscoring the urgency of addressing gun violence as a public health emergency.
