Maine Sees its Largest Mass Shooting in State’s History

Once again, the United States has been gripped by the horrifyingly familiar specter of another mass shooting. On October 25th, in Lewiston, Maine, a bowling alley and restaurant became the grim backdrop for the 36th mass shooting this year. A lone gunman, identified as forty-year-old Robert Card, left a trail of devastation, killing 18 people and injuring another 13. Card, after his rampage, managed to evade authorities, setting off a two-day manhunt that ultimately ended with the discovery of his body inside a tractor-trailer at his former workplace. Like so many other mass murderers before him, Card reportedly died by his own hand, robbing us of the opportunity to understand what drove him to commit such heinous acts.

Card initiated his attack at a local bowling alley before continuing at Schemengees Bar & Grille. Investigators found a note at Card's home, which was addressed to his son and appeared to be a suicide letter. However, it failed to offer any insight into the motive behind the horrific shooting. As a result of this tragic event, a shelter-in-place order remained in effect, and over two hundred FBI agents joined the intensive manhunt for Card. Adding to the chilling nature of this incident is the lack of media attention given to a notable detail regarding Card’s ties to the Kiev regime in Ukraine.

Who was Robert Card?

While information about Robert Card's life is limited, what little we do know is disturbing. Card resided in Bowdoin, Maine, and had been divorced for approximately sixteen years. He had one adult son, presumably the recipient of the enigmatic suicide note. Card's background takes a peculiar turn from normality at this point.

Bryce Dubee, a representative of the U.S. Army, revealed that Card joined the Army Reserves in 2002. Remarkably, he was never deployed into active combat and served as a specialist in petroleum supply. At the time of his death, Card held the rank of sergeant first class and was stationed with the Reserves' 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment in Saco, Maine. Dubee also mentioned that Card had received several military accolades during his 21-year service.

In an interview with media outlet The Beast, Card's sister-in-law, Kate O’Neil, shared, “Things have kind of gone downhill recently… This is something that was an acute episode. This is not who he is.” She continued, “He is not someone who has had mental health issues for his lifetime or anything like that.” During a deployment to Camp Smith Training Center in Cortlandt, N.Y., this summer, Card's state of mind alarmed his commanding officers to such an extent that they called the police to take him to the Keller Army Community Hospital in West Point for evaluation, according to an anonymous source. It appears, however, that Card was not diagnosed with any mental condition during his visit to the Army hospital, and records indicate he did not complete any training following this concerning episode.

On the morning of October 28th, Card was found dead, marking another instance of a mass shooter who managed to avoid questioning and punishment. Authorities reported that Card was discovered inside his former workplace, having died from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. This sudden and drastic mental decline culminated in one of the most horrific crimes in Maine’s history, shrouding the incident in suspicion and leaving us to wonder what triggered or influenced Card on that fateful day.

Leaving Out an Important Detail

Despite the scarcity of information about Card's background, certain aspects of his social media activity paint a more complex picture. Media outlets immediately labeled him as a crazed MAGA (Make America Great Again) supporter, insinuating that he was acting out his political frustrations by targeting innocent victims.

Videos from Card's Twitter and other social media accounts showcased his engagement with right-wing content, including likes on tweets from various conservative figures like Tucker Carlson and Dinesh D’Souza. However, there is another screenshot that the media has conspicuously ignored, one that could challenge the narrative of Card being just another extremist Trump supporter.

The Telegram account DD Geopolitics posted a screenshot that purportedly showed Robert Card's account stating, "As a professional shooting instructor and US citizen, I am proud to train defenders of freedom around the world, including Ukraine. We must fight against tyranny all over the world.” While this claim remains unverified by sources other than Telegram, it is worth noting that training of Ukrainian soldiers by the U.S. military has been occurring for some time. A BBC article from 2022 reported, “Fort Leavenworth has proved to be a valuable training ground for dozens of Ukrainian soldiers over the past several decades, who spend a year studying at the base's US Army Command and General Staff College.”

The conspicuous absence of this information from mainstream media outlets, particularly CNN, raises questions about potential bias in the reporting. These allegations of involvement with Ukraine do not align with the depiction of Card as a right-wing extremist. The case is still in its infancy, and further details about Card's history may emerge with time.

Stricter Gun Laws Imminent?

Just one day after the tragic incident, President Joe Biden called on Republican lawmakers in Congress to support a prohibition on assault weapons and firearms with high-capacity magazines. In a statement, Biden said, "As we mourn another tragedy, I urged Republican lawmakers in Congress to do their duty to protect the American people." He went on to mention some progress with a bipartisan bill, agreed upon by both Republicans and Democrats, aimed at restricting firearms possession and purchase.

This incident echoes events from the past, such as the Uvalde Elementary School shooting, which led to gun violence legislation last year. This legislation included stricter background checks for young firearm purchasers and additional funding for mental health initiatives and school support.

History has shown that tragedies often serve as catalysts for passing new laws. For instance, following the 9/11 attacks, the Patriot Act and other bills expanded the government's surveillance capabilities. Additionally, a shooting in Buffalo, New York, last year raised concerns about the killer's potential contact with federal agents before the massacre. According to the New York Post, "Authorities are reportedly investigating whether a retired federal agent knew about a white supremacist’s plans to carry out his deadly attack at a Buffalo supermarket 30 minutes before the crazed gunman went on the rampage."

Being led down a path of extremism, possibly influenced by one's own government, leading to the senseless loss of innocent lives, is a reprehensible act by an institution entrusted with protecting its citizens. While we await more details about Card's history, recent events bear an unsettling resemblance to a familiar pattern of violence, warranting a thorough examination and, potentially, legislative action.