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By Joanna Putman
Police1
LEWISTON, Maine — A more than 90-page independent report found that police “responded reasonably” to calls about the Lewiston shooter’s mental illness in the months leading up to the event, ABC News reported.
The suspect, identified as Robert Card, 40, exhibited many warning signs of psychological decline, according to the news report. In days following the Oct. 25 shooting, concerns were raised that Maine’s yellow flag law had not been used to confiscate Card’s firearms, which were obtained legally.
The report states that Sagadahoc County deputies in charge of the response to calls from Card’s parents regarding his mental state in May and September “each diligently explored the nature and extent of the concerns about Mr. Card’s mental health and that it was reasonable for them to conclude under the totality of the circumstances both that Mr. Card did not then pose an imminent risk of self-harm or harm to others.”
The review found that at the time of the calls, there was not enough evidence of imminent danger to bring Card into protective custody, according to the news report.
“The mass shooting on Oct. 25 in Lewiston has changed the community and our state forever. Our focus remains on supporting those who were hurt and the families and friends of those who were killed,” Sagadahoc Sheriff Joel Merry said in a statement. “At the same time, it’s critical for our agency to look objectively at our actions and make changes to help reduce the risk that something like this will happen again.”
[NEXT: Maine mass shooting provides insights on critical pre-emptive interventions and response protocols]
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