Ellsworth police officer notified of Robert Card’s threats in mid-September
An Ellsworth police officer was one in every of a number of regulation enforcement officers notified of the Lewiston mass shooter’s threats of violence within the months earlier than he killed 18 folks and injured 13 extra at a bar and bowling alley final Wednesday.
Ellsworth police Chief Glenn Moshier advised The Maine Monitor on Tuesday one in every of his officers served as taking pictures suspect Robert R. Card II’s superior in the identical army coaching unit.
The officer was notified of Card’s threats by different superiors in that unit on Sept. 15, which included a direct risk to the Ellsworth officer and the Saco army base the place they served collectively.
Moshier stated his division alerted Sagadahoc County regulation enforcement that very same day and requested they full a wellbeing examine on Card.
His division additionally offered the sheriff’s workplace with contact info for the army officers who alerted them about Card, Moshier stated.
“We conveyed to the Sagadahoc Sheriff’s Workplace what info had been handed on to our officer by the Saco Nationwide Guard coaching unit that he’s part of, after which Sagadahoc took it from there,” Moshier stated.
The Ellsworth officer was additionally concerned within the means of hospitalizing Card this July at a army coaching in West Level, New York, after Card displayed erratic behaviors and different psychological well being considerations, in line with Moshier.
When that coaching ended and the officer returned to Ellsworth, he didn’t have any extra communications concerning Card till he obtained notification of the threats on Sept. 15, Moshier stated.
Moshier declined to determine the officer, or his rank on the division and reserve unit, when requested by a reporter. He additionally stated he didn’t know the particular particulars of the threats Card made to the bottom in Saco nor the Ellsworth officer who served with Card.
On Sept. 16, a day after his division handed phrase of Card’s threats to Sagadahoc, Moshier stated they adopted up with the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Workplace and had been advised the sheriff’s workplace had not but made contact with Card.
“It’s far exterior of our jurisdiction to do something greater than that,” Moshier stated.
The small print offered by the Ellsworth police chief are among the many rising examples of the missed indicators concerning Card’s psychological state within the months main as much as the shootings in Lewiston.
The small print observe carefully with a timeline launched Monday by Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry, whose deputies had been notified about Card’s psychological state, his entry to weapons and his coaching as a marksman.
In a report about efforts to examine on Card’s well-being, a Sagahodoc deputy wrote: “I’d relatively err on the aspect of warning as regards to Card since he’s a succesful marksman and, if he ought to set his thoughts to hold out the threats made to [a fellow reservist], he would have the ability to do it.”
Merry stated in an announcement his workplace was contacted by members of Card’s household on Could 3. “The household stated that Mr. Card’s psychological well being had began to say no in January. They had been involved for his well-being and stated that Mr. Card had entry to firearms,” Merry’s assertion stated.
In accordance with the Washington Publish, the Could 3 incident report stated Card’s ex-wife reported he had “lately picked up 10-15 handguns/rifles” from his brother’s home. It additionally stated that Card’s grownup son stated it appeared his father had begun listening to voices in January.
Merry stated in his assertion a Sagadahoc deputy subsequently spoke to Card’s Military Reserve unit “and linked them with Mr. Card’s household, who assured our workplace that they might be sure that Card obtained medical consideration.” The sergeant of the unit additionally stated he would converse with Card, Merry stated.
The reserve unit contacted the sheriff’s workplace once more in September, asking to examine on Card’s welfare.
In accordance with the sheriff, Sagadahoc deputies visited Card’s residence in Bowdoin on Sept. 15 and 16. The sheriff’s workplace despatched what is called a “File 6” — an alert that they had been trying to find Card — to different police businesses.
On the morning of Sept. 16, two deputies went to Card’s residence, in line with Merry’s account. His automobile was there. They repeatedly knocked on the door and didn’t get a solution. “The deputy stated he may need heard somebody shifting round within the trailer,” however nobody answered the door.
His deputy once more contacted Card’s unit commander “who stated that Mr. Card now not had any weapons from the reserve unit.” The commander stated they had been making an attempt to get remedy for Card, Merry stated, and “that he thought it finest to let Card have time to himself.”
The deputy additionally referred to as Card’s brother on Sept. 17 and the brother stated he’d try to safe any weapons Card had.
After the taking pictures, authorities stated Card’s household was cooperative with their investigation as they tried to find him and piece collectively what had occurred.
This story was initially printed by The Maine Monitor, a nonprofit and nonpartisan information group. To get common protection from the Monitor, join a free Monitor e-newsletter right here.
