Maine Mass Shooting Victims File Sweeping Federal Lawsuit Against U.S. Army
Maine Mass Shooting Victims File Sweeping Federal Lawsuit Against U.S. Army
More than 100 survivors and relatives of victims from Maine’s deadliest mass shooting have filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. government, alleging the U.S. Army’s negligence directly led to the tragedy. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, contends that the Army possessed ample evidence of reservist Robert Card’s deteriorating mental state and failed to intervene, making the October 2023 massacre “one of the most preventable mass tragedies in American history.”
Robert Card killed eighteen people at a bowling alley and a bar and grill in Lewiston, Maine, before being found dead by suicide two days later. The legal action, obtained by CBS News, accuses the U.S. government of negligence, asserting that Army officials “failed to act reasonably, broke the promises they made to Card’s family and their community, violated mandatory policies, procedures and disregarded directives and orders.”
According to the 119-page lawsuit, the Army was aware by March 2023 that Card was “paranoid, delusional, violent, and lacked impulse control,” and knew he had access to firearms. Critically, the lawsuit alleges the Army promised to remove Card’s weapons but failed to do so. Furthermore, it claims the Army “withheld information and actively misled local law enforcement,” thereby preventing others from disarming Card.
The lawsuit details numerous ignored warnings, including Card’s hospitalization in July 2023 where he admitted to homicidal ideation and preparing a “hit list” targeting places he later attacked. A fellow reservist even texted in September 2023, just a month before the shootings, stating, “I believe he’s going to snap and do a mass shooting.” This warning, which also mentioned Card’s threat to “shoot up” an Army Reserve center, was allegedly dismissed by an Army Captain.
Attorneys representing the victims and survivors are scheduled to provide additional details at a news conference in Lewiston on Wednesday. Spokespeople for the Department of Defense and the Army have declined to comment on the pending litigation.
The Lewiston shootings prompted new gun laws in Maine and an independent commission appointed by the state’s governor concluded last August that there were numerous missed opportunities for intervention by both Army officials and civilian law enforcement. The Army’s own investigation also found “a series of failures by unit leadership,” leading to disciplinary actions against three Army Reserve leaders.
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