News

Survivors of Lewiston mass shooting and victims’ relatives sue US government alleging negligence

Survivors of Lewiston mass shooting and victims’ relatives sue US government alleging negligence

Photo: Associated Press


LEWISTON, Maine (AP) Survivors of Maine’s deadliest mass shooting and relatives of victims sued the federal government Wednesday, alleging that the U.S. Army could and should have stopped one of its reservists from carrying out what they call “one of the most preventable mass tragedies in American history.”

Eighteen people were killed in October 2023 when Robert Card opened fire at a bowling alley and a bar and grill. An independent commission appointed by Maine’s governor later concluded that there were numerous opportunities for intervention by both Army officials and civilian law enforcement as Card’s mental health deteriorated. He was found dead by suicide two days after the shootings.

“We’re all standing here today because on October 25, 2023, we lost something precious. Some of us lost our loved ones. Some of us have lost the ability to feel safe or secure. The one thing we all lost was our trust in those who are responsible,” said Cynthia Young, whose husband and 14-year-old son were killed.

“Losing both my husband and my child in a tragedy that never should have happened is a pain beyond words,” she said at a news conference in Lewiston, not far from where the shootings took place. “We trusted those in power to protect our loved ones and their inaction cost us everything.”

The lawsuit, filed in federal court on behalf of more than 100 survivors and victims’ family members, accuses the U.S. government of negligence, saying its conduct “directly and proximately caused the mass shooting.” It alleges that Army officials and others “failed to act reasonably, broke the promises they made to Card’s family and their community, violated mandatory polices, procedures and disregarded directives and orders.”

“By March 2023, the United States and its personnel knew Card was paranoid, delusional, violent, and lacked impulse control. The Army knew he had access to firearms. The Army promised to remove his guns but did not fulfill that promise,” the lawsuit states. “Worse, through its acts and omissions, the Army withheld information and actively misled local law enforcement, thereby preventing others from intervening and separating Card from his weapons.”

Spokespeople for the Department of Defense and the Army said they would not comment on pending litigation. A request for comment was emailed to the Keller Army Community Hospital.

“For nearly two years now, the families and victims have heard silence from the Army as they have all carried with them their grief and their physical scars,” attorney Travis Brennan said at the news conference. “The families and the victims deserve answers and accountability. They deserve resolution and peace.”

The attorneys began the process of suing the government a little less than a year ago when they filed notices of claim, saying the Army did not act despite being aware of Card’s mental health decline. Card’s mental health spiral led to his hospitalization and left him paranoid, delusional and expressing homicidal ideations, the claim said. He even produced a “hit list” of those he wanted to attack, attorneys said.

“The fact remains that the Army allowed an unstable, mentally ill service member to walk out into the community without any warning, without any protocols, without any plan to keep our community safe,” Brennan said.

Card’s family members and fellow reservists said he had exhibited delusional and paranoid behavior months before the shootings. He was hospitalized by the Army during training in July 2023 in New York, where his unit was training West Point cadets, but Army Reserve officials have acknowledged that no one made sure Card was taking his medication or complying with his follow-up care at home in Bowdoin, Maine.

The starkest warning came in a September text from a fellow reservist: “I believe he’s going to snap and do a mass shooting.”

“From the start, the Army disregarded its mandatory policies and procedures, and regulations when dealing with Card,” the lawsuit states. “Despite the serious issues Card presented at the company or battalion level, they were not reported up the chain of command to senior military officials with the knowledge, experience, and resources to address them. Instead, low-ranking, part-time personnel mis-managed the risks, resulting in disastrous consequences.”

Army officials conducted their own investigation after the shootings that Lt. Gen. Jody Daniels, then the chief of the Army Reserve, said found “a series of failures by unit leadership.” Three Army Reserve leaders were disciplined for dereliction of duty, according to the report. When the governor’s commission released its final report last August, the Army issued a statement saying it was “committed to reviewing the findings and implementing sound changes to prevent tragedies like this from recurring.”

The Lewiston shootings led to new guns laws in Maine, a state with a long tradition of hunting and gun ownership. The laws prompted legal action on the part of gun rights advocates in the state and remain a contentious topic nearly two years after the shootings.

Ben Dyer, who was shot multiple times and lost the use of one arm, said the lawsuit isn’t about money but rather finding out what went wrong and how to fix it. He said plaintiffs have and will continue to support each other as the case proceeds.”

“We’re a strong group,” he said, before correcting himself. “No, we’re a strong family.”

____

Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire.

Latest Headlines

5 hours ago in Entertainment

Julia Roberts, Anna Wintour, Ralph Lauren and more pay tribute to Giorgio Armani

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani's work spanned the worlds of celebrity, fashion and power. His death announced Thursday at age 91 has elicited an outpouring of tributes.

5 hours ago in Entertainment

Al Roker lends his voice and meteorology skills to the new PBS Kids animated show ‘Weather Hunters’

This fall, everyone's favorite weatherman is getting a kick out of launching his own educational cartoon TV show — "Weather Hunters," which premieres Monday on PBS Kids.

22 hours ago in Entertainment, Music

Justin Bieber announces ‘Swag ll’ will arrive Friday

Never say never... again? In July, Justin Bieber surprised fans by releasing his seventh studio album, "Swag," hours after he teased it on billboards and social media posts. It turns out, he wasn't done yet. On Thursday morning, Bieber shared that "Swag II" will arrive on Friday.

22 hours ago in Entertainment, Trending

Giorgio Armani, who dressed the powerful and famous from boardroom to Hollywood, dies at 91

Giorgio Armani, the iconic Italian designer who turned the concept of understated elegance into a multibillion-dollar fashion empire, died Thursday, his fashion house confirmed. He was 91.

1 day ago in Lifestyle, Trending

Powerball jackpot jumps to $1.7 billion after another night without a big winner

The Powerball jackpot has jumped to an eye-popping $1.7 billion, after yet another drawing passed without a big winner Wednesday. The numbers selected were: 3, 16, 29, 61 and 69, with the Powerball number being 22.