Survivors, relatives of dead in Maine's worst mass shooting take first step toward suing the Army
CBSOct 24
Maine Mass Shooting: Survivors Prepare to Sue US Army
Above: Dan Wathen, center, former chief justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, talks during a news conference coinciding with the release of the final report from the commission investigating the Lewiston mass shooting on Aug. 20, 2024. Image copyright: Ben McCanna/Contributor/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images
The Facts
A total of 100 survivors and family members of the victims of the October 2023 Lewiston, Maine, mass shooting are preparing to sue the US Army on claims that it was negligent and failed to prevent former Army Reservist Robert Card from committing the shooting.
The plaintiffs claim that despite knowing about Robert Card's paranoia, delusions, and homicidal ideations, as well as his "hit list" of targets, the Army chose not to intervene, thus allowing him to kill 18 people and injure 13 others before killing himself.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Since this was a preventable shooting and the Army has yet to take full responsibility, the victims have been forced to take this matter to court. It's remarkable that even after the Army's own investigation found procedural errors in how it dealt with Card, it's now trying to flip this around and claim that protocols were followed correctly. From the Army hospital to Card's own unit, everyone involved must be held accountable.
Pro-establishment narrative
While the US Army must be held to the highest standards, it's important to remember that the armed forces are made up of American citizens just like any community. Military leadership cares as much as anyone about finding closure and justice for the victims, which is why the Army will be introducing new mental health care, oversight, and training protocols so that nothing like this ever happens again.