Survivors and relatives of victims from Maine’s deadliest mass shooting have filed a lawsuit against the US government, claiming the Army’s negligence allowed reservist Robert Card to perpetrate what they describe as “one of America’s most preventable mass tragedies.” The attack in October 2023 left 18 people dead at a bowling alley and a bar and grill in Lewiston, Maine. Card, who took his own life two days later, had shown clear signs of mental health deterioration prior to the tragedy, according to an independent commission appointed by Maine’s governor.
The federal lawsuit, representing over 100 survivors and family members, accuses the Army of failing to intervene despite knowing about Card’s declining mental state. It alleges the Army “failed to act reasonably, violated mandatory policies, and disregarded directives,” directly contributing to the shooting. The lawsuit highlights that by March 2023, Army officials were aware of Card’s paranoia, delusions, violent tendencies, and lack of impulse control. Despite promises to remove his firearms, the Army did not follow through and withheld critical information from local law enforcement, preventing intervention.
A news conference is scheduled for noon EDT on Wednesday in Lewiston to provide further details.
The legal action began nearly a year ago when attorneys filed notices of claim, pointing to the Army’s inaction despite Card’s documented mental health struggles. Card’s downward spiral included hospitalization in July 2023 during Army Reserve training in New York, where he exhibited delusional and homicidal behavior, including creating a “hit list” of intended targets. Fellow reservists and family members had reported his paranoia months earlier, with one reservist warning in a September 2023 text that Card was “going to snap and do a mass shooting.”
The lawsuit criticizes the Army for ignoring its own protocols, noting that Card’s issues were not escalated to senior officials with the authority to act. Instead, lower-ranking personnel mishandled the situation, leading to catastrophic consequences. An internal Army investigation, led by then-Chief of the Army Reserve Lt. Gen. Jody Daniels, identified “a series of failures by unit leadership,” resulting in disciplinary action against three Army Reserve leaders for dereliction of duty.
In response to the governor’s commission report in August 2024, the Army pledged to review its findings and implement changes to prevent future tragedies. The Lewiston shootings also spurred Maine to enact new gun control laws, despite its strong tradition of hunting and gun ownership. These laws have sparked legal challenges from gun rights advocates and remain a polarizing issue in the state nearly two years later.