An independent commission investigating Maine’s deadliest mass shooting has concluded that law enforcement missed crucial opportunities to prevent the tragedy. The commission found that there were grounds to pursue assault charges against the shooter, Robert Card, for an incident where he punched a fellow Army reservist prior to the shooting that claimed 18 lives in Lewiston.
The commission's interim report highlighted the state’s “yellow flag” law, which allows for the temporary removal of firearms during a psychiatric health crisis. It criticized the Sagadahoc County sheriff's office for not taking action under this law to seize Card's guns despite having probable cause.
