The household of an Military reservist accused of capturing greater than a dozen individuals in Lewiston, Maine, alerted police and army officers that he was struggling a “extreme” psychological episode earlier than the bloodbath Wednesday night time, the suspect’s sister-in-law stated. .
Robert Card, 40, a firearms teacher and veteran member of the Military Reserve, started listening to voices that had been saying “horrible” issues about him two months in the past when he was fitted for high-powered listening to aids, in response to Katie Card. Who’s married to his brother.
“He was choosing up sounds he had by no means heard earlier than,” she advised NBC Information. “His thoughts was wrapping them round. He was offended by the issues he thought had been stated.
Katie Card stated the household did all the things they might to reassure Robert Card that the feedback weren’t actual, together with by checking in with a number of the individuals he claimed had made the feedback.
However, she stated, “it is changed into a loopy perception.”
“He was utterly satisfied that everybody was all of the sudden in opposition to him,” she stated.
Robert Card, who was nonetheless at massive early Thursday afternoon, is accused of killing at the very least 18 individuals and wounding many others at a bar and bowling alley, police stated.
The household has reached out to police and the Military Reserve base the place he serves, as they’ve “been more and more involved” up to now few weeks, his sister-in-law stated.
“We simply communicated to verify everybody was on the identical web page as a result of he is somebody who does weapons coaching,” she stated. “We had been involved about his psychological state. That is all.”
Katie Card stated her husband had been going “forwards and backwards” with the army, however it was unclear what actions had been taken.
“They had been following up on it as properly, however he was by no means somebody we thought would truly do something,” she stated.
The Military, which confirmed Robert Card’s reserve standing, didn’t instantly reply to a subsequent request for remark by NBC Information concerning the household’s warning.
Katie Card declined to debate whether or not the household tried to limit his entry to firearms.
The weapon believed to have been utilized by accused mass shooter Robert Card was bought legally in 2023, in response to two senior legislation enforcement officers conversant in the matter.
A bulletin issued by the Maine Info and Evaluation Middle, a database of legislation enforcement officers, stated Robert Card “lately reported psychological well being points together with listening to voices and capturing threats on the Nationwide Guard Base in Saco, Michigan.”
Card was dedicated to a psychological establishment for 2 weeks this summer time after which launched, the discharge reported. NBC Information was unable to independently confirm the publication’s statements concerning the card’s historical past.
An Military spokesman stated Card had enlisted within the Military Reserve in December 2002 and had not had any fight deployments.
His sister-in-law stated he had extreme listening to loss seemingly resulting from being close to the fixed gunfire.
She stated the household was continually texting him to inform him he was liked and that “he wanted to do the precise factor” however she had not heard from him.
Katie Card stated her brother-in-law is a “great particular person” and an incredible father to his son, who simply graduated from highschool. She stated his habits change was sudden and that he had by no means beforehand suffered from psychological well being points.
“We do not know this particular person. That is not him,” she stated. “We’re so sorry for the ache he is prompted others.”
Tom Winter And Jonathan service Contributed.
