AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine state police faced criticism for the delay in their search for a gunman responsible for the deadliest shooting in state history. After finding the shooter’s abandoned car, there was concern that he might be planning an ambush. The two-day search resulted in the discovery of the shooter’s body and brought tens of thousands of Maine residents being ordered to shelter in their homes.
The search for shooter Robert Card, who died by suicide, sparked controversy due to the delay in finding him despite quickly identifying him and locating his car. After two searches at a nearby recycling facility, the apprehension of Card’s body didn’t occur until the third search.
Maj. Lucas Hare, in charge of state police operations, explained the decision to delay the search, citing the possibility of an ambush given Card’s military background and potential capabilities for night-vision and thermal gun scope. He defended the decision not to send officers into the woods without proper equipment to face off against an armed individual with military training.
In response to the criticism, State Police Chief Col. Bill Ross acknowledged the uniqueness and complexity of the situation, given the need to search multiple locations following the mass shooting. The intense search for the shooter added pressure on law enforcement, as the governor and attorney general established an independent commission to evaluate existing laws and assess the possibility of preventing similar tragedies in the future.
The commission revealed warnings from both family members and the Army about Card’s deteriorating mental health before the shooting. These warnings raise questions about the response to the signs of Card’s declining mental health, especially considering the concerns expressed by his fellow reservists and family members prior to the shooting.