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6h ago

Lewiston Survivors File Federal Negligence Suit Against U.S. Army and DoD

Plaintiffs cite documented missed warnings, alleging communication failures left the reservist armed despite psychiatric red flags.

Memorials for those who died in the mass shooting along the roadside by Schemengees Bar & Grille, Oct. 30, 2023.
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Overview

  • A 119-page complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Maine names the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army and Keller Army Community Hospital on behalf of roughly 100 survivors and families.
  • The suit alleges the Army knew by March 2023 that Sgt. Robert Card was paranoid, delusional, violent and had access to firearms, yet failed to remove his guns or follow required procedures.
  • Plaintiffs say Army personnel withheld critical information and discouraged deputies from using Maine’s yellow flag process after threats to “shoot up” a reserve center were reported in September 2023.
  • The filing details a July 2023 psychiatric hospitalization that found homicidal ideation and recommended seizure of personal weapons, after which Card remained able to keep firearms.
  • Independent and Army reviews later documented communication and leadership failures and led to discipline for unit leaders; federal officials declined to comment on the lawsuit.