Maine Shooting Suspect Had Mental Health Issues, Associated With Right-Wing Militias
Robert Card was committed to a mental health facility this past Summer, liked posts from right-wing figures on Twitter/X, and is said to have been part of right-wing militias.
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On Wednesday night, a horrific mass shooting occurred in Lewiston, Maine. At least 18 people were killed, and over a dozen were injured. At about 7 pm, the shooter walked into a bowling alley and began indiscriminately murdering innocent people with an AR-15-style weapon. It was a youth bowling night. The shooter then left, drove about 4 miles to a restaurant, and continued his rampage before fleeing.
This is the 565th mass shooting in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
As of the time of this writing on Thursday afternoon, the shooter is still at large, and an active manhunt is underway. But we’ve already learned a lot about him from Maine government officials and law enforcement.
Maine officials have identified the suspected shooter as 40-year-old Robert Card, a Maine local. He has a background in the Army Reserve and was a firearm instructor. Card has a documented history of mental health issues, according to an official police bulletin. He was committed to a mental health facility for two weeks in the Summer of 2023 after claiming he was “hearing voices and threats to shoot up” a military base.
Two senior law enforcement officials told NBC News that Robert Card purchased the weapon he used in this attack legally earlier this year.
But that’s not all we’ve learned about him.
NBC News spoke to Liam Kent, a neighbor of Robert Card. Kent said that Card’s home was "basically a compound.” Kent said Card was involved with right-wing militia groups:
“The family and Robert, they're all gun fanatics. For all intents and purposes, they are very much associated with right-wing militias. It's known in the town to stay away from them and not approach them."
Heavy captured Robert Card’s Twitter/X account before it was suspended. Card liked posts from a number of right-wing figures, including Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr., and Tucker Carlson. The likes included anti-trans content. Card also liked a post from Dinesh D’Souza that opposed an assault weapons ban. CNN confirmed that the X account belongs to the suspect.
While there has been no official law enforcement determination of Robert Card’s motive in this particular attack, it's important to mention the rise of right-wing domestic terrorist attacks in recent years. This trend has been extensively covered by my company, Rantt Media.
Will This Attack Trigger New Legislative Action?
When asked about this shooting, newly elected Speaker of the House Mike Johnson offered only prayers:
“This is a dark time in America. We have a lot of problems. And we’re really, really hopeful and prayerful. Prayer is appropriate in a time like this. That the evil can end and this senseless violence can stop. That’s the statement this morning on behalf of the entire House of Representatives. Everyone wants this to end, and I’ll leave it there.”
Mike Johnson says that, "Prayer is appropriate in a time like this."
Action is appropriate and necessary in a time like this. The job of Congress is to make law, not make empty platitudes.
The Maine Gun Safety Coalition blamed “weak gun laws” for the attack and called for action: “At a minimum, the Maine Gun Safety Coalition believes an assault weapons ban is necessary to try to prevent more such tragedies in our state.”
Maine law, as it stands currently, does not ban assault weapons. It does not require background checks for all gun sales. Maine allows permitless carry, has no “red flag” law, and doesn’t ban high-capacity magazines.
President Biden has been clear he wants to reinstate the assault weapons ban, which he helped become law in 1994 before it expired in 2004. Common sense measures like strengthening and expanding background checks for all gun sales nationwide have also been backed by the president and the Democratic Party.
When it comes to the Republican Party, they continue to be immovable. In spite of the weakening of the gun lobby in recent years, Republicans refuse to pass robust gun reform legislation. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) blamed mental health for this attack. Well, where is the GOP proposal for comprehensive mental health care for all Americans?
It doesn’t exist. But proposals to cut funding to healthcare services do.
