Governor Janet Mills of Maine revealed on Wednesday her intention to initiate an independent commission made up of experts to further delve into the recent mass shooting in Lewiston, exploring aspects from its initial incidents all the way through to the law enforcement response.
Mills expressed profound faith in the ongoing, comprehensive criminal investigation being carried out by the Maine State Police. However, she also voiced the necessity for a more intense level of scrutiny considering the significant impact the attack has had on their society and values it represents.
Robert Card, a US Army reservist who purportedly fatally shot 18 people and injured 13 others, had earlier received attention from both the Army and his immediate family, with several warnings issued about his potential threat, as reported by CNN. The law enforcement was also called upon twice to check on him just weeks prior to the tragic incident.
A fellow soldier had previously expressed alarm regarding Card’s potential to engage in a mass shooting. Even earlier, Card’s family had approached the authorities voicing concern over his mental state, while also bringing to light his accessibility to firearms.
Governor Mills was confronted by CNN’s Shimon Prokupecz and fellow professionals regarding the law enforcement’s handling of these prior warnings. She responded by emphasizing the importance of a full understanding of the unfolding events through the ongoing state police investigation. However, she declined to comment on the warnings and what knowledge the law enforcement might have had of them.
Mills further acknowledged that there had been several instances over the past ten months when concerns about Card’s mental health and behavior were communicated to both his Army National Reserve Unit and law enforcement agencies in Maine and New York, in her statement on Wednesday.
She stated that these situations inevitably raised questions regarding the actions taken and potential measures that could have been implemented to prevent the unfortunate event.
Mills shared plans of collaborating with the Attorney General in the near future to officially set up a completely independent commission. Their objective would be to assess the intricacies surrounding the series of events that happened on October 25th, from the precursor events to the police response.
Governor Mills asserted her desire for the commission to consist of independent specialists, possessing expertise in legal, investigative, and mental health areas.
She projected the formal announcement of this commission and its members to occur in the upcoming week. She emphasized the need for urgency in the investigation, with a steadfast focus on following the trail of facts, no matter where it leads.
