The group looking into the events before the Maine mass shooting in October found that the local police could have taken the shooter into custody and taken away his weapons before the shooting happened.
On October 25, Army reservist Robert Card killed 18 people in Lewiston, Maine, in the deadliest mass shooting in the state's history. Card was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound two days later.
A commission of seven members reviewed the events leading to the mass shooting and the response, and released a preliminary report. preliminary report on Friday.
The commission found that the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office had enough reason to take Card into custody under “Maine’s Yellow Flag law” and to take away his firearms. The commission also said that the sheriff’s office “had probable cause to believe that Mr. Card posed a likelihood of serious harm,” according to the preliminary report released Friday.
The report noted concerns from Card’s family members and the people he served with about his behavior before the incident.
The report also describes the scrutiny directed towards Sgt. Aaron Skolfield.
Skolfield was responding to reports five weeks before the shooting that Card had previously threatened to open fire at the Saco Armory and had assaulted a friend.
The commission said in the report that Skolfield “should have realized that he had probable cause to start the Yellow Flag process. Sgt. Skolfield made only limited attempts to set up a meeting with Mr. Card. He failed to check the agency’s records about a previous complaint about Mr. Card, didn't contact the individual who was assaulted, and didn't follow up on leads to determine how to get in touch with Card.”
The report also said, “He also failed to seek help from prosecutors or other law enforcement agencies to figure out the best way to proceed.”
Maine’s yellow flag law requires petitioners to notify law enforcement of threatening individuals, who may then be subject to a mental health evaluation.
The commission noted the report is not a finished product. It’s set to hold more meetings before releasing the final report.
The commission is composed of former Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, Daniel E. Wathen and the state’s Chief Forensic Psychologist, Dr. Debra Baeder, along with five more members, all appointed by Gov. Janet Mills (D) and Attorney General Aaron Frey (D).
