Mass shooting events are always a tragedy, and advocates on both sides justifiably cry for action to be taken after each one. Those on the left predictably go to the old tried and true 'It's the guns, stupid', while conservatives look for answers as to why in this case the gunman and his or her potential for violence was missed by authorities. Sometimes we can see how authorities might have missed the signs, but sometimes... sometimes the signs were clearly flashing neon but nobody did anything to stop the horror from happening for whatever reason.
It is becoming more and more clear that the case of Robert Card, the gunman who went on a rampage in Lewiston Maine on October 25th, very much fell into the latter category.
Police were sent to the Maine gunman's home six weeks before his rampage over concerns he was "going to snap and commit a mass shooting." https://t.co/JA9gQUOGZB
— CNN (@CNN) October 30, 2023
The article notes that Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office investigators had received reports that 'a fellow guardsman 'is concerned that [the reservist] is going to snap and commit a mass shooting'', and that officials with Card's National Guard unit had raised concerns about his mental state for some time after his squad-mates reported that he had begun to act in an uncontrolled manner and complaining of hearing voices. There's really no way to say that Card wasn't a known menace... after all, he had been involuntarily committed by to a military psychiatric hospital in the not-too-distant past.
Another day, another completely grotesque lie. Robert Card was involuntarily committed to a military psychiatric hospital months ago precisely because everyone around realized he was increasingly a danger to himself and others. He literally threatened to shoot up a base. https://t.co/v5R168h2Fo
— Amy Swearer (@AmySwearer) October 27, 2023
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Authorities had a mountain of evidence that this guy wasn't playing with a full deck, but according to CNN instead of moving to keep a close eye on Card or attempt to get Card's weaponry seized under Maine's 'Yellow Flag' laws, authorities chose instead to take the word of Card's brother when 'he told (them) that between him and his father they would work to ensure that [the man] does not have access to any firearms. They have a way to secure his weapons'. Once again, why should we enact 'common sense' gun laws when 'common sense' laws already on the books aren't being used to stop these incidents?
It's a point that isn't lost on those responding to CNN's story.
And yet you still want to take my guns
— DogDad72 (@BillsMafiaTPA) October 30, 2023
So he was already on their radar and it happened anyway? SMH
— Hell1s (@Hell1s) October 30, 2023
And the police still allowed him to own a gun after they suspected and went to his home. And now 18 innocent people were shot . So pathetic
— Adekol (@Adekol5) October 30, 2023
— Jan Galt (@chump24042266) October 30, 2023
So the system failed multiple times, but it’s the guns? 🙄🙄🙄
— Jason “ジェイさん” Jordan, あいみんちゅ🦁, 笑顔の輪 ☻⭕ (@jasonjordan2814) October 30, 2023
Clearly the police see hundreds of people who set off red flags to them every year who don't end up doing anything at all, so you could see why they might not get too worked up in every instance like this. But by the same token, millions of Americans own guns and the percentage of Americans who use those guns in a mass shooting event are even lower. So once again, maybe let's figure out how to make the system that's we already have work before we start calling for serious moves to restrict law-abiding citizens from owning guns, shall we?
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