Maine’s Deadliest Mass Shooting
An once U.S marine Robert Card had committed the worst mass shooting in Maine ever. He killed 18 people, and then proceeded to kill himself after all the damage was done. This all occurred in October of 2023, and was something that completely shook the state of Maine. However, there are many that are arguing that this could have potentially been prevented. There are many reasons that support this particular statement.
Robert Card had been in the military for 8 years before committing this act. The Army continues to say that it is safe for troops to be exposed to explosions of all kinds while serving. They say it is quite a normality of sorts.
Robert Card’s Brain
After he committed the mass shooting, he had his brain sent to experts to analyze. Whilst analyzing his brain, they were able to find several mishaps within it. “The delicate tissue sheaths that insulate each biological circuit lay in “disorganized clumps,” and throughout Mr. Card’s brain there was scarring and inflammation suggesting repeated trauma,” according to the lab report provided to The New York Times.
The fact that there was repeated trauma, clearly shows that he underwent quite a bit while in the army. However, the army continuously reiterated that utilizing cannons and witnessing explosions was completely safe for U.S troops. Additionally, he was a firearm instructor. Therefore, he has certainly been exposed to over thousands of blasts of all kinds. These blasts could have contributed to the mishaps in his brain.
The Future of This Attack
Despite this attack happening, Lewiston Maine continues to heal. What needs to be investigated now is if the amount of blasts witnessed is truly safe for a troop. Clearly, as demonstrated by Robert Card’s actions and what lead up to this tragedy, it may not be safe whatsoever. Therefore, something needs to be done to make this a bit safer for troops, and to prevent more tragedies of the kind happen. Robert Card’s family continues to send out apologies for the act, and hopes that sending out this information to the public can help prevent tragedies of this nature in the future.
Written by David Loran Jr
Sources:
The New York Times: Profound Damage Found in Maine Gunman’s Brain, Possibly From Blasts
NBC News: Maine mass shooter had traumatic brain injuries, new scan finds
Featured Image Courtesy of Irmeli Hasanen’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Ron Cogswell’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
