AUGUSTA, Maine — An Army reservist who shot and killed 18 individuals in Maine final 12 months had proof of traumatic mind accidents, in line with a mind tissue evaluation by researchers from Boston College.
There was degeneration within the nerve fibers that enable for communication between totally different areas of the mind, irritation and small blood vessel harm, in line with Dr. Ann McKee of Boston College’s Power Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Middle. The evaluation was launched Wednesday by the household of reservist Robert Card.
Card had been an teacher at an Army hand grenade coaching vary, the place it’s believed he was uncovered to repeated low-level blasts. It’s unknown if that prompted Card’s mind harm and what function mind harm performed in Card’s decline in psychological well being. McKee made no connection between the mind harm and Card’s violent actions.
“Whereas I can not say with certainty that these pathological findings underlie Mr. Card’s behavioral adjustments within the final 10 months of life, based mostly on our earlier work, mind harm doubtless performed a job in his signs,” McKee mentioned within the assertion.
The Pentagon is working to higher perceive the connection between “blast overpressure” and mind well being results. An Army spokesperson didn’t instantly return an electronic mail looking for remark.
Of their first public feedback for the reason that capturing, Card’s relations additionally apologized for the assault within the assertion, saying they’re heartbroken for the victims, survivors and their family members.
Army reservists who knew Card will testify Thursday earlier than a particular fee investigating the deadliest mass capturing in Maine historical past.
The fee, established by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, is reviewing the info surrounding the Oct. 25 shootings that killed 18 individuals in a bowling alley and at a restaurant and bar in Lewiston. The panel, which incorporates former judges and prosecutors, can be reviewing the police response to the shootings.
Police and the Army have been each warned that shooter, Card, was affected by deteriorating psychological well being within the months that preceded the shootings.
A few of the 40-year-old Card’s family warned police that he was displaying paranoid habits and so they have been involved about his entry to weapons. Physique digital camera video of police interviews with reservists earlier than Card’s two-week hospitalization in upstate New York final summer season additionally confirmed fellow reservists expressing fear and alarm about his habits and weight reduction.
Card was hospitalized in July after he shoved a fellow reservist and locked himself in a motel room throughout coaching. Later, in September, a fellow reservist informed an Army superior he was involved Card was going to “snap and do a mass capturing.”
Card was discovered lifeless of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the largest search in state historical past. Victims’ households, politicians, gun management advocates and others have mentioned within the months for the reason that shootings that legislation enforcement missed a number of alternatives to intercede and take away weapons from Card. They’ve additionally raised questions concerning the state’s psychological well being system.
Thursday’s listening to in Augusta is the seventh and last one at present slated for the fee. Fee chair Daniel Wathen mentioned at a listening to with victims earlier this week that an interim report may very well be launched by April 1.
In earlier hearings, legislation enforcement officers have defended the method they took with Card within the months earlier than the shootings. Members of the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Workplace testified that the state’s yellow flag legislation makes it tough to take away weapons from a doubtlessly harmful particular person.
Democrats in Maine need to make adjustments to the state’s gun legal guidelines within the wake of the shootings. Mills needs to vary state legislation to permit legislation enforcement to go on to a decide to hunt a protecting custody warrant to take a harmful particular person into custody to take away weapons.
Different Democrats in Maine have proposed a 72-hour ready interval for many gun purchases. Gun management advocates held a rally for gun security in Augusta earlier this week.
“Gun violence represents a big public well being emergency. It’s by a mixture of significant gun security reform and public well being funding that we will finest preserve our communities protected,” mentioned Nacole Palmer, govt director of the Maine Gun Security Coalition.
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Whittle reported from Portland.
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