Federal Lawsuit Alleges Preventable Mass Shooting in Lewiston, ME

Survivors and families of victims of the Lewiston mass shooting are suing the federal government, alleging that military officials ignored repeated warning signs about the gunman, WGME reported.

On October 25, 2023, Army Reservist Robert Card opened fire at Just-in-Time Recreation and Schemengees Bar & Grille, killing 18 people and injuring 13 others. His body was discovered two days later with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The news station explains that attorneys representing about 100 survivors and family members are filing suit against the Department of Defense, the Army, Army Reserve Command, and Keller Army Community Hospital.

The complaint argues the massacre was preventable, claiming officials failed to enforce their own rules, ignored clear threats, and neglected to act despite knowing Card’s mental health was deteriorating.

WGME expanded on court filings that detail numerous missed opportunities:

Six weeks before the shooting, Card threatened to carry out a mass attack.
Army leaders and mental health providers knew about his hallucinations, aggressive behavior, stockpile of weapons, and disturbing comments.
Recommendations to monitor his care and remove weapons from his home were not followed.
Card was hospitalized in July 2023, diagnosed with Brief Psychotic Disorder, and prescribed medication, but he stopped taking it shortly after his release in August.
By fall 2023, he was openly making violent threats, prompting warnings from family and friends to his Army unit.

Despite this, the Army closed his case after he became “unresponsive” to follow-up calls, which was standard policy at the time.

The lawsuit also cites broader examples of military personnel with untreated mental health issues committing acts of violence, claiming the Army repeatedly fails to protect the public.

An independent commission led by former Maine Chief Justice Dan Wathen investigated the shooting and released its final report in August 2024. The news station said that the report highlighted failures by both law enforcement and the military, including Sagadahoc County deputies who had probable cause to use Maine’s “yellow flag” law to remove Card’s guns but did not. Since then, use of the law has dramatically increased.

The commission concluded that Card’s Army Reserve unit ignored multiple warnings and failed to act, even after his own words to police made clear he was capable of violence. Ultimately, the report described the tragedy as the result of a cascade of missed chances to intervene, WGME reported.

To date, the Army has disclosed few changes in response, saying only that three officers were disciplined.

The plaintiffs are seeking damages for wrongful death, injuries, and emotional trauma.