In a recent testimony, Sean Hodgson, an Army reservist and acquaintance of Robert Card, the perpetrator of the Lewiston, Maine mass shooting last autumn, shed light on the mental instability he had observed in Card in the weeks leading up to the horrific incident.
Despite Hodgson's attempts to alert his unit leaders about Card's erratic and violent behavior, his warnings were disregarded.
Six weeks prior to the shooting, which resulted in 18 fatalities and 13 injuries, Hodgson sent a text message to his reserve unit leaders. He advised them to alter the passcode to the gate at their Army Reserve training facility and to arm themselves in the event of Card's arrival. Hodgson's warning was prompted by Card's escalating delusional and violent behavior, which culminated in Card assaulting him.
Hodgson recalled a chilling encounter with Card, stating, I said Just so you know, I love you. Ill always be there for you. I wont give up on you. He had that blank stare on his face. It was a dead stare and he drove away. This occurred as Card abandoned Hodgson at a gas station.
During his testimony to the panel investigating the mass shooting, Hodgson revealed that he had informed his superiors in September that he believed Card was on the brink of a breakdown and could potentially carry out a mass shooting. Hodgson was not alone in his concerns about Card's behavior.
Several other reservists had also observed Card's mental decline during training the previous summer. This led to Card's two-week hospitalization in July, following warnings from his relatives to the police about his growing paranoia and access to firearms.
The authorities' failure to confiscate Card's weapons in the weeks leading up to the shooting has sparked a lengthy state investigation. This incident has also led to the implementation of new gun safety laws in the state.
An interim report released last month by an independent commission established by Gov. Janet Mills concluded that the Sagadahoc County sheriffs office had sufficient reason under Maines yellow flag law to detain Card and seize his firearms. The report also criticized the police for not following up on Hodgson's warning text. A final report is anticipated this summer.
Hodgson and others were apprehensive about a potential mass shooting due to Card's repeated threats of violence. Hodgson described Card's behavior as very threatening and escalating to the point where he was pretty convinced he was going to cause harm.
Another reservist, Daryl Reed, informed the panel that Card's mental state had deteriorated to such an extent that he believed people were spreading false accusations of pedophilia about him. Card's release from psychiatric care after just two weeks heightened these concerns.
Regrettably, despite numerous warnings, the superiors did not seem to take the matter seriously and even dismissed Hodgson's statements. Some officials trivialized Hodgson's warning, suggesting he might have been intoxicated due to the late hour of his text. Army Reserve Capt. Jeremy Reamer, the commanding officer of the reserve unit, described Hodgson as not the most credible of our soldiers and advised that his message be taken with a grain of salt.
Hodgson, who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol addiction, insisted that he was sober that night and was awake because he works nights and was awaiting a call from his boss. I grieve every day for the many lives that are lost for no reason and those that are still affected today, he told the AP earlier this month.
In the wake of the shooting, there were widespread calls for gun control. An independent commission essentially found that additional gun control restrictions would not have prevented Card from executing the mass shooting. It was evident that the state's yellow flag laws were ineffective in stopping him. Nevertheless, under public pressure, Maines legislature passed a trio of gun control laws.
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