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Maine mass shooting report says Army, law enforcement missed chances to avert attacks

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Maine mass shooting report says Army, law enforcement missed chances to avert attacks



The independent commission added in its final report that police officers should have undergone steps to seize Robert Card’s firearms through Maine’s yellow flag law.

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PORSMOUTH, N.H. — Army Reserve and law enforcement officials failed to take several opportunities that could have prevented the Lewiston, Maine, mass shootings last year, an independent commission tasked with investigating the tragedy said in its final report Tuesday.

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The commission, formed last year by Maine Gov. Janet Mills, was comprised of several attorneys, a forensic psychologist, and a psychiatrist who released its final report Tuesday about the October 2023 mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine, that left 18 people dead. In the report, the commission said that while the actions of the shooter, Robert Card, were his own, his Army reserve unit and local law enforcement missed opportunities to intervene after several concerns about Card’s behavior were raised.

Daniel Wathen, a retired Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court and the commission’s chair, spoke on behalf of the group during the news conference Tuesday. He said the commission was only tasked with investigating the facts of the shootings, not making recommendations, adding that it is impossible to know whether the shootings would have been prevented if officials had properly intervened.

The report said authorities “failed to undertake necessary steps to reduce the threat he posed to the public.” The independent commission added in its final report that police officers should have undergone steps to seize Card’s firearms through Maine’s yellow flag law.

Maine’s yellow flag law allows anyone who suspects a gun owner is a threat to report them to the police, who then must determine whether that person should be taken into protective custody, evaluated by a mental health professional, or apply for a court order to seize their firearms. Several people who knew Card, including his son and former wife, notified law enforcement about concerns about his behaviors in the months leading up to the shooting, the report said.

As a result, local police officers had reason to utilize their power under the state’s yellow flag laws before the shooting, the report said, reiterating a previous finding in the commission’s interim report from this year. The report said that police officers who testified in front of the commission said the yellow flag law is “cumbersome, inefficient and unduly restrictive.”

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Report: Army Reserve officers did not tell police about all of Robert Card’s threatening behavior

The report also said officers in the Army Reserve, which Card was active in, failed to take steps to reduce the threat he posed to the public. The report found that Army Reserve officers were aware of Card’s concerning behavior, including hallucinations, aggressiveness, and ominous comments but did not notify local police officers about the full extent of the behavior.

According to the report, several of Card’s family members, friends, and fellow reservists alerted Army Reserve officials about concerning behavior. “Despite their knowledge, they ignored the strong recommendations of Card’s Army mental health providers to stay engaged with his care and ‘mak[e] sure that steps are taken to remove weapons’ from his home,’” the report added.

The commission said that if Army Reserve officers had notified police officers of the extent of Card’s behavior, they may have acted “more assertively.”

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What happened in Lewiston

On Oct. 25, the 40-year-old Army reservist opened fire at a bar and bowling alley in Lewiston, killing 18 people and wounding 13. Days later, after an intense search that kept residents across the city locked in their homes, authorities found Card dead of a gunshot wound.

A post-mortem analysis of Robert Card’s brain by Boston University’s CTE Center, completed at the request of the Maine Chief Medical Examiner’s Office, revealed “significant evidence of traumatic brain injuries at the time of the shootings.” Card’s family made the findings public and declined to comment.

Among the injuries recorded by researchers were damage to the fibers that allow communication between areas of the brain, inflammation and a small blood vessel injury, according to the report signed by Dr. Ann McKee, director of the lab at Boston University, and released Wednesday. She said there was no evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease often found in athletes and military veterans who have suffered repetitive head trauma.

“While I cannot say with certainty that these pathological findings underlie Mr. Card’s behavioral changes in the last 10 months of life, based on our previous work, brain injury likely played a role in his symptoms,” said Dr. Ann McKee, director of the lab at Boston University, earlier this year.

Contributing: Christopher Cann, Minnah Arshad, and Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY

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This Monster Burrito Challenge in Waterville, Maine, Is Not for the Weak

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This Monster Burrito Challenge in Waterville, Maine, Is Not for the Weak


Are you up for a Maine food challenge, or are your eyes bigger than your stomach?

A Waterville staple, Buen Apetito has a monster burrito just waiting for someone to eat it down to the very last bite.

This thing is a beast, literally called La Bestia, and it’s definitely a mighty task for a fearless foodie.

Take on the Buen Apetito La Bestia Food Challenge in Waterville, Maine

According to Buen Apetito, if you can finish a super-sized burrito in 30 minutes or less, you’ll get the $60 meal for free, a La Bestia champion shirt, and a picture on the wall of fame. That’s not to mention the bragging rights of dominating a task few will be able to conquer.

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Wondering what’s in the burrito?

The Mexican restaurant shared in a Facebook comment on a post that the burrito is filled with “grilled chicken, chorizo, and tender shredded beef or pork. Built on a layer of seasoned rice, refried beans, and French fries, it’s melted together with a shredded Mexican cheese blend and a drizzle of creamy cheese sauce, sautéed peppers and onions, green salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, creamy guacamole, and a bed of shredded lettuce all wrapped in three extra-large tortillas fused into one epic wrap.”

Let’s just say that this thing is packed full.

The first La Bestia contender took up his fork and knife in December 2025, but despite coming close, he couldn’t come out with the win.

As of March 2026, the challenge has remained undefeated. But you never know, someone is bound to come out victorious.

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Just note that you can only try your hand at this food challenge on Wednesday and Thursday.

Buen Apetito Has Been a Longstanding Waterville, Maine, Restaurant

First opened in 1999, Buen Apeitito has been around for nearly 30 years.

Centralmaine.com reported that the Mexican restaurant was originally located at the Railroad Square complex off Chaplin Street before moving to 99 West River Road in 2023.

A little over a year later, in 2024, Buen Apetito shared on Facebook that it was passing on the torch to new owners, including Dalia, “the heart and soul of [the] kitchen for twenty years,” her daughter, Norma, and Norma’s husband, Shawn.

READ MORE: Famous Maine Restaurant Buen Apetito Adds Powerhouse New Owner to Crew

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And it seems like not only are things still going strong, but new additions like La Bestia food challenge are only enhancing the spirit of big flavor and delicious Mexican food at the Waterville staple.

So, you think you’re up for the task of taking down a beast of a burrito at Buen Apetito? Good luck.

You Know You’re From Maine If You’ve Tried All 19 of These Foods

Here’s a number of foods associated with Maine. How many of them have you had?

Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna

The New York Time’s Best Restaurant Lists Feature These 7 Maine Spots

Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna

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How the Good Neighbor Day of Giving telethon is impacting Maine’s communities

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How the Good Neighbor Day of Giving telethon is impacting Maine’s communities


BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Monday’s telethon held by WABI in partnership with Penquis and Heart of Maine United Way Monday raised money for the heating of homes, something so basic, yet so significant in a state like Maine.

Danielle Hewes, Penquis contributor and volunteer, says some people might not even know that they qualify for heating assistance.

“I think there’s this misconception that you can’t get that if you’re working. Like that’s just for people on general assistance. The truth of the matter is this is for the people that are maybe not able to work, but also for the people that are working. They’re making ends meet,” she said.

For Danielle, that’s what makes events like the telethon so special: it’s making a real difference in the community with people who need the help the most.

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Speaking about Penquis in particular, she said, “You learn about all of the other things they do and how they help the community and you can’t help but want to be a part of that.”

If you weren’t able to donate Monday, donations are still being accepted.

You can go to homeunitedway.org/heat.

You can also call 941-2800.

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Arizona Sen. Gallego endorses Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner

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Arizona Sen. Gallego endorses Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner


PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine Democrat Graham Platner has picked up another high-profile endorsement in his bid to flip a key Senate seat blue, marking another sign of the oyster farmer and combat veteran’s political resiliency even as he continues to face controversy throughout his campaign.

Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego announced Monday that he was backing Platner, saying that the first-time candidate “reflects the grit and independence that defines Maine.”

“Graham Platner is the kind of fighter Maine hasn’t seen in a long time, someone who tells you exactly what he thinks, doesn’t owe anything to the special interests, and wakes up every day thinking about working families,” said Gallego, who won a Senate seat in Arizona in 2024 by more than 2 points while Trump carried the state by nearly 6 points.

Platner has previously been endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat.

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However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has endorsed Platner’s main opponent, Maine Gov. Janet Mills.

Both Platner, 41, and Mills, 78, are hoping to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins, 73, a five-term incumbent who announced last month that she was running for another term. A victory in Maine is crucial for Democrats’ efforts to take back control of the Senate. The Democratic Party needs to net four seats to retake the Senate majority, and they are aiming to do that in Maine, North Carolina, Alaska and Ohio.

READ MORE: Maine’s Graham Platner thinks voters will overlook his past to support a new type of candidate

Platner has gained traction with his anti-establishment image and economic equality message. He’s pressed forward despite controversies over old social media posts and a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he recently had covered up.

Gallego is among the Democrats named as possible 2028 presidential contenders. Last fall, he stumped in New Jersey, Virginia and Florida, where he campaigned for Democrats who went on to win their elections.

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“I have an immense amount of respect for him and I’m looking forward to joining him as a fellow Marine and combat infantryman in the U.S. Senate,” Platner said in a statement.

Kruesi reported from Providence, Rhode Island.

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