PORTLAND, Maine (WMTW) – The New England State Police Administrators Conference is recommending that Maine State Police create a behavioral threat assessment program to prevent future mass shootings.
The recommendation was included in NESCAP’s independent review of the Maine State Police After Action Review of its response to the Lewiston shooting.
MSP said they already have access to a threat assessment tool through their partnership with the Maine Threat Assessment Group.
“The Maine State Police, for more than a year has been a partner of the Maine Threat Assessment Group (MTAG) who partners with the FBI, DHS, Department of Corrections, Department of Education and the Maine School Safety Center,” the agency wrote in a statement shared last Thursday.
They say Robert Card wasn’t referred to the group.
“They make an assessment, and they respond back to the group with some type of direction,” said Maine State Police Col. William Ross. For instance, maybe this is somebody that you should consider for a yellow flag law, like in Robert Card’s case, but you might have someone that might be a student in a grammar school, who’s having behavioral issues.”
As of Tuesday, 8 Investigates hasn’t been able to find any information about MTAG. Multiple law enforcement officers and a Bates professor with expertise in the field of violence prevention and threat assessment say they’ve never heard of it.
When asked for clarification, MSP spokesperson Shannon Moss said she was busy. “Perhaps another agency can help,” Moss said over email. “MSP can’t always be the go-to.” She directed us to the FBI, who referred us back to MSP.
It’s possible that Ross was referring to a behavioral threat management program that MSP is involved in that’s used in Maine schools. Still, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Education says that tool is intended for students and can’t be applied to anyone outside the school system.
When asked whether MSP was referring to that program, Moss said, “I can’t be 100%, but it looks right.”
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While influenza remains the top concern for Maine public health experts, other viruses are also currently circulating, including norovirus and COVID-19.
“Influenza is clearly the main event,” said Dr. Cheryl Liechty, a MaineHealth infectious disease specialist. “The curve in terms of the rise of influenza cases was really steep.”
Maine reported 1,343 flu cases for the week ending Jan. 3, an uptick from the 1,283 cases recorded the previous week, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospitalizations increased to 147 from 108 during the same time periods.
“I hope the peak is now,” Liechty said, “but I’m not really sure.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Friday that all of New England, except for Vermont, is currently experiencing “very high” levels of influenza. Vermont is in the “moderate” category.
“What we are seeing, overwhelmingly, is the flu,” said Andrew Donovan, associate vice president of infection prevention for Northern Light Health. “We are seeing both respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses in our patients.”
Norovirus also appears to be circulating, although due to its short duration and because it’s less severe than the flu, public health data on the illness — which causes gastrointestinal symptoms that typically resolve within a few days — is not as robust.
“Norovirus is the gastrointestinal scourge of New England winters and cruise ships,” Liechty said.
According to surveillance data at wastewater treatment plants in Portland, Bangor and Lewiston, norovirus levels detected in those communities are currently “high.” The treatment plants participate in WastewaterSCAN, which reports virus levels in wastewater through a program run by Stanford University and Emory University.
Dr. Genevieve Whiting, a Westbrook pediatrician and secretary of the Maine chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said viruses are prevalent right now, especially the flu and norovirus.
“For my patients right now, it’s a rare encounter that I hear everyone in a family has been healthy,” Whiting said. “I’ve had families come in and say their entire family has had norovirus. Several of my patients have had ER visits for suspected norovirus, where they needed IV fluids because they were dehydrated.”
Both Liechty and Whiting said they are seeing less respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, likely because there has been good uptake of the new RSV vaccine, which is recommended for older people and those who are pregnant. The vaccine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2023.
“The RSV vaccine has been a real success, as RSV was a leading cause of hospitalizations for babies,” Whiting said.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases increased to 610 in the final week of 2025, compared to 279 the previous week. Influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations are available at primary care, pharmacies and clinics across the state.
“If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet,” Liechty said, “you should beat a hasty path to get your shot.”
Defensemen Max Wanner was re-assigned to the Maine Mariners from the Providence Bruins on Thursday. Defenseman Michael Underwood was also re-assigned to Maine.
Wanner, 22, was acquired by the Boston Bruins when they traded Trent Federic to Edmonton last March. He played in 15 games for the AHL Providence Bruins at the end of last season, and seven this season.
Underwood returns for his second stint with the Mariners. He appeared in 67 games with Maine last season.
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