Police in Maine received an alert last month about “veiled threats” by Army reservist Robert Card, who went on last week to carry out one of the largest mass shootings in U.S. history when he killed 18 people in the town of Lewiston.
Two local law enforcement chiefs said agencies statewide received an awareness alert about Card, 40, in mid-September after the firearms instructor threatened his base and fellow soldiers, but after Card was not located despite increased patrols and a visit to his home, officials moved on.
“We added extra patrols, we did that for about two weeks. … The guy never showed up,” said the police chief in the town of Saco, where Card’s Army Reserve base is located.