Survivors, relatives to sue Army

MASS SHOOTING | MAINE LEWISTON, Maine — Lawyers for 100 survivors and relatives of victims of the deadliest shooting in Maine history began the formal process of suing the U.S. Army for what they say was a failure to act to stop the reservist responsible for the crime, attorneys announced Tuesday.

The individual notices of claim say the Army failed to act despite being aware of the reservist's mental health decline that led to his hospitalization and left him paranoid, delusional and expressing homicidal ideations — including producing a "hit list" of those he wanted to attack. "It is difficult to conceive of a case in which Army personnel could have more warning signs and opportunities to intervene to prevent a service member from committing a mass shooting than what happened in the case of Army Reservist Robert Card," the lawyers wrote. The notices of claim by four law firms, one of which worked with victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook, Connecticut, mass shooting, are a required step in suing the federal government.



The Army will have six months to determine whether to respond, after which lawyers are poised to file a lawsuit. The Army said in a statement Tuesday it does not comment on litigation. Eighteen people were killed when the 40-year-old Card opened fire at two locations he frequented — a bowling alley and a cornhole league hosted by a bar and grill — on Oct.

25, 2023. An additional 13 people were injured. Card was found dead by suicide two days later.

Lawyers for the Lewiston victims gathered with dozens of survivors and their family members and friends Tuesday to announce the filing. At a news conference held about 1.5 miles from the bar and grill, Elizabeth Seal said through a sign language interpreter that the legal action is critical for the victim's healing process.

Seal's husband, Joshua Seal, was killed in the shootings. "We need to keep the people who acted in a neglectful way accountable, because they may have been responsible for the loss of our 18 loved ones," Seal said. An independent commission appointed by Maine's governor concluded that there were ample opportunities to intervene by both civilian law enforcement and the Army.

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