Law enforcement calls for confiscating firearms from individuals deemed high-risk increase significantly following Maine's most lethal mass shooting.
Maine's extreme risk protection order law saw a significant enhancement after an Army reserve soldier converted 18 lives into casualties at two separate locations in the city of Lewiston last October. Post the incident, this law has been utilized 15 times more frequently than it was during the preceding three years, as announced by Gov. Janet Mills during a press meeting.
She stated, "It's evident that, following last year's tragedy, an increasing number of law enforcement officers across the state are now treating this law with gravity, having undergone state-provided training on its application, and employing it on a daily basis to disarm those who shouldn't possess firearms."
Gov. Mills didn't disclose the frequency of court approvals under the refined law. Proponents of gun control emphasize the importance of these so-called 'yellow flag' and 'red flag' laws, asserting that they play a pivotal role in preventing firearms from falling into the wrong hands, including individuals with severe mental health issues. Opponents within the gun lobby argue that such laws encroach upon individuals' constitutional right to bear arms.
Mills' press meeting took place shortly after the state police released a report, outlining the lessons learnt following the Oct. 25, 2023, mass shooting, and proposing recommendations for enhancements in tactical response, incident management, training, and other aspects.
The report's main recommendation is for the state police to incorporate new active-shooter training to ensure a more synchronized response during major incidents and/or mass casualty incidents.
The shooting occurred at a bowling alley and a bar & grille. The perpetrator was later identified as an Army reservist, with signs of deteriorating mental health in the time leading up to the attacks.
Killer Robert Card was discovered dead following an extensive search following the shootings. Gov. Mills established an unbiased panel to examine the situation surrounding the attack.
The panel released its findings last month, and for the first time, Mills commented on them publicly, on Friday. The report alleges that the Army Reserve and local police missed chances to intervene in Card's psychiatric crisis and thus seize his weapons.
The governor concurred with these conclusions. She also acknowledged the Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Office's failure to invoke the risk protection order. According to state records, the Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Office has never utilized the order before the shootings.
“At its heart, this tragedy was the result of multiple instances of erroneous judgment by several individuals; a blatant neglect that, as the commission rightly pointed out, was a dereliction of duty,” Mills stated.
Mills also acknowledged the recently published findings of the state police review. The New England State Police Administrators Compact will conduct an independent review of the report, as per the state police's announcement. Mills commended this move.
The state police report wasn't merely a recap of the blunders. It also highlighted areas where authorities adhered to best practices. In the assessment of the Maine State Police Tactical Team's work, officials concluded, "the manhunt was a success overall," with Card being located within 48 hours without causing any additional harm to the public or law enforcement.
However, the report also pointed out other issues, such as "an uncontrolled and excessive influx" of self-deployed officers to the scene.
The report describes the response to two 911 hang-up calls from Card's mother's residence. While one tactical unit prepared to deploy an armored vehicle, a group of U.S. marshals arrived and cleared the residence. In another instance, a team in an armored vehicle rushed onto a bridge near the location where Card's car was located, narrowly missing other law enforcement officers working there in the dark.
The report suggests incorporating warnings about self-deployment into annual police training, and urging officers to report their response to the command post or wait for dispatch during emergencies.
It also recommends conducting an immediate search of the suspect's home and processing 'areas of interest', such as the suspect's vehicle, for apprehension information straight away, not hours later.
After the incident, Governor Mills highlighted the increased usage of Maine's enhanced extreme risk protection order law by law enforcement officers, stating, "An increasing number of officers across the state are treating this law with gravity." Furthermore, during the press meeting, Governor Mills also mentioned the importance of the enhanced law in preventing firearms from falling into the wrong hands, specifically in regards to individuals with severe mental health issues, emphasizing, "Proponents of gun control assert that these laws play a pivotal role in preventing firearms from falling into the wrong hands."
