The Army reservist who carried out the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, had been involuntarily committed to a mental hospital in New York just months before the attack, according to hospital officials. Robert R. Card II was committed for two weeks in July after displaying erratic behavior during training. After his release, the Army instructed that Card should not have access to weapons or ammunition while on duty. However, this restriction did not prevent him from purchasing or using firearms as a civilian.

Card's ability to buy a suppressor, a device that silences gunfire, was only hindered because he truthfully reported his hospitalization on the required form. If he had not been honest, he could have purchased the suppressor without any obstacles. Involuntary commitment should have made Card ineligible to possess or buy guns, but this oversight allowed him to slip through the system.

The incident has raised questions about what could have been done to prevent the shooting. The revelations include a warning from a fellow reservist about Card's potential for a mass shooting, the local sheriff's department's failure to follow up with wellness checks, and the agreement to allow Card's family to keep the weapons rather than involving law enforcement.

In addition to these concerns, it took law enforcement nearly 48 hours to search the area where Card's body was eventually found. Despite easily accessible public records linking the property to an address associated with Card, police did not check the "overflow lot" at the Maine Recycling Center where Card used to work.

The tragedy has sparked discussions about the need for improved mental health support and better regulations surrounding firearms.