Lewiston, Maine – Recent findings have shed light on the tragic mass shooting carried out by Army reservist Robert Card last year in Maine, revealing signs of traumatic brain injury consistent with exposure to weapons blasts. The research, conducted by the Concussion Legacy Foundation and led by Ann McKee from Boston University CTE Center, suggests that Card’s brain injury likely played a role in the behavioral changes observed before the deadly attack.
Prior to opening fire at a bowling alley and bar in Lewiston, killing 18 people, Card exhibited erratic and paranoid behavior, prompting concerns about his mental health from friends, family, and colleagues. The post-mortem study of Card’s brain, requested by Maine’s chief medical examiner’s office and conducted by the Boston University CTE Center, revealed significant degeneration, axonal and myelin loss, inflammation, and small blood vessel injury.
Although the examination did not show signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative disease associated with repeated head trauma, McKee noted that the damage found in Card’s brain was consistent with effects of blast injuries in humans and experimental models. Card, who spent over half of his life in the Army Reserve but never served in combat deployments, worked as an instructor at an Army hand grenade training range where he was believed to have been exposed to thousands of low-level blasts.
Professor Zubair Ahmed from the University of Birmingham in Britain explained that blast injuries can be severe, affecting various neurons in different brain areas that control emotions, impulses, and behavior. This can lead to difficulties in controlling aggressive, violent, and impulsive tendencies. The finite nature of neurons makes recovery from such injuries challenging.
Before the fatal attack in Maine, Card spent time in a psychiatric facility following concerns raised by military commanders about threats directed toward his reserve unit. His sister-in-law mentioned his sudden development of a “manic belief” that everyone was against him. Card’s family released the report’s findings to raise awareness about traumatic brain injury among military service members and prevent future tragedies.
Expressing deep remorse for the victims, survivors, and their loved ones affected by the tragedy, Card’s family highlighted the importance of understanding the impact of brain damage on mental health and behavior. They pledged to support further research by allowing continued exploration of Card’s brain. The Army, under increasing pressure to investigate the risks of blast injuries, announced the development of a new tool to protect service members from the effects of high-pressure shock waves generated by heavy weapons during training.