3 weeks ago
- An Army reservist testified connected Thursday astir Robert Card's intelligence diminution and nan informing he issued a period earlier nan shooting successful Lewiston, Maine.
- Sean Hodgson texted leaders of his reserve unit, advising them to alteration nan gross passcode and limb themselves if Card showed up.
- Hodgson besides voiced concerns astir Card's escalating illusion and convulsive behavior.
An Army reservist and friend of nan gunman down Maine’s deadliest mass shooting testified Thursday astir his friend's intelligence decline, describing publically for nan first clip nan informing he issued a period earlier nan calamity unfolded.
Sean Hodgson texted leaders of his reserve portion six weeks earlier nan shooting that near 18 group dormant and 13 wounded, telling them to alteration nan passcode to nan gross astatine their Army Reserve training installation and limb themselves if Robert Card showed up.
Hodgson told a sheet investigating nan wide shooting connected Thursday that he issued nan informing to superiors aft Card’s illusion and convulsive behaviour spiraled and ended pinch Card punching him successful nan face.
MAINE SHOOTING: LEWISTON POLICE WERE WARNED ABOUT ROBERT CARD WEEKS BEFORE MASSACRE
"I said ‘Just truthful you know, I emotion you. I’ll ever beryllium location for you. I won’t springiness up connected you.’ He had that blank look connected his face. It was a dormant look and he drove away," Hodgson recounted arsenic his friend near him astatine a state station.
Sean Hodgson, a personnel of nan U.S. Army Reserve, wipes tears connected April 25, 2024, during a proceeding of nan independent committee investigating nan rule enforcement consequence to nan wide shooting successful Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
The attacks happened six months agone connected Oct. 25 erstwhile Card opened occurrence astatine a bowling alley and a barroom successful Lewiston, 2 locations wherever he held a illusion belief that group were talking astir him down his back. Two days later, nan 40-year-old Reservist was recovered dormant of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Hodgson told superiors connected Sept. 15: "I judge he’s going to threat and do a wide shooting."
But it wasn't conscionable Hodgson who was worried astir Card. Several different reservists witnessed his deterioration during training past summer. That led to a two-week hospitalization successful July for Card, months aft relatives warned constabulary he had grown paranoid and that they were concerned astir his entree to guns.
MAINE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO DISCUSS CONTACT WITH GUNMAN PRIOR TO LEWISTON MASS SHOOTING
The nonaccomplishment of authorities to region Card’s weapons successful nan weeks earlier nan shooting has go nan taxable of a monthslong investigation successful nan state, which besides has passed caller weapon information laws since nan tragedy.
In an interim study released past month, an independent committee launched by Gov. Janet Mills concluded that nan Sagadahoc County sheriff’s agency had probable origin under Maine’s "yellow flag" rule to return Card into custody and prehend his guns. It besides criticized constabulary for not pursuing up pinch Hodgson astir his informing text. A last study is expected this summer.
On Thursday, Hodgson said he warned of a wide shooting because Card threatened aggregate members of nan portion pinch unit and that his threats and delusions were escalating. And he had entree to guns.
"The measurement he was behaving was very threatening. It was escalating. The totality of nan circumstances, nan events starring to that moment, I was beautiful convinced he was going to origin harm," he said.
Another reservist, Daryl Reed, testified he witnessed Card’s intelligence and beingness diminution firsthand, seeing a "normal guy" who successfully traded stocks and loved hunting and nan outdoors go progressively paranoid and believing others were calling him a pedophile.
Card besides acquired a thermal scope pinch a laser scope finder that he said costs $10,000, and he demonstrated really it could beryllium utilized to observe animals, including astatine night, Reed said.
He added chap reservists started to go concerned Card could go a threat to colleagues. They were surprised, respective testified, erstwhile Card was released from a psychiatric infirmary aft only 2 weeks.
In an exclusive bid of interviews successful January, Hodgson told The Associated Press he met Card successful nan Army Reserve successful 2006 and that they became adjacent friends aft some divided their spouses astir nan aforesaid time. They lived together for astir a period successful 2022, and erstwhile Card was hospitalized successful New York successful July, Hodgson drove him backmost to Maine.
Growing progressively worried astir his friend’s intelligence health, Hodgson warned authorities aft Card started "flipping out" aft a nighttime of gambling, pounding nan steering instrumentality and astir crashing aggregate times. After ignoring his pleas to propulsion over, Card punched him successful nan face, Hodgson said.
"It took maine a batch to study personification I love," he said. "But erstwhile nan hairsbreadth starts opinionated up connected nan backmost of your neck, you person to listen."
Some officials downplayed Hodgson’s warning, suggesting he mightiness person been drunk because of nan precocious hr of his text. Army Reserve Capt. Jeremy Reamer, nan commanding serviceman of nan reserve unit, described him arsenic "not nan astir reliable of our soldiers" and said his connection should beryllium taken "with a atom of salt."
Hodgson said he struggles pinch post-traumatic accent upset and intoxicant addiction but said he wasn’t drinking that nighttime and was awake because he useful nights and was waiting for his leader to call. "I grieve each time for nan galore lives that are mislaid for nary logic and those that are still affected today," he told nan AP earlier this month.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Cara Cookson, head of unfortunate services for nan Maine Office of nan Attorney General, besides testified Thursday and described done tears nan daunting task of responding to nan enormity of nan calamity pinch a "patchwork of resources."
On Thursday evening, nan Maine Resiliency Center, which provides support to group affected by nan killings, held a six-month commemoration arena that drew respective 100 group to a parkland successful Lewiston.
The names of nan 18 group who died were publication aloud astatine nan commencement of nan ceremony, and location were 18 quiet chairs, each pinch a candle and a bluish heart, honoring nan victims.
The politician besides acknowledged nan anniversary. "Our hearts are still healing, and nan roadworthy to treatment is long, but we will proceed to locomotion it together," Mills said successful a statement.
