‘Consummate professional’: Army gave Robert Card review months before Lewiston mass shootings
By Cate McCusker, Raquel Ciampi
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MAINE (WMTW) — Maine’s Total Coverage has obtained Army personnel files for Robert Card, including an evaluation for a period of time six months before the mass shootings in Lewiston.
The documents give new insight to Card, who opened fire inside Just-In-Time Recreation Bowling Alley and Schemengees Bar in Lewiston on Oct. 25, 2023. Eighteen people between the ages of 14 and 76 were killed between the two locations.
Card was a U.S. Army reservist for two decades, enlisting in 2002 at 19.
The documents released detail several awards and promotions that Card received throughout his time in the Army Reserve.
Card climbed from Petrol Supply Sergeant to a Squad leader and Senior Trainer. In 2020, Card was promoted to Sergeant First Class.
“The Secretary of the Army has reposed special trust and confidence in the patriotism, fidelity, and professional excellence of Robert Russel Card II,” the Army said in a document detailing his promotion in 2020. “In view of these qualities and his demonstrated leadership potential and dedicated service to the U.S. Army, he is, therefore, promoted from SSG to SFC.”
Card also received a humanitarian service medal for his work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
His last evaluation from the Army covered April 8, 2022, to April 8, 2023. That evaluation period is six months before the shooting in Lewiston and three months before Card was ordered to go to an Army facility at West Point for his mental health.
The evaluation says Card was “selected as a hand grenade instructor for over 1,200 new cadets at West Point with 100% qualification” and that he showed “an ability to train future leaders with great care for their safety and wellbeing.” For military and professional presence in that evaluation, he was rated as “exceeded expectations.”
“Card is a consummate professional with the knowledge and skills of more senior NCO’s. He has excelled as a squad leader, mentoring his troops to be among the best. SFC Card should be sent to his next NCOES and promoted with his peers,” a company commander wrote about his overall potential.
The evaluation notes that Card was highly qualified.
One month later, Robert Card’s family notified a Topsham police officer about their concerns for Card’s mental health.
Three months after the evaluation period, members of his Army Reserve unit called the New York State Police.
8 Investigates obtained police body camera footage of the interview with the eventual Lewiston mass shooter.
“Our concern is he is going to hurt himself or someone else,” a reservist told authorities.
The reservists described their yearslong relationship with Card and told troopers there had been a dramatic shift in his mental state in recent months.
“He spent a lot of money on guns. He spent 14 grand on a scope,” a reservist said.
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