Maine mass shooter had traumatic brain injury, scan shows

Robert Card, the Army reservist who shot and killed 18 people in Maine’s most deadly shooting, had evidence of traumatic brain injuries, researchers said.

Researchers at Boston University analyzed brain tissue and found there was degeneration in nerve fibers that allow different areas of the brain to communicate, inflammation and a small blood vessel injury, The Associated Press reported.

The Maine medical examiner’s office requested the post-mortem study of his brain, which Dr. Ann McKee and the Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center carried out. Card’s family released the analysis Wednesday through the Concussion Legacy Foundation.

In October, he opened fire on two locations in Lewiston, Maine, leaving 18 dead and 13 injured at a bowling alley and a bar. He was found dead in the woods from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound following a multiday statewide chase.

The gunman had been an instructor at an Army hand grenade training range, where it’s believed he was exposed to repeated low-level blasts. It’s not known if the blasts caused his brain injury and what role it played in his deteriorating mental health.

McKee made no connection between the brain injury and his violent killing spree but said they are likely related.

“While I cannot say with certainty that these pathological findings underlie Mr. Card’s behavioral changes in the last 10 months of life, based on our previous work, brain injury likely played a role in his symptoms,” McKee said in a statement.

His family and coworkers had expressed concern to police months before the shooting that he was growing paranoid, and they were worried about his access to guns.

Card’s family released a statement when publishing the findings, apologizing to the “victims, survivors, and their loved ones, and to everyone in Maine and beyond who was affected and traumatized by this tragedy.” The family said they released the findings to learn from the incident, and to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

“We know it does not fully explain Robert’s actions, nor is it an excuse for the horrific suffering he caused, but we thank Dr. McKee for helping us understand his brain damage and how it may have impacted his mental health and behavior,” the family said.

The family added that they hope to raise awareness of traumatic brain injuries among military service members.

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