Maine Mass Shooter Had a Traumatic Brain Injury

The mass shooter who killed 18 people in Lewiston, Maine, in October, did not have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a brain condition tied to repeated hits to the head, but he did have a traumatic brain injury that may have contributed to his crimes. Robert Card is thought to have experienced "thousands of low-level blasts" while an instructor at an Army hand grenade training range, according to a release. That history prompted the Maine Chief Medical Examiner's Office to request a brain analysis at the Boston University CTE Center. The study found Card had "significant degeneration, axonal and myelin loss, inflammation, and small blood vessel injury" in "nerve fibers that allow for communication between different areas of the brain," says center director Dr. Ann McKee, per NBC News.

This aligns "with our previous studies on the effects of blast injury in humans and experimental models," says McKee. "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." About three months before opening fire on a bowling alley and restaurant, 40-year-old Card reportedly threatened to shoot up a military base. He claimed he was "hearing voices" and having thoughts about "hurting other soldiers," per CNN. He was hospitalized and spent two weeks undergoing psychiatric inpatient treatment, per NBC. He was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot two days after the Oct. 25 shooting.

In a statement, his family apologized to all victims, adding they hoped "to learn from this tragedy to ensure it never happens 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 statement added. An independent commission established by Gov. Janet Mills is now investigating what became the deadliest shooting in Maine history. In recent days, a survivor described the haunting sight of Card's laser gunsight. "Everywhere that green dot went, a bullet went," the individual said, per the AP. Members of the US Army Reserves will testify Thursday ahead of an interim report to be issued by April 1. (More Robert Card stories.)