Maine shooter found dead - Boing Boing

Suspect in Maine shooting spree found dead by suicide, causing local politicians to call for a ban on assault rifles.

Robert Card, a 40-year-old suspect, has been found dead near Lisbon, Maine, following a shooting spree that claimed the lives of 18 people. The Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Card took his own life. The body was discovered close to the Androscoggin River in Lisbon at approximately 7:45 p.m. local time. Earlier, Card's abandoned vehicle, a white Subaru Outback, was found near a boat launch on the river.

Maine Governor Janet Mills revealed that she personally informed President Biden about the suspect's death. Mills expressed relief that Robert Card is no longer a threat to anyone. However, the circumstances surrounding Card's life, his demise, and the killings he committed have caused unease among local politicians in Maine. Despite experiencing auditory hallucinations instructing him to harm others and being institutionalized due to a mental health crisis, Card legally owned rifles as a reservist.

This revelation has led to a shift in perspective for some politicians. Congressman Jared Golden, for instance, acknowledged the failure in addressing this issue and now calls on the United States Congress to ban assault rifles. Golden emphasized the urgent need to take responsibility and work towards preventing such mass killings in the future. He expressed his willingness to collaborate with any colleague to achieve this goal during his remaining time in Congress.

However, in the U.S. Senate, a bill has recently been approved that allows veterans deemed "mentally incompetent" to access guns. This decision demonstrates a different approach and highlights the divergence in opinions regarding gun control measures.