Authorities were warned about Maine mass shooter Robert Card weeks ago: report

Maine police were apparently tipped off last month about "veiled threats" from Robert Card, the suspect of two mass shootings in Maine that ended with the killing of at least 18 people.

Two local law enforcement officers told the Associated Press that a "statewide awareness alert" was sent in mid-September that cautioned authorities to be on the watch for Robert Card after the firearms instructor and US Army reservist allegedly threatened his base as well as other soldiers.

A visit was later made to Card's home. He was not seen, and law enforcement moved on, according to the outlet.

"We added extra patrols, we did that for about two weeks. ... The guy never showed up," said Jack Clements, the police chief in Saco, a town where Card had trained at the local Army Reserve base.

Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry, who has Card's residence in his jurisdiction, reported that the Army Reserve warned his department about Card's threats back in September. He also said an awareness alert was forwarded to every law enforcement agency in the state of Maine after a deputy found nothing during the visit to Card's home. 

"We couldn’t locate him," Merry said.

Military officials reportedly refused to make further comments about Card, particularly in regard to whether the threats given to the sheriff in September were the same made by Card in July during an Army reserve training exercise near West Point, New York. 

A police bulletin revealed that Card was committed to a mental health facility for two weeks in the summer of 2023 after he was seen acting in an erratic manner was was “hearing voices and threats to shoot up” a military base.

Card, who was at large for several days after the shooting incident, was reportedly found dead by Maine police on Friday.