Independent review of Maine State Police response to mass shooting in Lewiston released

LEWISTON (WGME) – An independent review of the Maine State Police After Action Review (AAR) of its response to the mass shooting in Lewiston and the manhunt for the shooter was released Thursday.

On the night of October 25, 2023, Army reservist Robert Card killed 18 people and injured 13 others when he carried out two mass shootings at Just-in-Time Recreation and Schemengees Bar and Grille in Lewiston. Card’s body was found in Lisbon Falls on October 27, 2023.

Maine State Police were tasked with the largest manhunt in the state’s history, coordinating with more than 400 law enforcement officers, 16 tactical teams and multiple federal agencies.

Within an hour of the shooting, Maine State Police had set up a tactical command to organize information and distribute orders. However, the review found there were still communication breakdowns in the police response.

It was described as “pure chaos” when hundreds of police officers descended on Lewiston on October 25th. Some of them responded without orders.

Mike Sauschuck, commissioner of the Maine State Police, says self-involvement is inevitable in a mass shooting. But in the next 48 hours it became a problem as police launched a 300-square-mile manhunt for Card.

The report highlighted the difficult logistics of communicating between multiple law enforcement agencies. It’s an issue that resulted in some work being done twice, including notifying families that a loved one had been lost in the shooting.

The 33-page report highlighted six key recommendations for change: improving active shooter training, developing crime scene investigation protocols, training officers in the Incident Command System, limiting self-response, improving emergency communications for deaf, hard of hearing people, etc. They don’t speak English and train in psychological first aid.

Maine State Police have asked the New England State Police Administrators Compact (NESPAC) to conduct an independent review of the AAR. A Vermont State Police colonel led the investigation.

The NESPAC review found that Maine State Police should incorporate active shooter training. However, Maine State Police say they already provide active shooter response training to every new law enforcement officer. However, she recognizes that more comprehensive training is needed in Maine, particularly regarding the management of an active shooter event, to include questions and concerns related to self-response.

Key findings from the review include developing crime scene protocols for serious crimes, limiting personal use through training, training supervisors to recognize signs of psychological trauma in employees, and developing a mass casualty response plan.

This story will be updated.