What safeguards are in place to prevent Army Reservists undergoing a mental health crisis from possessing firearms? That was one of the questions posed Wednesday by U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree to a top Army official.
Pingree's questioning of Sgt. Maj. Michael Weimer comes just days after an independent commission released an interim report on the October mass shootings in Lewiston that killed 18 people and wounded more than 13 others.
The report found that a mental health evaluation of Army Reservist and shooter Robert Card explicitly recommended that his commanding officer take steps to safely remove all firearms from his home. But that was not done, and the report found that the Army did not share the information with the Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Office even though Card's access to military weapons and ammunition was restricted.
Weimer says while protocol is a bit of a gray area for military personnel who are not active duty, it's clearer for those who are.
"The garrison that's responsible for the tenant unit that had said soldier and the criminal investigation CID would be involved in that and would immediately notify local law enforcement of any threats or any danger," he says.
"Thank you for making it clear that could have or should have happened in this particular case," Pingree says.
Pingree also pressed Weimer on whether Reserve or National Guard commanders have the authority to confiscate soldiers' firearms, a question which Weiner said he would have to look into.
The inspector general for the Army is conducting a separate investigation into the Lewiston shootings.
