Report finds sheriff’s office responded properly to reports of Maine mass shooter’s mental health

An outside review found that actions taken by the Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Office relating to the suspected mass shooter in Lewiston were “reasonable.” The sheriff's office requested the third-party review, which a former supervisory special agent in the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted. The suspect was an army reservist who allegedly killed 18 people in two shootings on Oct. 25 before he was found dead two days later. Authorities received several reports of his declining mental health months before the shooting. The 93-page report concluded that law enforcement officials “diligently explored the nature and extent of the concerns” and had “insufficient grounds” to take him into protective custody.

What kinds of incidents were reported? The suspect’s family contacted the police in May with concerns for his well-being due to his poor mental health and access to guns. His regiment reported him to the authorities in July for erratic behavior toward fellow soldiers. An Army psychologist then examined him, resulting in his two-week stay at a mental hospital. In September, a member of his reserve unit requested a welfare check on him and reported concerns that he wanted to commit a mass shooting.

Dig deeper: Read Susan Olasky’s report in WORLD Magazine on what Christians should take away from mass shootings.