Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'Person Of Interest' In Maine Shootings Is A Certified Firearms Instructor, Has Mental Health History
CNN: At Least 22 People Dead And ‘Person Of Interest’ Sought After Shootings In Lewiston, Maine, Officials Say
At least 22 people are dead and dozens are injured following two shootings Wednesday night at a bowling alley and a restaurant in Lewiston, Maine, and an intensive manhunt is underway for a person of interest, officials say. Robert Card, 40, of Bowdoin, is a person of interest and should be considered armed and dangerous, Maine Department of Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck said. Law enforcement officials in Maine tell CNN that Card is a certified firearms instructor and a member of the US Army Reserve. Card had recently made threats to carry out a shooting at a National Guard facility in Saco, Maine, and also reported mental health issues, including hearing voices, the officials said. (Smart, Miller, Sutton and Wolfe, 10/26)
AP and Politico: Firearms Instructor Treated At Mental Health Facility Is Person Of Interest In Maine Mass Shooting, Police Say
A state police bulletin says the man, Robert Card, had been trained as a firearms instructor at a U.S. Army Reserve training facility in Maine. The document says Card had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks in the summer of 2023. It did not provide specific details about his treatment or condition. (10/25)
Sun Journal: At Least 16 Dead, Dozens Wounded In Lewiston Shootings; Police Give Few Details On Overnight Search For Gunman
Department of Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck refused to confirm the number of deaths in a news conference late Wednesday, but the Associated Press, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, reported 16 deaths. Earlier in the night, Androscoggin County Sheriff Eric Samson and a Lewiston city councilman had said that as many as 22 people died. ... Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline urged anyone in the city to be cautious and stay home. “I am heartbroken for our city and our people,” he added. “Lewiston is known for our strength and grit and we will need both in the days to come.” (Hoffman, Mogensen, Charpentier, Meyer, Collins and Caruso, 10/26)
In other news about the gun violence epidemic —
Roll Call: Senate Adopts Gun Provision Among Amendments To Spending Bill
The Senate on Wednesday kicked off consideration of its long-stalled spending “minibus” to provide fiscal 2024 funding for transportation, housing, agriculture, military construction and veterans programs with amendment votes. By late afternoon the Senate adopted 27 amendments, including two touching on culture war issues that politically vulnerable Democrats joined with Republicans to support. Provisions now part of the three-bill spending minibus include an amendment offered by Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., that would preserve gun rights for veterans deemed mentally unfit to manage their benefits. Opponents warn the provision will lead to an increase in suicides. (Reilly, Donnelly, Yurk and Ferguson, 10/25)
KFF Health News: Storing Guns Away From Home Could Reduce Suicides, But Legal Hurdles Loom
Mike Hossfeld unlocked a heavy black steel door to his home’s gun safe, unveiling both modern and antique firearms, some dating from the early 1900s. “Most of this is mine. There are a few weapons in here that belong to other folks,” he said. Hossfeld regularly stores firearms for others who are going through a mental health crisis or a rough period. That puts time and space between them and their guns, which can significantly reduce suicide risk. (Bolton, 10/26)
