Lewiston, Maine Police Department/AP
According to the Concussion Legacy Foundation, Robert Card is believed to have been exposed to thousands of low-level explosions during his time at an Army grenade range.
CNN
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Tissue samples taken from the brain of the man who killed 18 people during a mass shooting at a bowling alley and restaurant in Lewiston, Maine, in October showed no evidence of traumatic brain injury, according to the Concussion Legacy Foundation. However, there was no evidence of CTE, a neurological disorder.
Robert Card, 40, a certified firearms instructor in the U.S. Army Reserve, was hospitalized and ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation about three months before the shooting. He had no combat deployments, according to records provided by the Army. Card died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was found dead two days after the Oct. 25 shooting.
The Concussion Legacy Foundation said in a statement Wednesday that Card is believed to have been exposed to “thousands of low-level explosions” while at an Army grenade range.
Low-level blast exposure can cause symptoms such as concentration and memory problems, irritability, and slowed reaction times. Research has shown that some people exposed to low-level blasts, such as those in the military and law enforcement, have elevated levels of proteins in their blood that are associated with traumatic brain injury.
The Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner requested a postmortem study of Card's brain from the Boston University CTE Center “because of his comprehensive military experience and behavioral history,” the agency's administrator, Lindsey Chasteen, said in December. said in a statement. However, she noted that this finding does not change his autopsy results.
The study found that “Robert Card had evidence of traumatic brain injury. … There was no evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE),” according to BU's CTE, which frequently collaborates with the Concussion Legacy Foundation. Dr. Ann McKee, director of the center, said in a statement Wednesday. “These findings are consistent with previous research on the effects of blast injury in humans and experimental models. These pathological findings may underlie the behavioral changes in Mr. Card at 10 months of age. We can't say for sure, but based on our previous research, it's possible that the brain injury is contributing to his symptoms.”
Traumatic brain injuries are usually caused by a blow to the head or by vibrations strong enough to shake the brain inside the skull. Also called concussions, they can range from mild to severe and cause symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, loss of balance, depression, anxiety, mood swings, and behavioral changes.
Repeated brain trauma or tremors can lead to CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a debilitating neurological disease. It is a type of dementia that causes symptoms such as depression, anger, and forgetfulness, and can only be officially diagnosed through post-mortem brain samples taken during an autopsy.
A federal law enforcement official told CNN that the military made a “commander referral” for medical treatment after Card claimed he “could hear voices” and “had thoughts of harming other soldiers.” A National Guard spokesperson told CNN that Card was taken to Keller Army Regional Hospital at the U.S. Military Academy for a “medical evaluation” after an Army Reserve officer reported Card's “erratic behavior.” I admitted that.
The Concussion Legacy Foundation said Card's family has given permission for brain tissue research to continue.
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“How deeply sorry and heartbroken we are for all the victims, survivors, and their loved ones, and for all those in Maine and beyond who have been affected and traumatized by this tragedy.” We would like to start by saying how we are hurting for you and with you. It is difficult to express in words how much we wish that what happened could be reversed. “However, we are announcing the results of Robert's brain research in order to support our ongoing efforts to learn from this tragedy so that it never happens again,” the family said in a statement. Ta.
“We would like to thank the Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for requesting the brain analysis. Although we know this does not fully explain Robert's actions or excuse the horrific suffering he caused, , we would like to thank Dr. McKee for helping us understand his brain injury and how it affected his mental health and behavior. By publishing these findings, We want to raise awareness of traumatic brain injury among military members and encourage further research and support for service members with traumatic brain injury.”
CNN's Karma Hassan and Nadia Kounan contributed to this report.
