Current:Home > MarketsSergeant faulted for actions before Maine mass shooting is running for sheriff-LoTradeCoin
Sergeant faulted for actions before Maine mass shooting is running for sheriff
View Date:2024-12-23 20:22:30
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A Maine sergeant who has been criticized by an investigatory panel for his handling of a report about a man who later carried out a mass shooting is running for sheriff, state records show.
Sgt. Aaron Skolfield of the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office is running as a Republican against his boss, Sheriff Joel Merry, who is a Democrat.
Skolfield was criticized in a report last week from a commission that looked into events preceding the deadliest mass shooting in Maine history, in which Robert Card killed 18 people in a bowling alley and a restaurant in Lewiston. Five weeks before the Oct. 25 shooting, Skolfield responded to a call that Card was suffering from a mental health crisis.
A commission convened by the governor and attorney general to review the facts of the shooting found that Skolfield should have realized he had probable cause to start the state’s “yellow flag” process, which can be used to remove guns from a potentially dangerous person.
Neither Skolfield nor Merry responded to calls seeking comment about the commission’s report last week, and neither responded to calls Tuesday about the election. Both men defended the sheriff’s office’s actions during a January hearing in front of the commission.
During the hearing, Skolfield described himself as “just a simple street cop” who responded to Card’s home in September. He said that Card “wouldn’t come out, wouldn’t talk, wouldn’t communicate.”
However, the Lewiston commission’s report stated that Skolfield “made only limited attempts to accomplish a ‘face-to-face’ meeting with Mr. Card.” The report also stated that Skolfield “failed to consult the agency’s records concerning a previous complaint about Mr. Card” and “failed to follow up on leads to determine how to contact Mr. Card,” among other criticisms.
The filing with the state about Skolfield’s bid for county sheriff contains only limited information. It states that he registered on Feb. 12, a couple of weeks after testifying before the Lewiston commission. It also says he has appointed a treasurer and is using traditional campaign financing. The election is this year.
Skolfield’s testimony in January came during one of several public sessions held by the commission. He and other law enforcement officials expressed frustration with implementing the state’s yellow flag law during the sessions.
The commission is expected to provide a full report of its findings this summer.
Card, an Army reservist, was found dead by suicide after a two-day search following the shootings. He had been well known to law enforcement before the killings, and the extent to which the shootings could have been prevented has been an intense source of scrutiny in the months since.
In May, relatives warned police that Card had grown paranoid, and they expressed concern about his access to guns. Card was hospitalized in a psychiatric unit for two weeks in July after shoving a fellow reservist and locking himself in a motel room.
In August, the Army barred Card from handling weapons while on duty and declared him nondeployable. In September, a fellow reservist texted an Army supervisor about his growing concerns about Card, saying, “I believe he’s going to snap and do a mass shooting.”
veryGood! (6765)
Related
- New Orleans marks with parade the 64th anniversary of 4 little girls integrating city schools
- In corrupt Libya, longtime warnings of the collapse of the Derna dams went unheeded
- Two arrested in fentanyl-exposure death of 1-year-old at Divino Niño daycare
- AP PHOTOS: Moroccan earthquake shattered thousands of lives
- 4 arrested in California car insurance scam: 'Clearly a human in a bear suit'
- Former Colorado officer avoids jail for putting handcuffed woman in police vehicle that was hit by train
- 702 Singer Irish Grinstead Dead at 43
- Florida teen accused of fatally shooting mom, injuring her boyfriend before police standoff
- FBI raids New York City apartment of Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan, reports say
- Report on racism against Roma and Sinti in Germany shows widespread discrimination
Ranking
- Japan to resume V-22 flights after inquiry finds pilot error caused accident
- UAW president Shawn Fain says 21% pay hike offered by Chrysler parent Stellantis is a no-go
- Magnitude 4.8 earthquake rattles part of Italy northeast of Florence, but no damage reported so far
- Republican legislatures flex muscles to maintain power in two closely divided states
- Quincy Jones laid to rest at private family funeral in Los Angeles
- Two arrested in fentanyl-exposure death of 1-year-old at Divino Niño daycare
- 'Back to the Future,' 'Goonies' and classic Disney VHS tapes are being sold for thousands on eBay
- Underwater teams search for a helicopter that crashed while fighting a forest fire in western Turkey
Recommendation
-
Kennesaw State football coach Brian Bohannon steps down after 10 seasons amid first year in FBS
-
Broncos score wild Hail Mary TD but still come up short on failed 2-point conversion
-
Halle Berry says Drake didn't get permission to use her pic for 'Slime You Out': 'Not cool'
-
The bizarre secret behind China's spy balloon
-
‘COP Fatigue’: Experts Warn That Size and Spectacle of Global Climate Summit Is Hindering Progress
-
Halle Berry says Drake didn't get permission to use her pic for 'Slime You Out': 'Not cool'
-
Taylor Frankie Paul Is Pregnant Nearly One Year After Pregnancy Loss
-
As leaders convene, the UN pushes toward its crucial global goals. But progress is lagging