LEWISTON, Maine — The autopsy report for Lewiston mass shooter Robert Card has been obtained by NEWS CENTER Maine, but the details answer few questions regarding the span of time between when he died and when his body was found.
Copies of the autopsy report circulated among many news outlets in Maine Friday.
NEWS CENTER Maine previously obtained a copy of Card's neuropathology report, which detailed findings that suggest he had traumatic brain injury, but access to his autopsy has previously been denied.
The autopsy itself reveals little in the way of specifics other than the cause of death and gruesome damage done by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Card's time of death is still not definite.
The Maine state medical examiner’s office denied NEWS CENTER Maine's public records requests to view the autopsy. Lindsey Chasteen, office administrator at the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, told NEWS CENTER Maine that Card's family did not want the autopsy released.
"Family has given permission for only Robert Card’s neuropathology report to be released as they’ve previously released it to a media outlet," Chasteen said. "They declined permission for his autopsy report to be released."
However, Card's family released the autopsy report to The New York Times and gave permission for newspaper to release it to the Portland Press Herald with the knowledge it would then be shared with NEWS CENTER Maine.
Card, 40, opened fire at the Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley and Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant on Oct. 25 in Lewiston. Eighteen people died in the shootings, and more than a dozen others were injured.
Card fled, and a manhunt involving more than 300 law enforcement officials immediately ensued for two days, until his body was recovered Oct. 27. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, which was officially corroborated by the autopsy report.
On March 6, a neuropathology report analyzing Card's brain tissue conducted by the Boston University CTE Center was released, revealing evidence suggesting he suffered traumatic brain injury. However, the report stated there was no evidence to suggest he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, better known as CTE.
"Card was a U.S. Army Reservist and a longtime instructor at an Army hand grenade training range, where it is believed he was exposed to thousands of low-level blasts," the neuropathology report stated.
The shooting led to an influx of bills on firearm policies introduced in the Maine Legislature. State lawmakers are now considering a "red flag" law in the hopes of preventing future gun violence before it happens.