LEWISTON, Maine — Survivors and families of victims who were killed in the Lewiston mass shooting in October, where 18 were killed and 13 injured, are seeking legal support from four law firms. The focus of the representation, according to the attorneys, is to seek justice for the victims when it comes to missteps in preventing the gunman from attacking in the first place.
Two firms in Maine, Gideon Asen and Berman & Simmons, along with two national firms, National Trial Law and Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder PC.
The announcement comes days after the first month since the attack. Many families are still working to understand and process what happened, according to Ben Gideon, who said he and Berman & Simmons fielded calls from victim's families and survivors in the days following the shooting.
"It's been really difficult for all the families, especially during the holidays, you feel losses the most acutely during that time period," Travis Brennan with Berman & Simmons said.
The legal process can take years, and both attorneys told NEWS CENTER Maine they are also working with the two national firms because they have experience with mass shooting cases.
National Trial Law worked on the Southerland Springs shooting, resulting in a $230 million payment to the families involved.
The Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder firm represented the victims and families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and won a $73 million settlement.
Jamal Alsaffar, an attorney at National Trial Law in Austin, Texas, said in a statement that the firms teaming up will benefit the families impacted.
"These are extraordinary firms doing an extraordinary thing: joining forces for a common purpose - serving these families to ensure they learn the truth about what happened to their loved ones, and to make this community an others around the country safer from the horrific mass violence visited far to often upon our citizens," Alsaffar said in a statement.
The firms have not made any claims against Maine agencies yet, with attorneys telling NEWS CENTER Maine these months will be spent obtaining records from various agencies. Ben Gideon said the guidance from the national firms will be critical.
"This is the first time this has ever happened in our state and what is the world in Maine going to look like five to ten years from now and will we think about if we had an opportunity to have stepped in and make a difference? Or did we squander that opportunity?" Gideon said. "Neither of us have handled a mass shooting case, but we also don't want to be learning on the job."
Most of the families spoken to, according to the attorneys, are focused on the missteps at the army reserve, where Card was reported to have had mental health struggles.
A statewide alert was sent to law enforcement in September after Card reportedly made threats against the U.S. Army Reserve base where he trained, according to the Associated Press.
"Concerned" about his behavior in the last couple months Card's family alerted authorities, according to NBC News.
The AP also reported that "a bulletin sent to police shortly after this week’s attack said Card had been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks after 'hearing voices and threats to shoot up' a military base."
On Sept. 15, that deputy received a complaint from the Maine National Guard asking for a welfare check to be made on Robert Card. The Guard noted that Card was making threats to shoot up the Saco National Guard facility.
The deputy went to Card's home but did not locate him there and no car was in the driveway. That deputy filed a missing person's report. In that Sept. 15 report, the deputy flagged "CAUTION OFFICER SAFETY—KNOWN TO BE ARMED AND DANGEROUS" and advised law enforcement to "use extreme caution" when dealing with Card.
On Sept. 16, the deputy returned to Card's home and found a vehicle in the driveway and called for a deputy from Kennebec County, a neighboring jurisdiction, to back him up, and they attempted to contact Card, the incident report says.
The deputy said they could hear Card moving around inside, but he would not come to the door.
"Due to being in a very disadvantageous position we decided to back away," the deputy's report says.
According to that Sept. 15 incident report, that deputy contacted the Army Reserve Center in Saco and was told that Card did not have any of the Reserve Unit's weapons and that they had made arrangements with Card's brother who had "retrieved the personal weapons" from Card.
Capt. Jeremy Reamer, according to the report, told the deputy that Card has previously not answered the door in that manner, and: "After he keeps to himself for a while he will come back out." The deputy wrote in his report that the captain "Thought it best to let Card have time to himself for a bit."
To read more about the timeline of Robert Card's mental health decline, click here.
Brennan said the interest into the missteps shows that something needs to change.
"It suggests there is a problem and that system has to change, and if that system can not prevent what occurred then it is clear that that system is broken," Brennan said.
The attorneys added that families and survivors who work with the firms won't accrue the legal fees of the four firms, and they will be treated as one entity.
"There is strength in having the victims speak through one voice," Gideon said.
The attorneys also said they will be looking into a wide net of other avenues and said anything is on the table at this point, when it comes to legal action.
They added that not a lot could be done in the army reserve investigation, unless the Military Inspector General launches an investigation into the army reserve, unveiling documents that potentially have not been seen yet.
"They have access to information we cannot get unless we file a lawsuit," Gideon said.
Senators Susan Collins and Angus King called on the Inspector General to investigate the matter in the days following the shooting.
"Our clients feel very strongly about having the independent investigation into the events that happened at the army reserve," Brennan said.
Attorneys said it could take months to years before those impacted by the shooting could start to see some justice.