WASHINGTON — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above aired Thursday, Dec. 7.
After meeting Thursday with families of those impacted by the Lewiston mass shooting as well as a survivor, Maine's congressional delegation on Friday called for a comprehensive review of the facts leading up to the Oct. 25 tragedy.
Maine's Congressional Delegates, U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King and U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden, sent a follow-up letter to the inspector general of the U.S. Department of the Army, Lt. General Donna W. Martin, to further advocate for an investigation into the Army Reserve.
“We believe it is imperative that you, as the Inspector General of the Army, conduct an investigation separate from the ongoing administrative review conducted pursuant to the Army’s Suicide Prevention Program regulations. This tragedy warrants a much broader, independent inquiry,” the delegation wrote in the letter. “We must work to fully understand what happened—and what could have been done differently that might have prevented the Lewiston shooting—on the local, state, and federal levels. We must also give the American people confidence that the investigation is comprehensive and unbiased.”
The letter calls for an investigation into the steps the Army Reserve took to investigate the gunman who took the lives of 18 people.
Full letter
"We're hoping something much larger can come out of this," Leroy Walker whose son Joe Walker was killed at Schemengees Bar, told NEWS CENTER Maine on Thursday. "They missed it in the county and the local and in the military."
With Leroy Walker in Washington D.C. was the widow of Joey Walker, Tracey Walker.
Alan Nickerson, who was shot and survived, was there as well, along with Arthur Bernard, the father of Arthur Strout.
Kristy Strout, the widow of Arthur Strout joined the group, along with Elizabeth Seal, the widow of Joshua Seal, who was a pillar of Maine's deaf community.
"Josh was tremendous, always supporting his kids and his wife, he would do anything for anybody," Elizabeth Seal said. "Really the whole shooting situation just feels like a nightmare. I'm still expecting him to walk through the front door."
Seal said since her late husband was such an advocate for the deaf community, she accepted the offer to go to Washington D.C. to represent the community.
"Getting answers, we need through this investigation will help me begin the healing process," Seal said.
Friday's letter from Maine's full congressional delegation comes after Collins and King wrote a letter to the inspector general back in November calling for an investigation.
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 said.
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 said.
RELATED: Sheriff's office repeatedly warned about Lewiston mass shooter but never made contact with him
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."
In November, the army sent a press release saying they are working with the Maine Delegation and continue to perform an internal investigation into Card.
The families impacted by the mass shooting made it clear the first step is getting the investigation underway, as the trauma done to them by what many have called an avoidable tragedy, is still causing ripples.