Fellow reservist warned of mass shooting before gunman's attack in Maine

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — An Army reservist and friend of the gunman behind Maine’s deadliest mass shooting testified Thursday about his friend's mental decline, describing publicly for the first time the warning he issued a month before the tragedy unfolded.

Sean Hodgson texted leaders of his reserve unit six weeks before the shooting that left 18 people dead and 13 wounded, telling them to change the passcode to the gate at their Army Reserve training facility and arm themselves if Robert Card showed up.

Hodgson told a panel investigating the mass shooting on Thursday that he issued the warning to superiors after Card’s delusional and violent behavior spiraled and ended with Card punching him in the face.

“I said ‘Just so you know, I love you. I’ll always be there for you. I won’t give up on you.’ He had that blank stare on his face. It was a dead stare and he drove away,” Hodgson recounted as his friend left him at a gas station.

The attacks happened six months ago on Oct. 25 when Card opened fire at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, two locations where he held a delusional belief that people were talking about him behind his back. Two days later, the 40-year-old Reservist was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Hodgson told superiors on Sept. 15: “I believe he’s going to snap and do a mass shooting.”

But it wasn't just Hodgson who was worried about Card. Several other reservists witnessed his deterioration during training last summer. That led to a two-week hospitalization in July for Card, months after relatives warned police he had grown paranoid and that they were concerned about his access to guns.

The failure of authorities to remove Card’s weapons in the weeks before the shooting has become the subject of a monthslong investigation in the state, which also has passed new gun safety laws since the tragedy.

In an interim report released last month, an independent commission launched by Gov. Janet Mills concluded that the Sagadahoc County sheriff’s office had probable cause under Maine’s “yellow flag” law to take Card into custody and seize his guns. It also criticized police for not following up with Hodgson about his warning text. A final report is expected this summer.

On Thursday, Hodgson said he warned of a mass shooting because Card threatened multiple members of the unit with violence and that his threats and delusions were escalating. And he had access to guns.

“The way he was behaving was very threatening. It was escalating. The totality of the circumstances, the events leading to that moment, I was pretty convinced he was going to cause harm,” he said.

Another reservist, Daryl Reed, testified he witnessed Card’s mental and physical decline firsthand, seeing a “normal guy” who successfully traded stocks and loved hunting and the outdoors become increasingly paranoid and believing others were calling him a pedophile.

Card also acquired a thermal scope with a laser range finder that he said cost $10,000, and he demonstrated how it could be used to detect animals, including at night, Reed said.

He added fellow reservists started to become concerned Card could become a danger to colleagues. They were surprised, several testified, when Card was released from a psychiatric hospital after only two weeks.

In an exclusive series of interviews in January, Hodgson told The Associated Press he met Card in the Army Reserve in 2006 and that they became close friends after both divorced their spouses around the same time. They lived together for about a month in 2022, and when Card was hospitalized in New York in July, Hodgson drove him back to Maine.

Growing increasingly worried about his friend’s mental health, Hodgson warned authorities after Card started “flipping out” after a night of gambling, pounding the steering wheel and nearly crashing multiple times. After ignoring his pleas to pull over, Card punched him in the face, Hodgson said.

“It took me a lot to report somebody I love,” he said. “But when the hair starts standing up on the back of your neck, you have to listen.”

Some officials downplayed Hodgson’s warning, suggesting he might have been drunk because of the late hour of his text. Army Reserve Capt. Jeremy Reamer, the commanding officer of the reserve unit, described him as “not the most credible of our soldiers” and said his message should be taken “with a grain of salt.”

Hodgson said he struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol addiction but said he wasn’t drinking that night and was awake because he works nights and was waiting for his boss to call. “I grieve every day for the many lives that are lost for no reason and those that are still affected today,” he told the AP earlier this month.

Cara Cookson, director of victim services for the Maine Office of the Attorney General, also testified Thursday and described through tears the daunting task of responding to the enormity of the tragedy with a “patchwork of resources.”

On Thursday evening, the Maine Resiliency Center, which provides support to people affected by the killings, held a six-month commemoration event that drew several hundred people to a park in Lewiston.

The names of the 18 people who died were read aloud at the start of the ceremony, and there were 18 empty chairs, each with a candle and a blue heart, honoring the victims.

The governor also acknowledged the anniversary. “Our hearts are still healing, and the road to healing is long, but we will continue to walk it together,” Mills said in a statement.

Ed Yurek, a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, gives testimony, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Sean Hodgson, a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, gives testimony, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Sean Hodgson, a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, gives testimony, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Sean Hodgson, a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, shows where he was punched by Robert Card while giving testimony, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Daniel Wathen listens to testimony, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Dr. Anthony Ng questions a witness, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Toby Dilworth questions a witness, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Dr. Debra Baeder questions a witness, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Ellen Gorman questions a witness, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Sean Hodgson, a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, wipes tears while recalling the moment he heard about the mass shooting, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Daryl Reed, a member of the U.S. Army Reserves, is sworn in before giving testimony Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

FILE - This photo released by the Lewiston, Maine, Police Department shows Robert Card, who was responsible for the mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine, on Oct. 25, 2023. Sean Hodgson, a fellow U.S. Army reservist who sounded the clearest warning ahead of Maine’s deadliest mass shooting, is expected to answer questions Thursday, April 25, 2024, from the commission investigating the tragedy. (Lewiston Police Department via AP, File)

Sean Hodgson waits to be called to give testimony, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. Hodgson had alerted an Army supervisor in September that his friend, Robert Card, was capable to doing a mass shooting. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

CINCINNATI (AP) — John Means pitched seven shutout innings in his season debut and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Cincinnati Reds 2-1 on Saturday night.

Means (1-0) underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on April 27, 2022. He returned to make four starts last September before landing back on the IL with a left forearm strain to begin this season.

“Felt pretty good,” Means said after the Orioles won for the fifth time in their last six games. “The team's playing so well, just wanted to join them and feel that energy that they're feeling. Felt like the slider and changeup was working, locating well. You want to get that first one out of the way.”

Like Cole Irvin the night before, Means kept Reds batters off balance with no walks and eight strikeouts.

“That was unbelievable,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “To go out and do that, pitch seven shutout innings, first time off of rehab, not been on a big-league mound for a while, that was way more than we anticipated.”

Means made six rehab starts for Triple-A Norfolk before being reinstated on May 1. He recorded an 8.68 ERA in those starts but said he felt fine physically.

“There's something about rehab starts with me, I don't know what it is,” Means said. “There's something about being up here that feels comfortable. Just going to ride with that. I just want to take it day by day.”

A pair of solo home runs off Reds starter Andrew Abbott (1-4) gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead.

Jorge Mateo's second homer of the season came in the fourth. Adley Rutschman, who had three hits, clubbed his fifth home run in the next inning.

The homers accounted for two of the seven hits Abbott allowed in five innings. He struck out eight with no walks.

“The results will come," Abbott said. "Stay true to yourself, stay true to what you can do. Eventually, it will turn the corner and we will be on a nice win streak and we’ll be looking back and say ‘Hey, it’s all part of the process.’ ”

The Reds who hadn't scored a run in Great American Ball Park in 26 innings, rallied in the ninth.

Pinch hitter Jake Fraley led off with a single against Craig Kimbrel to snap a career-long 0-for-22 streak. Jonathan India walked. After Kimbrel struck out Elly De La Cruz, Spencer Steer singled home a run to make the score 2-1.

Yennier Cano replaced Kimbrel and walked Tyler Stephenson to load the bases. But Cano struck out Christian Encarnacion-Strand and got Jeimer Candelario to fly out to left field for his first save of the season.

“Unbelievable job by Cano,” Hyde said. “Once we got into a groundball double play situation to end the game, Yenni is a great option for that. He walked Stephenson but got a huge punch out after and then the fly ball.”

Cincinnati avoided being shut out for the second straight night and third time in four home games.

“We had good at bats at the end,” Reds manager David Bell said. “We’ve been struggling to score runs. It's going to turn. We know that. It doesn’t make it any easier to go through. We have good players. We have to fight through it.”

UP NEXT

In Sunday's series finale, Orioles right-hander Dean Kremer (2-2, 4.19) will face Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (3-0, 1.88) who's unbeaten since coming off the IL on April 13.

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Cincinnati Reds pitcher Lucas Sims throws in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Baltimore Orioles' Jorge Mateo celebrates as he scores after hitting a home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Cincinnati. The Orioles won 2-1. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Yennier Cano (78) celebrates with catcher James McCann (27) after winning a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) fields a ball hit by Baltimore Orioles' Jorge Mateo and throws to first for the out in the ninth inning of a baseball game on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Baltimore Orioles' Adley Rutschman, right, celebrates with third base coach Tony Mansolino, left, as he rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Yennier Cano throws in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher John Means throws in the second inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)