WASHINGTON — Families of the victims and survivors of the deadliest mass shooting in Maine’s history made a trip to Capitol Hill on Thursday. Their goal was to seek answers from the Army about the mental health and hospitalization of the reservist who carried out the attack. The shooting took place on Oct. 25 in Lewiston, Maine, resulting in 18 deaths and 13 injuries.

The families, despite having different political views, are united in their quest to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. Leroy Walker, the father of one of the victims, emphasized the urgency of stopping such incidents. The group met with Maine’s congressional delegation and the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, seeking support for their cause.

The gunman, Robert Card, had spent time in a psychiatric hospital while training with his reserve unit in New York. Later, fellow reservists expressed concerns about his behavior, making statements about their fears of him carrying out a mass shooting. The families are pressing members of Congress to urge the Army to provide full answers about the gunman’s actions.

Maine Senators Susan Collins and Angus King have already called on the U.S. Army inspector general to investigate the reservist’s interactions with the Army. In Maine, an independent commission is also seeking subpoena power to question the Army regarding the incident.

The families are also advocating for the implementation of New York’s red flag law or Maine’s yellow flag law, which could have potentially prevented the tragedy by allowing for the removal of the gunman’s weapons due to his mental health crisis.

The tragedy has also shed light on the challenges faced by members of the deaf community during emergencies, highlighting the need for effective communication and support for these individuals. Despite the positive meetings in Washington, the families are determined to see concrete actions taken in order to prevent similar incidents in the future.