Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden sent a follow-up letter to the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of the Army, Lieutenant General Donna W. Martin, to further press for a comprehensive review of the facts leading up to the October 25 mass shooting at Just-In-Time Recreation and Schemengees Bar & Grille in Lewiston. 

“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.”

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of the Army Christine E. Wormuth, and Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Defense Robert P. Storch were copied on the letter. 

On November 2, Senators Collins and King sent an initial letter requesting an Inspector General investigation into the facts and events leading up to the shooting.

The full text of the letter is as follows:

Lieutenant General Donna W. Martin

Inspector General

U.S. Department of the Army

1700 Army Pentagon, 3E588

Washington, D.C. 20310

Dear General Martin: We write regarding our request for your Office to conduct a comprehensive review of the facts and events leading up to the October 25, 2023, mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine.

On November 15, 2023, Under Secretary of the Army Gabe Camarillo sent a letter suggesting that the U.S. Army Reserve’s “administrative investigation into the actions and events that preceded SFC Card’s death” is sufficient to satisfy our request. Our staffs subsequently contacted you and reaffirmed with the Army’s Legislation, Investigations, and Nominations (LI&N) Division our request that you launch a separate, concurrent investigation into the facts and events leading up to the Lewiston shooting as soon as possible. On December 5, 2023, the LI&N Division confirmed that the ongoing investigation is an “administrative investigation mandated by Army Regulation 600-92, not an Army Inspector General (IG) investigation.”

We understand, consistent Army Regulation 600-92, that an investigation is completed for every suspected or confirmed suicide, and we support such an investigation in this case. Nevertheless, Army Regulations appear to specifically anticipate the need for “concurrent investigations” in certain circumstances. Indeed, Army Regulation 15-6.B.5 makes clear that investigations “may be conducted before, concurrently with, or after an investigation into the same or related matters by another command or agency.” As you know, there is precedent for Inspector General inquiries following shooting events involving current or former military personnel.

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. 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.

Thank you for your attention, and we reiterate our request that you begin your work on this matter expeditiously.

Sincerely,

Senator Susan M. Collins

Senator Angus S. King Jr.

Congresswoman Chellie M. Pingree

Congressman Jared F. Golden

###