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Is Robert Card a registered sex offender? Confused web sleuths post about another criminal from Maine with same name after mass shooting

Mass shooting suspect Robert Card is a 40-year-old retired military officer

LEWISTON, MAINE: Authorities have named Robert Card, a 40-year-old retired military officer, as the primary suspect in the recent mass shootings at two local businesses. A significant point of confusion arose due to the existence of another Robert Card, who is a registered sex offender hailing from Maine. This mix-up led to initial uncertainty about the suspect's true identity.

As more information emerged regarding the individual involved in the mass shooting, online investigators began delving into the internet to gather additional details about him and the tense situation in Maine.

Robert Card: Confused Identity

As mentioned, the Maine Sex Offender Registry listed an individual with the same name, Robert Card, which led many to believe that the suspect was indeed the same person, raising questions about how he could obtain a lethal firearm and perpetrate an attack that resulted in at least 16 civilian casualties on the evening of October 25.

"Maine shooter Robert Card has been arrested. He was a known sex offender," one posted on X (formerly Twitter).

"UPDATE: Lewiston, Maine Mass Shooting Suspect Robert Card Has Been Previously Arrested For Child Pornography & Is A Registered Sex Offender Who CAN NOT LEGALLY POSSESS A FIREARM!" another wrote.

"Maine mass shooter, Robert Card: 44 y/o male Sgt. U.S. military for 20+ yrs. Arrest record for child porn Registered as a sex offender. Why did he have a weapon of war?" someone else added.

"Robert Card is on the sex offender list for child pornography and his 2nd ex-wife took out a restraining order on him. Even with that bad of a background, I still don't get what makes someone want to kill random people. So horrific. #ItsTheGuns," another bemoaned.

However, it wasn't long before people realized that they weren't the same person. This sparked an avalanche of reactions, including fact-checks and jokes at Robert Card's expense.

"Robert card (the shooter) is the man in the 1st pic, blue shirt. However, there’s another Robert Card in Maine (2nd pic, white shirt) whose photo is viral cuz of ppl claiming he’s the shooter. They found him on a sex offender list. He is NOT the shooter, but IS a pedo," one wrote.

"Bad time to be the 'other' Robert Card," another quipped.

"Can you imagine just watching TV then your phone starts going off with ppl asking if u just killed 22 ppl and then it all ends with everyone finding out you’re a pedophile? Gone be a long day for him at work tomorrow," a comment read.

"False info all over X regarding #Maine mass shooter, Robert Card. Claims he’s a registered sex offender + not allowed to own guns (plays into Rights "laws don’t work" BS). No evidence he is, but he is in the Army Reserve, which would be impossible if he was a registered offender," another added.

Robert Card: Person of Interest in Maine Mass Shooting

The Lewiston Police Department has labeled 40-year-old Robert Card as a "person of interest" in their ongoing investigation into the shootings, emphasizing that he should be considered armed and dangerous. A driver's license photo of Card was included in their Facebook announcement.

Notably, Card had received training as a firearms instructor at a US Army Reserve training facility in Maine, as detailed in an internal police bulletin reviewed by the Associated Press.

The bulletin also mentioned that Card had been committed to a mental health facility for a two-week period during the summer, although specifics regarding the reason for his commitment and the nature of his treatment were not disclosed, the Los Angeles Times reported.