A Maine sergeant from the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office is making a bid for sheriff as a Republican candidate, challenging the current Democratic Sheriff Joel Merry. The sergeant, Aaron Skolfield, has come under scrutiny following a report by a commission investigating events leading up to a tragic mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine.
The commission's report highlighted a call that Skolfield responded to, where a man named Robert Card was reported to be experiencing a mental health crisis. The commission found that Skolfield missed opportunities to initiate the state's “yellow flag” process, which could have potentially prevented the mass shooting carried out by Card, resulting in the loss of 18 lives at a bowling alley and a restaurant in Lewiston.
Skolfield and Sheriff Merry have not responded to requests for comments regarding the commission's report or the ongoing election campaign. During a hearing in January, Skolfield described himself as a “simple street cop” who had interacted with Card prior to the tragic incident. However, the commission's report criticized Skolfield for not making sufficient efforts to engage with Card and failing to follow up on important leads.
Skolfield officially registered his candidacy for sheriff in February, shortly after testifying before the commission. The election is scheduled for this year, and Skolfield has appointed a treasurer for his campaign, utilizing traditional campaign financing methods.
The commission, which is expected to release a comprehensive report of its findings in the summer, has been investigating the circumstances surrounding the mass shooting and the actions taken by law enforcement officials in response to prior warnings about Card's behavior.
Card, an Army reservist, was found dead by suicide after the shootings. Concerns had been raised by relatives and fellow reservists about Card's mental state and access to firearms in the months leading up to the tragic event. Despite being hospitalized and restricted from handling weapons by the Army, Card was able to carry out the mass shooting, prompting intense scrutiny into the potential preventability of the tragedy.
