SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) – Day 2 of the search for Robert Card continued Friday. he is accused of killing 18 people and injuring 13 on Maine Wednesday night.

“Something of this magnitude, such innocent lives lost a lot of questions need to be answered about this i mean why i know Maine’s laws are different than ours but one of the things I am really curious about is when someone is in a two-week inpatient basis what was the access to firearms?” said Senator John Velis.

Authorities say Card is an army reservist and was recently committed to a mental health facility after threatening to shoot up a military base this summer.

State Senator and Army Reservist John Velis tells Western Mass News Card’s battle with mental health issues is difficult for the military to be aware of given the fact he is a reservist and not someone active in the line of duty.

“A lot of people forget this, is that the military doesn’t have eyes and ears on that person all the time. For the most part, you do your weekend of a month, and you do two weeks of AT, it’s called annual training. And unless you’re seen all of the time, behaving erratically, it is very hard to flag something,” said Velis.

One local mental health expert is also weighing in on the matter of his mental well-being and access to firearms.

“How easily accessible weapons have a significant impact on the outcome of a situation like this, that if someone with dangerous command hallucinations only can get their hands on a knife then that degree and scope of the massacre would be significantly less. I would imagine then if they can get their hands on a weapon like an assault-styled weapon,” said Kathy Mague, Vice President of the Behavioral Health Network.

As of now, the search for Card continues but investigators say they will continue their efforts through the night and beyond until they are able to locate him.

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