UPDATE: Security Guard Shot At Ammonia Plant

[David]

Here is an update on the incident involving a security guard who was shot as an ammonia plant in Texas.

From khou.com:

Security guard wounded outside chemical plant tells his story

07:11 PM CST on Monday, January 26, 2004

By Jason Whitely / 11 News

The security guard whose shooting at the BASF ammonia plant this weekend in Freeport that set off questions about terrorism is telling his story to 11 News.


As Robert House left the hospital the mystery of what happened to him has only deepened. "Gentleman was pointing a pistol towards my chest," he says. "I turned a little bit trying to tell him, 'No, no don't shoot me,' when he shot me."


The shooting happened in a muddy lot outside a Freeport chemical plant Saturday.


House was working security when he said he noticed the suspect sitting in a white pick-up truck taking pictures of the lights around the facility.


Hours after House took a bullet in the shoulder FBI agents showed up in his hospital room to give him a lie-detector test. "The test was telling him that I shot myself," says House. "And I told him that I didn't and he said that he could see it in my eyes that I was crying out for some type of help."


So 11 News then asked the Freeport police chief if this case now seems fishy. "I'm not going to answer that," says Chief Henrietta Gonzalez.


Investigators say that House does not have a criminal record. And police are still investigating his initial story. "Sure, we're believing what he says at this time," says Gonzalez. "And we're following up with what he told us."


Five years ago the shooting of a security guard outside of a chemical plant probably wouldn't have even made news, but House's allegation in this post 9-11 environment has attracted a lot of attention.


Freeport police are working closely with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI in an attempt to get to the bottom of this.


House is back at home and has hired an attorney. He wouldn't say when he would return to work, and wouldn't answer specific questions.


The FBI maintains that the shooting does not have any connection to terrorism.

******

 

[md2lgyk]

Not saying it's true in this case, but lots of people have done stupid things to get their 15 minutes of fame. Whole story sounds fishy though.

 

[aquapong]

The thing that strikes me as funny is the man was shot in the shoulder according to a recent article. If you were a terrorist scoping out a possible target or place you could steal supplies and you were made, wouldn't you want to make sure that guy was DEAD so your face wouldn't be in terrorism watch lists? So why simply shoot him in the shoulder? Even if the first shot missed slightly, you better believe I would have followed up with a round behind his ear. This may well be a self inflicted gsw for the fame factor.

 

[Dr.Rob]

That assumes the terrorists get it right every time.. Ramsey Yousef made so many almost comical mistakes, it's amazing he wasn't caught sooner.

I'm not saying the security guard was right, but the last security Guard that was accused like this turned out to be a stand up guy (Olympic Park Bombing).

 

[larry_minn]

I worked with a guy who was face to face with 3 suspects when one pulled out gun. He RAN yelling and screaming and they fired 2shots. Some said he made up story because no shell casings were found. I asked him a couple questions and this foriegn exchange student was able to convince me it was a ROUNDED area behind barrel. (I.E. revolver=no shell casings) Also he quit work even before he gave any report except via radio as he ran all the way back to Office. Lots of shootings at ARMS length and target not hit.
NH3 is nasty stuff. I have worked with it and would rather handle explosives. Both require you to have basic knowledge and common sense.

 

[Spot77]

"I'm not saying the security guard was right, but the last security Guard that was accused like this turned out to be a stand up guy (Olympic Park Bombing)."


I was contemplating the same thing. If there's one thing I've learned at THR it's to not judge ANYTHING untill all the facts are in.

The security guard at Olympic Park was Richard Jewell, IIRC.

 

[WilderBill]

I don't want to judge this without knowing more, I'd venture to guess there are less painful ways to get attention!

 

[oldfart]

I would think there would be significant powder burns around the wound if he shot himself. Even if he was wearing some kind of coat the muzzle-flash would have burned something-- either the coat or him.

Just after 9-11 there was a plane that fell out of the sky in N.Y. If I remember correctly, the FBI went to great lengths to assure everybody that terrorists had nothing to do with it even though there were eyewitness reports of flame coming out of the side of the fuselage before the crash.

To this day there is considerable doubt about the circumstances of Flight 800. Even now, long after the "official" report, people say they saw something moving from the surface to the plane before the explosion.

Of course, there is the Richard Jewell affair, the 'child molesting' at Waco and the Weavers all but launching an all out assault on Ft. Knox. All in all, I'm not sure I'd believe the FBI if they told me the sun was going to rise in the east.

 

[David]

Latest From click2houston.com:

Guard: FBI Suspects I Shot Myself

County Defense Attorney, Federal Officials Investigate Shooting

POSTED: 8:21 AM CST January 27, 2004
UPDATED: 10:56 AM CST January 27, 2004

HOUSTON -- The guard involved in a security scare outside a Brazoria County chemical plant broke his silence Monday.


Friday night's shooting at the BASF chemical plant in Freeport had federal officials scrambling to determine if the incident was terror-related.

Robert House was working as a security guard at the plant when he said he spotted a man taking pictures of the area.

House said when he asked the man what he was doing, the man opened fire.

The guard told News2Houston that federal officials believe he shot himself in the shoulder. He said he is upset the FBI won't believe his story.

FBI agents questioned him while he was in the hospital. They also performed a polygraph test on the guard, House said.

"(A federal official) said, 'I can see it in your eyes that you're actually wanting to tell somebody. You need to get this off your chest,'" House said.

The FBI and the county's defense attorney are still investigating the guard's version of the shooting, News2Houston reported.
******

 

[Dave P]

Polygraphs

FBI agents questioned him while he was in the hospital. They also performed a polygraph test on the guard, House said.

"(A federal official) said, 'I can see it in your eyes that you're actually wanting to tell somebody. You need to get this off your chest,'" House said.

Polygraphs - doncha just love em'? This sounds like a perfect example of how they work: by intimidation. If the feds believed the results of the poly, why does investigator need to claim that "I can see it in your eyes!". Talk about coercing the suspect/victim!!

 

[Tamara]

Dr. Rob,

I'm not saying the security guard was right, but the last security Guard that was accused like this turned out to be a stand up guy (Olympic Park Bombing).

Richard Jewell was not a "stand up guy", but he wasn't guilty of the bombing, either. My sister attended Piedmont College while he was a Kampus Kop there, and he was the on-premises security at the last apartment complex I lived in in Atlanta. He was every bit the wannabe LEO that he was painted as by the Feebs, but that doesn't mean that he planted any bombs.

 

[capt_happypants]

Richard Jewell is...

(cue dramatic music)

The Mall Ninja (tm)!

Armed with an NEF Handi-Rifle in 300 Win Mag, and protected by Level III threat plates duct-taped to his body, he roams the lawless streets of our fair city. Duty is his lover; justice is his passion.

Mild-mannered security guard by day, Retail Security Specialist by night. Soil your man-panties, criminals of this city. The Mall Ninja is coming, and he's bringing payback with him.

Coming soon to your favorite gun discussion board. Rated PG-13. Buy the soundtrack on Columbia Records. Visit the web site at www.mallninja.com

 

[p35]

Methamphetamine cooks are always trying to get their hands on ammonia b/c it's one of the main ingredients. Meth heads aren't known for rational behavior either. My guess would be that that's what this was about.

 

[TallPine]

My first thought was that the guard might have shot himself either intentionally or accidentally, then made up this story.

But this shouldn't be a "he said" situation.

The guards own gun had either been or not been fired, and the wound ballistics and possible recovered bullet either were or were not consistent with the gun he was carrying. And I would think it's pretty hard to shoot yourself without some powder burning on your clothes.

The fact that the FBI is fishing the guy to confess makes me believe HIM now. If they had forensic evidence that he shot himself, they could/would confront him with that.

 

[fix]

Richard Jewell was not a "stand up guy", but he wasn't guilty of the bombing, either. My sister attended Piedmont College while he was a Kampus Kop there, and he was the on-premises security at the last apartment complex I lived in in Atlanta. He was every bit the wannabe LEO that he was painted as by the Feebs, but that doesn't mean that he planted any bombs.

As others have said, Richard is the mall ninja. My wife has a distant cousin who dated him for a few months. I met him personally during that time and while he is a good hearted guy, he is in fact a classic example of the HSLD wannabe. The scary part is, he is now a real LEO. I certainly hope he has matured a bit.

 

[Atticus]

Powder burns would only indicate that he was shot at close range. Was he not at close range? More data needed.

 

[David]

Does anyone know if he was an ARMED or UNARMED security guard?

 

[Dr.Rob]

Look I don't know the guy, I'm just saying it looks like Richard Jewell did something right on the day of the Olympic Park bombing.

Mall Ninja or not.

 

[fix]

I'm just saying it looks like Richard Jewell did something right on the day of the Olympic Park bombing.

No doubt about it, Richard was a hero who undoubtedly saved lives. Others were just pointing out that one heroic act does not make one a stand up guy. Think John Kerry, Wes Clark, et al. Sorry for contributing to the off topic noise.