Posted on 02/29/2008 3:14:39 AM PST by maquiladora
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Preliminary tests indicate that a package found at a motel contained the toxin ricin, and seven people have been taken to hospitals, authorities said.
Police were called to the Extended Stay America Motel on Thursday and retrieved a package from the motel manager that was determined to be a chemical or controlled substance, Officer Ramone Denby said.
Two preliminary tests indicate it contained ricin, he said. Results from further tests by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a second local lab are expected Friday, police said.
Homeland Security officials joined local police in the investigation. Officials from the FBI, Las Vegas Health District, a hazardous materials team and the National Guard were also at the scene.
Officers cordoned off the area and isolated the room where the substance was found.
Three motel employees and another person were quarantined and decontaminated at the site, then taken to hospitals for further testing, Denby said. All appeared to be in good condition, he said. Three police officers who had been exposed were also taken to hospitals.
It takes between six and eight hours for someone exposed to ricin to show signs of contamination, Denby said.
A woman who answered the phone at the motel declined comment.
Ricin is made from the waste left over from processing castor beans, and can be extremely lethal. As little as 500 micrograms, or about the size of the head of a pin, can kill a human, according to the CDC.
“Grissom said he found RICE IN the package. Sorry about that folks!”
Fox reporting one person “near death, in a coma”, with six more hospitalised under observation.
Tragic. Prayers for all who were exposed.
“Fox reporting one person “near death, in a coma”, with six more hospitalised under observation.”
YIKES FOLKS!! FBI still saying on CNN that ‘it does not appear to be terrorism”
Good Grief!!
see post #102!
Is this a hotel worker, the person staying in the room, one of the first responders? Just awful...
Is our Telephone Surveillance up and running yet again or is our useless Democratic Congress still trying to punish us.
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1600-0854.2006.00527.x
These guys bought their ricin from, wait, I won’t post that, no need, it’s in the paper. It’s a well known chemical company.
Re post 102, looks like this is getting serious!
Damn, I’ve stayed at that motel in the past...
Just checked Drudge...he still has the two earlier links.
NASCAR racing is at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend. Sell out crowd on Sunday; 150,000+
Prayers up.
No..the dems are still stalling in order to kill the bill. Unbelievably stupid(from a political strategic stance) if you ask me.
If someone dies from this, the media will have to cover it and what you want to bet they will try their best to give cover to the dems?
*
"one of those involved"
“I was at the SHOT (Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor) Show a few weeks ago. My husband and I came home both with really bad bronchial infections. It took a doctor’s visit and antibiotics to clear it up.”
Dont worry.. that nasty bug was going around ALL over Vegas. I live about 60 miles outside of Vegas and both my wife and I got it as well when popping into town for a day. Everyone here in town had it as well and it took about 2 weeks to clear up.. it was one of the more nasty bugs.
Lots of my friends who went to SHOT got it as well. I didnt make it this year.. lol and I am kind of glad I didnt.
Obama on the news now...He is more important..(eye roll)
Correction, “clinging to life, in a coma”, catherine Herridge reporter, “possibly connected to a murder plot, no nexus to terror.” @10:04 CST.
Oh...so they are not releasing info (but it could be that they are trying to get next of kin to the hospital as well.) How many hours since the initial ‘finding’ of the vial? I fear this is some poor hotel maid just doing her job.
Herridge is good...gives hope that this is just a ‘murder plot’ and not something more nefarious.
“Fox reporting one person “near death, in a coma”, with six more hospitalised under observation.”
4 civilians, 3 police officers
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