BASF guard shot Freeport, Texas Chemical Plant Complex

The Facts online newspaper ^ | 1-24-2004 | Staff Reports

[buffyt]

FREEPORT — Police were looking for a man Friday night who they said shot a BASF security guard at the perimeter of the plant near FM 1495 and Highway 36.

Freeport Police Chief Henrietta Gonzalez said the guard approached a suspicious truck about 9:20 p.m. and the man inside said he had been taking pictures. He then shot the guard in the shoulder area, Gonzalez said.

“He was shot at point-blank range,” said Detective Sgt. Sue Dietrich. “You could see the powder burns.”

Police did not release the guard’s name, but said he was doing well at Brazosport Memorial Hospital late Friday night.

The guard told police the shooter was a man of Middle-Eastern descent with bushy hair and a mustache, and had been driving a white pickup with tinted windows and a black stripe. The truck did not have a front license plate, according to police radio reports.

BASF spokeswoman Sharon Rogers said there is no indication the shooting is linked to terrorism.

“There is nothing for us to indicate anything other than there is a shooting that happened on our property,” Rogers said. “We’ll just have to see what the investigation will reveal.”

Rogers said the security guard was employeed by Munday Corp., which provides the plant’s security force.

The culprit left the scene just after the shooting and did not get inside the plant gates, police said.

As of 10:30 p.m., Dietrich said the incident was not being investigated as an attempted terrorist attack.

FBI officials in Houston confirmed they had been notified of the incident but would not comment further.

The guard had been patrolling the perimeter of the plant, outside the gate and near a water tower, but in view of the plant’s ammonia tank. There was no access road or gate into the plant from the site of the shooting.

The wounded guard managed to drive down FM 1495 to the nearest plant gate, where an off-duty sheriff’s deputy working security at the plant called police.

The truck was last seen heading west on Highway 36, according to police radio reports.

[demnomo]

Yeah, Tourists always drive pickups to photograph remote chemical plants, big tourist attractions. LOL

Especially at night! Big time tourist attraction. ;)

[XBob]

111 - "Any particular chemical reaction to be concerned about with this facility that makes it unique? Location?"

All the petro-chem plants are full of nasties, and many have really nasties. I remember when the 'leak' in the Union Carbide plant in Bohpaul, India killed several thousand in 30 minutes. I was talking to a friend who worked at the DOW chemical plant in Freeport. And he said, "oh Bohpaul? Yeah. We've got stuff at DOW which make the Bohpaul stuff seem like cotton candy."

[spunkets]

" It wouldn't take much for a terrorist to throw a bomb into the chemical plant right over the fence."

They want pics, so they can determine where to toss it to have the biggest effect.

[XBob]

153 - "Freeport is not a built up area and is far too far from the Super Bowl to affect those in attendance. HOWEVER the drug trade in coastal counties is a huge problem. Perhaps the guard walked into a drug deal about to happen?"

Good observations. Could be just some drug dealer picking up his new supplies for the big game.

[XBob]

154-"All y'all would be amazed at incidents that happen at chemical plants that are never reported to the media.I am surprised this incident seen the light of day."

very true

[XBob]

161 - "I'm surprised they even identified him as "a Middle Eastern male". In my area, they identify perps as "a brown-haired male wearing a green jacket","

We do things different in Texas than in Pittsburg. Besides, we have a lot more mid-easterners and mexicans here near Houston. And he was identified as mid-eastern by his looks, and his 'accent'.

[CommandoFrank]

What does Allah drive?

I guess some would say 'Whatever he wants..."

[CommandoFrank]

You are surrounded by BASF, all around you

BASF Advertisement: "We don't make products you use. We make the products you use better."

[freebilly]

I'm surprised they even identified him as "a Middle Eastern male"

The editor who let that one slip through has probably already been ordered off to sensitivity training....

[Sacajaweau]

Looks like a wait and see on this.

[freebilly]

What does Allah drive?

Anything but an Accord....

[BudgieRamone]

So what you are saying is "all their BASF are belong to us?"

sorry couldn't resist.

[XBob]

wasn't it DuPont, which had the advertizing saying - "Better Living Through Chemistry"?

Most Americans don't know BASF, a very well known company outside the US,which makes good products, and which is now building big petro-chem plants in the US.

There is currently a $2 billion BASF plant under construction in Port Arthur, TX.

[dobberkcd]

It could be but,to assume anything other than terrorists after 9-11 is potentially self destructive.

[Selene]

Algeria blast Jan 20 and this on Jan 20:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/67163/1/.html
JAKARTA : More than 50 people were injured as fire broke out at an Indonesian petrochemicals plant following two explosions, police said.

At least 52 people were taken to hospital with burns as the fire engulfed several chemical tanks at the Petro Widodo premises in Gresik, near the city of Surabaya in East Java province.

"There was the sound of two explosions before a column of black smoke rose into the sky," said Slamet, a duty officer in Gresik.

Gresik district chief detective, Sudibyo, told ElShinta radio some workers might have been trapped by the blaze. The plant employs some 450 people.

He said thick black smoke was irritating the eyes of local people. Firefighting efforts using water jets appeared to be ineffective and the fire was spreading further into the compound, he said.

Gresik district police chief, Sopandi, told the radio station that the blaze swept through several chemical storage tanks and was now threatening many others containing ammonia.

"Only masked firefighters can approach the blaze," Sopandi said. Flames were 50 meters (165 feet) high and smoke could be seen for miles around.

An office worker some two kilometers (a mile) away from the plant told ElShinta he was in a meeting when he heard an explosion and the ground trembled "just like an earthquake."

Fifteen fire engines were at the scene and reinforcements had been ordered from Surabaya.

There was no immediate information on the cause of the explosions. Petro Widodo is a subsidiary of state petrochemical company Petrokimia.

Gresik, a densely populated industrial center, hosts cement and chemical industries.

- AFP

[TexKat]

I could be wrong, but I don't think so. Yes, if they have a concealed carry license they can carry a gun - - but security companies do not allow their employees to carry while on the job, unless they are a certified peace officer.

I'll have to do some research, but I recall a security guard that shot and killed a teenager who he thought or who had taken something from a Dollar store here in the Dallas area about a year ago.

[JustPiper]

I think it was a few times Gill, but why don't you post it?

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

No. I've seen it now a few times. That thread is long enough.

:)

[TheMom]

See post 147.

[milemark]

Anyone know how far Freeport is from Houston? I saw an ad for a Super Bowl rental claiming that it was a 30 minute drive.