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.

[jpsb]

Why would someone be taking pictures of a plant at night. Plants are well lite so you can take pics, but why at night? Why would someone taking pictures shot a guard that is merely interesting in why he's taking pictures?

You are a hoot

[hummingbird]

Why do these people have an infinite love for white pickups?

I think white paint reflects the most heat - comes in handy in the ME (and in Texas summers!). Watching BagCam during the beginning of war, I was struck by the number of white vehicles in Baghdad until I thought of heat factor.

[Al B.]

Like you say, a little explosion could cause a big problem.

Years ago here in Houston an ammonia tanker truck fell off the 610/59 overpass and crashed to the road below. The fumes killed a bunch of people.

I can only imagine what blowing up a big tank of this stuff couild do.

[mewzilla]

Taking pics is one thing. Maybe it's a competitor. But plugging the guard..? Somehow I don't think corporate espionage has gotten quite that bad.

[Xenalyte]

Why would someone be taking pictures of a plant at night.

If plants are well-lit at night, I can think of several reasons why corporate offices would want pics of their plants in all states . . . but there's no indication this guy was from Corporate.

[weegee]

Houston/Texas PING II (longer thread on this topic)

[gdc314]

I'll bet the true story will be out shortly and it won't involve someone from the ME or a white truck...or anyone other the the "guard".


g

[pax_et_bonum]

"The guard told police the shooter was a man of Middle-Eastern descent with bushy hair and a mustache"

Whew! I'm just thankful that it wasn't one of those elderly white women with nail clippers.

[blam]

Surfside bump. (Wasn't Clute in the news a week or two ago?)

[TheMom]

I gotta join you in the skeptic corner.

[TheMom]

My mother lives in Jones Creek, also. I'll wave to you next time I am there.

[Nita Nupress]

The BASF plant in Freeport stores high levels of both ammonia and formaldahyde. I wouldn't dare post the source of this information, as the list contains the top 100 sites in the country.

[pax_et_bonum]

"After clearing that up I noticed the line where the shooter drove off in a 'white pickup'. Why do these people have an infinite love for white pickups?"

White is the most common vehicle color and here in Texas, white pickups nearly outnumber mosquitoes.

[pax_et_bonum]

great tag line!

[Dog Gone]

Sure. The security guard shot himself for the hell of it.

[VRWCTexan]

Well said!

[TheMom]

Scary thought, huh??? ;-)

[tubavil]

Armed arab terrorist on pre-bombing picture taking recon. mission shoots guard and...

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

This bimbo now has a standing job offer high in NTSB management!

[LibWhacker]

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

These contemptuous a**holes would be telling us 9/11 was an accident if millions of people hadn't seen it with their own eyes.

[Flyer]

APB Ping. . .

The guard told police the shooter was a man of Middle-Eastern descent with bushy hair and a mustache

*PING!*

As always, a FReep mail will get you on or off this Houston topics ping list.