FREEPORT -- The shooting of an unarmed security guard at a chemical plant here drew the attention of national security officials because the assailant, who spoke with a heavy accent, told the guard he was taking photographs of the plant.
But after repeated interviews with the shooting victim, federal authorities today said they have even less reason to believe the attack was the work of terrorists.
"As we have looked at this, we don't believe we have any kind of a terrorist threat or that there was any kind of terrorist planning or organization going on," FBI spokesman Bob Doguim said today.
Robbie House, a security guard contracted by BASF, told authorities his attacker was possibly of Middle Eastern or Pakistani descent. He also told police the gunman claimed to be photographing lights when the confrontation occurred in an isolated area near BASF's ammonia terminal on FM 1495 late Friday.
House, who was shot in the shoulder, is expected to make a full recovery, but the gunman and his truck have not been found.
After two FBI agents interviewed the wounded guard a second time this afternoon, FBI officials said circumstances surrounding the shooting remain suspicious.
Doguim would not say if House had changed his story and declined to give specifics about why law enforcement officials are leaning further away from the possibility of terrorism.
"The circumstances are what is at question here," Doguim said. "It's those circumstances that now with time, as dust clears, that we're going to pick apart and examine."
Doguim said it is "reasonable to assume" a person who suffered such a traumatic injury could have some "inconsistencies" in his story.
"If we're still asking, I think you should reasonably assume that we're not completely comfortable yet that we have everything as clear as we would like to have it," Doguim said.
Bulletins describing the gunman's appearance and his pickup were issued to law enforcement agencies across the state.
Police dogs brought in by the U.S. Department of Energy searched the grounds and discovered a projectile that investigators believe is connected to the shooting, Freeport Police Chief Henrietta Gonzalez said.
She asked the public to remain calm as the investigation continues.
"We feel very confident we've done everything we can do at this time ... based on the very vague information that we have," Gonzalez said Saturday. "We ask them not to be alarmed. We're working along with other authorities that can help us out."
FBI agents spent the day in Freeport, a seaside town an hour south of Houston that has many petrochemical plants and complexes. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and U.S. Coast Guard also were notified.
BASF would not discuss what security measures they are taking in response to the scare, the first such incident to happen at a chemical plant in the Freeport area.
"We obviously are taking this very seriously," said BASF spokeswoman Sharon Rogers.
The shooting happened about 9:15 p.m. Friday as House, who is contracted by BASF to patrol its properties, was making his rounds and noticed a suspicious pickup parked on a dirt access road along the highway, about a half-mile from BASF's ammonia terminal, police said. The guard told investigators that truck had no front license plate and its rear license plate was obscured because the truck's tailgate was down.
When the security guard asked the driver what he was doing there, the driver said he "was taking pictures of lights," Gonzalez said.
When the guard turned to speak into a radio attached to his shoulder, the man in the pickup shot him in the right shoulder, Gonzalez said. The man in the truck then fled toward Texas 36, she said.
The security guard said the gunman -- who appeared to be alone in the truck -- was possibly of Pakistani or Middle Eastern descent and spoke with a very heavy accent in broken English, Gonzalez said. The gunman had a dark complexion, dark hair, a mustache and five o'clock shadow, House told police.
When the guard turned to speak into a radio attached to his shoulder, the man in the pickup shot him in the right shoulder, Gonzalez said. The man in the truck then fled toward Texas 36, she said."
Nothing there to indicate terrorism. Seems like perfectly normal behavior. < /sarcasm >