Police Investigate Texas Chemical Port Shooting (Outside of Houston)

Reuters ^ | Sat January 24, 2004 04:10 PM ET

[genxer]

HOUSTON (Reuters) - U.S. and Texas law enforcement agencies are investigating the shooting of a security guard outside an ammonia terminal on the Texas Gulf Coast, a law enforcement official said on Saturday. A security guard at the BASF Corp. ammonia terminal in Freeport, Texas, 60 miles south of Houston, was shot late on Friday by a man in a pickup truck parked outside the terminal's fence and within sight of a multistory ammonia tank, said Henrietta Gonzalez, chief of the Freeport Police Department.

The guard was listed in good condition on Saturday at an area hospital where he was recovering from a gunshot wound to the shoulder, said BASF spokesman Tim Fitzpatrick.

Agents from the FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Texas Department of Public Safety and U.S. Coast Guard were in Freeport investigating the shooting, Gonzalez said.

Chemical plants and refineries have tightened security since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks for fear they may be targets in a future attack.

An FBI spokesman was not immediately available to comment.

The guard spotted the pickup truck while making his rounds outside the terminal's grounds. When confronted, the truck driver, whom the guard described as having a heavy Middle Eastern accent, said he was taking pictures of the lights of the ammonia terminal and adjacent port, Gonzalez said.

The guard said he turned away to make a radio call and then looked back to see the driver pointing a handgun at him. He was shot as he moved to run away and the driver sped off.

[genxer]

Sorry if this has been posted already. Here are two other links besides reuters.

Fox News

Houston Barnicle

[Dog Gone]

The Reuters article hasn't been posted, but it's been talked about for most of the day here.

[genxer]

I couldn't find it Sorry if this is a duplicate. With the superbowl 1 week away its a little scary.

[Dog Gone]

It's a lot scary. The level of scariness depends on whether the eyewitness description of the guard is accurate. If it was truly an arab, this is a huge cause for concern.

If it was a hispanic, then this may have been a drug transaction gone wrong. Big difference.

Either way, we need to find the shooter and figure this out.

[demnomo]

Earlier in the day, an FBI spokesperson said that it was not a terrorist-related incident. Oh, and that the FBI would let the local police look into it.

Good to read that the FBI and Homeland Security have gotten off their tushies to investigate this.

This place is not very far from Houston according to some FReepers.

[wildbill]

Relax. From the guarded statements from the FBI this afternoon here in Houston, this may be a hoax.

The "hero" syndrome.

[genefromjersey]

How should I phrase this ?

The gunshot wound was virtually at contact range,according to some accounts, which leads me to believe further investigation may clarify certain aspects of this matter.

[eastforker]

Look, the gaurd worked for Mundy corp., no one has ever accused those employees of being very bright. You would have to work the contractor circuit down here to know what I mean.

[Grut]

...may clarify certain aspects of this matter.

Aha. The old 'bored guard twirling his revolver' stunt, eh?

[tinamina]

Not indicative of terrorism, government says.

[John H K]

From the guarded statements from the FBI this afternoon here in Houston, this may be a hoax.

Hmm. I had refrained from posting on this story but I have to admit I had suspicions it would not pan out to the liking of the 15,000 post thread/NEIN crowd.

Those suspicions just got a bit higher.

[endthematrix]

I'm contract security for FAA and I know what you're saying and couldn't agree more that you get what you pay for. Remember this is about HOMELAND SECURITY!

[endthematrix]

Are the guards there armed?

[genefromjersey]

The guard was supposedly unarmed.The "contact wound" might raise eyebrows,if you try to visualize it...