Police hoping to find witness (to Freeport BASF guard shooting)

The Facts ^ | Published January 29, 2004 | By Michael Baker

[buffyt]

FREEPORT — Police are asking for any help they can get in solving the Friday night shooting of a BASF security guard.

“We’re looking for anybody to come forward who might have been driving in that area that night at that time who could provide us with information,” Freeport Police Chief Henrietta Gonzalez said.

The guard, Robbie House, 43, of Angleton, was shot while on patrol at FM 1495 and High-way 36, near BASF’s ammonia terminal, about 9:15 p.m. Friday. House told police he had approached a parked pickup and questioned the driver, who said he was photographing the lights. The driver shot House in the shoulder as he turned to speak into his radio, police said.

But House, who has since been released from Brazosport Memorial Hospital, appeared on a televised news conference Monday, saying FBI agents have accused him of shooting himself.

Gonzalez said police believe House’s story. The police description of the culprit has not changed: an unshaven man with dark complexion, dark hair, a mustache and an accent believed to be Middle Eastern.

Both Gonzalez and FBI officials continue to report Freeport is the lead agency in the investigation. Both agencies also are saying they do not suspect terrorism.

“That we’re comfortable with,” FBI spokesman Bob Doguim said. “But there is some more work that needs to be done to get the scenario of what happened that night.”

In order to do so, it should be expected House would have to face heavy questioning, he said.

“The guard’s the only one that was there,” Doguim said. “Obviously, he’s someone we have to continue to talk to.”

The shooter’s truck has been described as a white, dual-cab, half-ton Chevrolet pickup with black trim at the bottom and dark-tinted windows. Anyone who was in the area during the time frame of the shooting should tell police anything they know by calling (979) 239-1211, Gonzalez said.

Tipsters will be kept anonymous, and CrimeStoppers provides rewards if information leads to an arrest, Gonzalez said.

Michael Baker covers the Freeport Police Department for The Facts.

[buffyt]

Looks like the police believe the guard, but the FBI doesn't...so far... developing. Ballistics tests being done on bullet.

[elli1]

I'm wondering why no tag number was reported (supposedly the guard had commented via his radio earlier in the evening about that pickup). I would think that noting tag #'s would be SOP.

[SCR1]

Remember it was reported that there was no Front License plate, possbily he never got to check the rear?

[elli1]

Thanks for reminding me; I had forgotten that. Texas is one of the states that requires front & rear license plates. All of the states that border Texas (LA, AR, NM, OK) require only a rear plate. So it seems even odder to me that the guard didn't note the license tag # considering the inference that a front tagless vehicle would be an out of state one--i.e., more ''suspicious''. OTOH, a white crew-cab pickup probably isn't a suspicious type of vehicle in the area. And work crews from out of state travelling in crew cab pickups probably aren't out of the ordinary either.

That said, I'm still suspicious of the guard's story. Could be several other explanations that the guard doesn't want to explain--accidentally shot himself, gambling/ drug/ smuggling activities, girlfriend, etc.