Labgrade is Gone (One of the Original TRT Founders)

self | 4/30/04 | Tom Buchanan

[fivetoes]

Hi, my name is Tom Buchanan and I regret to inform the readers of Free Republic that labgrade, Alan Albertus died yesterday afternoon in a tragic house fire.

His wife, Crystal asked me if I would inform the readers of this forum.

Alan was a good friend and true supporter of the Second Amendment, but I don't have to tell any of you on this forum. Many of you know him through the typewritten word. I have the honor of spending countless hours with Alan talking about Freedom.

Alan was the person who made the original phone calls to get a few freedom loving folks together to discuss how to keep our freedoms That group took on the name Tyranny Response Team. The rest as they say, is history.

He will be sadly missed.

Here is an email from Rocky Mountain Gun Owners

=====================

Below is a news release from Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave's office announcing the creation of a Second Amendment Caucus in the U.S. House.

This caucus was born out of talks with RMGO, GOA and Musgrave staff to find new and innovative ways to protect -- and regain -- our right to keep and bear arms.

Rest assured that RMGO will continue to work on this project.

------------------------------------- This morning our office learned that Alan Albertus, a long-time gun rights activist from northern Colorado, died in a fire at his home last night.

Alan (known online as "labgrade") was the creator of the Tyranny Response Team in 2000. Since that time he (and his wife, Crystal) put their efforts into building Rocky Mountain Gun Owners and the Second Amendment Sisters. He was a very active RMGO member, sometimes calling our office on a daily basis.

Alan will be greatly missed, not just by the movement but by myself personally. He was a close personal friend.

I urge all of you who pray to commit yourself to it this weekend for Alan's family.

Dudley Brown Executive Director ---------------------------

[snopercod]

AUTOPSY AND INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS ON THE DEATH OF CHIEF NEGOTIATOR

[Dog Gone]

House fire near Loveland kills 1

Neighbors evacuated as Carter Lake residence burns to the ground

By Jim Kirksey
Denver Post Staff Writer

Post / John Epperson

Intense smoke and flames kept Chelsea Dunfee, 14, above, and her mother, Theresa Dunfee, from entering the home of their Larimer County neighbors Alan and Theresa Albertus on Thursday.

A house fire at Carter Lake southwest of Loveland destroyed a home Thursday and apparently claimed the life of an area resident, authorities said.

Neighbors were evacuated through the use of reverse-911 due to fears of exploding ammunition in the home, said Cpl. Craig Kern of the Larimer County Sheriff's Department.

The residents of the home at 3608 Ranch Road were identified as Alan and Theresa Albertus. One body was found in the burned-out home, and Theresa Albertus was reportedly alive at the scene.

The Larimer County coroner was sent to the scene, said Eloise Campanella, spokeswoman for the sheriff's office.

Bob Skillman, spokesman for the Loveland Fire Department, said the call came in at 4:10 p.m., and arriving firefighters found "the fire was well along."

At 4:22 p.m., the chief in command put the firefighters in a defensive mode because it was too dangerous for them to be inside the structure, he said.

Campanella said it was believed that Albertus kept ammunition and gunpowder in the home.

A neighbor, Valerie Dunfee, said she and her husband saw smoke and flames coming from the house and attempted to get in, but the flames and the smoke were "too intense."

Dunfee said Albertus and his wife were avid hunters, which would explain the presence of ammunition in the house.

She said she was sure at the time that Alan Albertus was inside because he is at home during the day. She heard several propane tanks on the front porch of the burning home explode.

Post / John Epperson

As firefighters worked to control the flames at 3608 Ranch Road in Larimer County, authorities feared ammunition kept in the home might explode.

Some men in the rural community where everybody knows everyone else used a small firetruck, generally for fighting small spot fires, at the Albertus home, but they were unsuccessful.

At 4:54 p.m., with only a wall or two of the home still standing, the fire was declared under control.

An autopsy is scheduled for today, said Campanella. The cause of the fire is under investigation, she said.

Photographer John Epperson contributed to this report.

[Joe Brower]

Good work, Dog Gone. Beat me to it.

There is another memorial thread over on TheHighRoad.org

[Lancey Howard]

I am so sorry to hear this news.
May God bless Alan and his family and friends.

[snopercod]

the chief in command put the firefighters in a defensive mode because it was too dangerous for them to be inside the structure, he said.

Campanella said it was believed that Albertus kept ammunition and gunpowder in the home.

Typical firefighters. Watch it burn so you can get back to the firehouse and watch TV and lift weights. The guy was a right-wing nut, anyway...

Sorry, I'm not in a very good mood tonight.

[snopercod]

...and another thing.

How did the fire department know that "he kept ammunition in his home"? Do they keep a list of gun owners and just let them burn?

Look at the photo in your article. Does that look like a raging inferno which would prevent firefighters in Scott Air Packs from entering?

[TERMINATTOR]

"Dunfee said Albertus and his wife were avid hunters, which would explain the presence of ammunition in the house."

I'm sure there were even more important reasons for the arms and ammo. Something fishy about this fire. RIP labgrade.

[Trteamer]

In all my adventures with the Tyranny Response Team in past years, I always enjoyed being there with Alan and Crystal. Nice people and strong patriots. My sincerest condolences to Crystal and family.

[GOP_1900AD]

OK, hopefully not too paranoid here - it seems to me that Freepers have been passing on at an increasing rate lately. In any case, RIP Labgrade and prayers to family and friends.

[GOP_1900AD]

I truly think we need to look systemically at this. I don't know the cause of death but we also lost harpseal, a true 2nd Ammendment defender a few weeks ago. I also noted the passing of someone else whom I cannot recall off hand, but I think that one was due to an illness (but even there... ).

[mlmr]

Could we look at the statistics....how many freepers and how many deaths by fire? There must be some national statistics and state statistics.

[mlmr]

What state was he from?

[TheDon]

Group blasts ACLU's "selective outrage"
Second Amendment activists have been cop targets for years

by Wayne Laugesen

Activists, newspapers and civil libertarians are outraged at recent revelations that the Denver Police Department keeps files on activists who primarily represent environmental and anti-war causes. The ACLU formally opposes the practice, and has spoken out against it as an infringement on the right to peaceably assemble as protected by the United States Constitution.

The outrage in response to the files is all a bit shocking to another group of activists who routinely picket, protest and peaceably assemble in defense of the Second Amendment.

For the past 18 months, pro-gun activists in Boulder County have complained to various parties-including the ACLU, local media organizations and the Mountain States Legal Foundation-about files kept on them by local police.

"For some reason, the ACLU is all upset to find out that police keep files on left-wing activists," says Steve Ziegenhagen, a Second Amendment activist from Fort Collins. "But they didn't seem to understand the significance of this when we were the ones targeted. That's because we're not politically correct. We're not the people they want to mention when they're bragging it up at their New York cocktail parties."

Gun activists learned that police were keeping files on them in March of 2000, during a Charlton Heston speech at the University of Colorado. Anti-gun activists lined one side of the street outside of Macky Auditorium, and pro-gun activists lined the other. Pro-gun activists reported that police seemed to know them by name. They later found that the Longmont Police Department had been keeping files on members of the Tyranny Response Team, a loosely-knit group of Second Amendment activists, and sharing the files with other agencies throughout the metro area.

At one assembly in Boulder, activist Alan Albertus was confronted by an officer who knew his wife's name and other personal details about his life. The files showed up in the hands of officers at other assemblies in Fort Collins, Longmont and Denver, says Ziegenhagen.

At two Million Mom March rallies in Denver, police used files gathered on the Second Amendment activists in order to segregate them into a special "Free Speech" zone. Ziegenhagen says ever since the "Free Speech" zones were established at Million Mom March functions, Second Amendment activists have been identified in crowds and segregated away from a variety of other public gatherings including the most recent visit of President Bush.

"We've been taped, and photographed and surveiled by cops in every way imaginable for the past two years," says Bob Glass, former chairman of the Tyranny Response Team. "It's blatant, and it's obvious, but nobody gave a shit when it was just us."

Critics say the situation calls to mind a quote by Martin Niemöller, the Lutheran minister who spent time in Dachau concentration camp for plotting to assassinate Hitler. It goes: "First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me."

Glass says a member of his group specifically asked for help from Barry Satlow, chairman of the Boulder County chapter of the ACLU.

"I don't remember talking to anyone about this," Satlow says.

Satlow says he would be concerned to hear about police keeping files on defenders of the Second Amendment-even though he doesn't believe the amendment was intended to protect individual gun ownership. Satlow, however, says people who carry guns may get less sympathy than peace activists for a reason.

"If the police were to say they were looking at something beyond peaceful activism, and trying to detect militia activity, then I think that's something we would want them to be doing," Satlow says. "If these are merely gun owners, who are exercising free speech to defend their beliefs, then it may be a concern."

[Robert Teesdale]

I'm horrified to hear this. I had many conversations with Al over the course of the years; a good man, and as others have recognized also a fine patriot. His humor and intelligence were a reliable pleasure to encounter.

The last time I spoke with him was at a wedding reception near Gilpin County. As always he was thoughtful and an excellent sounding board for whatever you wanted to discuss.

The world is a lesser place, and the freedoms of our nation are less-defended here at home through his passing.

My sincere sympathies and sorrow for Crystal in this very difficult time. I will offer my prayers tonight for her, and for the soul of a man for whom I had much respect.

[TERMINATTOR]

[Pan_Yans Wife]

My condolences and prayers for his loved ones.

[Constantine XIII]

prayer bump

[M Kehoe]

May the Lord comfort and bless Crystal in her time of grief.

CHIEF_Negotiator

Don't know exactly why, but that was my first thought. May he rest in peace.

5.56mm

[Atlas Sneezed]

authorities feared ammunition kept in the home might explode

---

Is that their excuse? They can't honestly be ignorant of the fact that small arms ammo does not expel injurious projectiles when if "pops" in a fire. The "ammo" bit seems calculated to diminsh sympath.

[ancient_geezer]

How did the fire department know that "he kept ammunition in his home"? Do they keep a list of gun owners and just let them burn?

Frankly I would not want a firefighter to enter my home without being aware that I do indeed have ammunition that could put them in severe danger. That is why I let local members of the fire department know the risks involved in entering my home.

I live just down the road from labgrade's home and know the firefighters who responded to that fire, all good people and friends. I would not want them to be at such risk.

I never met the Mr. Albertus or his family, but the whole community in this area keenly feels the loss to such fires or any other tragedy here. It wasn't that long ago that we all were at such risk from the Bob Cat Gulch fires not so long ago.