Cops Hunt Man Suspected of Threatening President

WABC News ^ | 9/20/04

[hispanarepublicana]

(New York-WABC, September 20, 2004) — Breaking news concerning President Bush's visit to New York. Eyewitness News is told that there has been a credible threat against the president Monday.

From the AP: The News in Photographs The Day's Top 25 Stories- NY, NJ, CT, US, Entertainment Your Hourly Forecast

Eyewitness News' political reporter Dave Evans says the first sign of something going on came when security around the president's visit got even tighter than usual.

He says authorities are looking for a 55-year-old man named Lawrence J. Ward in connection with the reported attempt on the president's life.

Ward is said to be driving a blue Toyota sedan with a New York license plate: BRF-6596.

Seventh Avenue is blocked off because of the incident.

We'll have the latest here as it's available and on Eyewitness News tonight.

[Calpernia]

Understood.

Since the word attempt was used in the article, and the media seems to be blacked out on this, would you be able to tell us if the President is ok?

Thanks for responding!

[In The Defense of Liberty]

Of course the President is OK... and may we all pray he stays that way! The SS is on the job and I'm sure they'll catch these bastards.

[Calpernia]

Woo HOO!

Thank YOU!

Bump!

[lonevoice]

Of course the President is OK...

Thank you for that information. It's been a long wait to hear it.

[singfreedom]

Amen. As my husband and I were listening to Kerry's latest "campaign" diatribe this afternoon. The fool was holding forth about all the "mistakes" the Bush administration has made (essentially: another blanket statement about everyone in Iraq screwing up). My husband was thoughtful for a few seconds, then he said, "I bet that makes the guys in Iraq feel good".

The Kerry Campaign, and Democrats in general, seem to feel any means justifies the end. No matter who it hurts, whether our soldiers suffer or die, or if it encourages those who wish to harm innocent men, women, and children......anything is permitted as long as they win! Eventually there will be nothing left to win.

[JustPiper]

BumPING!

[JustPiper]

ping

[Jet Jaguar]

ping

[SheLion]

Lawrence Ward. 6'3" - missing part of right ear. Drives a Toyota.

Just on Fox News. NY has a BOLO out for this man. He has made threats against President Bush and FnKerry.

[Jet Jaguar]

I saw it. Thanks for the ping.

[SheLion]

I saw it. Thanks for the ping.

I was typing as they announced it. He has sandy colored hair and green eyes. I got his height but not his weight.

He is carrying some kind of shotgun in his Toyota.

[Jet Jaguar]

It is a lever action shotgun. Very rare for a shotgun.

Toyota? A sedan, pick-up...?

[SheLion]

Toyota? A sedan, pick-up...?

I'm sorry. I just heard Toyota. I was hoping there was something in print that someone could post as a thread. So far, nothing.

[Jet Jaguar]

Same here. I was hoping someone would have some update.

[SheLion]

City alert in threat to Bush

1 hour, 58 minutes ago Add Local - New York Daily News to My Yahoo!

BY MICHELE McPHEE and LEO STANDORA, DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

The Secret Service  clamped down on midtown last night to protect President Bush  from a possible assassin armed with a hunting rifle. 

Lawrence Ward, 59, left his upstate New York home Wednesday with a .30-30 lever-action hunting rifle in the trunk of his car, telling a neighbor, "I'm not coming back."

Inside his house in Bainbridge was a picture of Bush with the words "Dead Man" spray-painted near it, law enforcement authorities said.

Bush was in town for a fund-raiser at the Sheraton New York before speaking today at the UN General Assembly.

The Secret Service deemed Ward, a software engineer, such a "credible threat" that a three-square-block chunk of midtown was cordoned off.

Secret Service agents and city cops patrolled the area looking for anything suspicious.

Ward's ex-wife, Judith Ward, 59, who lives in Connecticut, told the Secret Service she thinks her former husband "is very dangerous and capable of killing someone and/or committing suicide."

She said Ward "is obsessed with weapons, [Oklahoma City bomber] Timothy McVeigh   and the book 'The Dead Zone' - a novel about the stalking and attempted assassination of a presidential candidate," according to a Secret Service document.

The document, reviewed by the Daily News, said Ward sent his ex-wife a CD that mentions killing both Bush and Democratic rival John Kerry .

He also was said to be "obsessed" with his 19-year-old daughter, Priscilla Jane.

Judith Ward told The News she divorced her husband four years ago after 18 years of marriage because "he was a wife-beater and other things I don't want to talk about."

Authorities said Ward has a criminal past dating to 1991, including an indecent sexual proposal charge.

The neighbor in Bainbridge, a community about 40miles northeast of Binghamton, told authorities that Ward "frequently spoke of 'fighting the system' and other anti-government topics."

The neighbor said Ward gave him his house keys and told him to help himself. He then drove off in a blue 1997 Toyota sedan with the New York license plate BRF-6546.

Two days later, the neighbor went into the house, found the photo of Bush and called police.

[SheLion]

Lawrence Ward

[Jet Jaguar]

Posted by SheLion to Jet Jaguar
On News/Activism 09/21/2004 6:19:40 AM PDT · 135 of 135

City alert in threat to Bush

1 hour, 58 minutes ago Add Local - New York Daily News to My Yahoo!

BY MICHELE McPHEE and LEO STANDORA, DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

The Secret Service clamped down on midtown last night to protect President Bush from a possible assassin armed with a hunting rifle.

Lawrence Ward, 59, left his upstate New York home Wednesday with a .30-30 lever-action hunting rifle in the trunk of his car, telling a neighbor, "I'm not coming back."


The neighbor said Ward gave him his house keys and told him to help himself. He then drove off in a blue 1997 Toyota sedan with the New York license plate BRF-6546.



That clears up a bunch of questions. A deer rifle, not a shotgun. And a Toyota Sedan.

You are the best.

[crabbie]

Watching FNC...Pres Bush got to the UN safely.

[Jet Jaguar]

And a photo. Good work.

[SheLion]

That clears up a bunch of questions. A deer rifle, not a shotgun. And a Toyota Sedan.

I tried. heh! At least I got his picture. :)