Posted on 10/02/2005 9:13:39 PM PDT by WestTexasWend
NORMAN - Local and federal law officers worked Sunday to remove what was described as a cache of explosive material from the apartment of a man who died in a bombing the night before.
Joel Henry Hinrichs III, 21, a junior from Colorado Springs, Colo., died in the explosion, FBI officials said.
Investigators believe Hinrichs detonated a bomb about 8 p.m. Saturday, just 100 yards away from a packed football stadium.
Officials confirmed Sunday a cache of explosive material later was found inside Hinrichs residence at the university- owned Parkview Apartments, southeast of Lindsey Street and Stinson Avenue.
The FBI, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents and Norman polices bomb squad were removing the material Sunday evening.
Police were overheard telling residents it would take several trips and could take up to 24 hours to remove it all.
Four buildings at Parkview Apartments, including the building where Hinrichs lived, were cordoned off with police tape.
Mike McMahon, who lives across the street from Hinrichs building, said he was on his porch at 3 a.m. Sunday when they (police) started moving in.
Thats when the (yellow crime scene) tape went up, McMahon said.
Whitney Pearson said she woke at 9 a.m. to find police blocking access to George Street where she lives. Across the street, she could see crime scene tape snaking around buildings at Parkview Apartments.
I talked to police, and they told me I would be safe as long as I stayed on my side of the tape, Pearson said.
OU and Norman police officers were posted at intersections to keep people away from the taped-off area. FBI and ATFE agents could be seen moving in and out of the buildings most of the day.
A canister trailer used for detonating or transporting potentially explosive material was being used to haul items away.
They started removing items after 7 p.m.
On Sunday, Boren said reports about authorities finding an unexploded bomb Saturday night were false.
Investigators did set off a second explosion, but it involved a suspicious object located near the blast site that did not contain a bomb, Boren said.
Law enforcement acted quickly and efficiently responding to the emergency, Boren said.
Student safety is our number one concern, Boren said.
FBI investigators packaged and removed the bench where the bomber was seated when the explosives went off.
A scorched patch marred the sidewalk where the bench had been removed.
Crime scene tape blocking access to the South Oval was removed by Sunday afternoon. Tape was repositioned around a bus and limousine parked on the oval in front of George Lynn Cross Hall, OUs botany-microbiology building, prior to Saturday nights game. Blood spattered the lower length of the bus.
No other damage to the area, including the microbiology building, was apparent.
Officials said Hinrichs motive for blowing himself up Saturday near the Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium during the second quarter of OUs game against Kansas State remains under investigation.
OU President David Boren said Hinrichs was a student who had very, serious personal problems that led to this tragic death.
Because of what happened, Boren said, the FBI had taken over the investigation.
Boren said the student had explosives strapped to his body.
Investigators would not say whether they believe Hinrichs intended to go inside the stadium before the detonation happened.
"We are dealing with an individual death caused by an explosive device, Boren said. There is no continuing threat to the students at OU.
Boren said OU classes would be held as usual Oct. 3.
Notified of his sons death Sunday, Hinrichs father said he was still processing what happened and did not trust himself to say much.
I dont want him defined by whatever limitations led him to this, said Joel H. Hinrichs Jr. of Colorado Springs. He was quite introverted. He was a very quiet, introverted, intelligent young man. I cant approximate what led him to make such a final decision.
Hinrichs Jr., who broke down in tears during a brief phone interview with The Oklahoman, said he plans to have his sons remains cremated and the ashes sent back to Colorado.
This was on two local newscasts, the ABC and CBS affiliates (channel 5 & 9 in OKC).
Weren't Tenet and Boron having breakfast together the morning of 9/11?
if the room mate does not show up - my guess is that he is at a "safe house" somewhere - they have to hunt him down before he can get out of the country.
These days more than ever, it is important for citizens to notice goings on around them.
Thanks for the ping. I'm very curious about it needing to take multiple days to remove the bomb-making materials from his apartment in the main article.
Might not need to know the name...if there's an online directory accessable to students, just do a search for the address and see if it comes up for anyone other than the dead kid. OTOH the administration may have already removed that info. MIght need to look for a hard copy somewhere then a name would be needed.
FYI: That post has been removed.
Maybe he was one of those Pakistani Quakers you hear about.....< sarcasm>
Maybe Bush has political tularemia...
Couldn't say if anyone's tried this...I'd hope that some of the reporters in the area have. I know the address was posted somewhere in all these threads maybe an online reverse directory?
I'm sure the authorities hate having thousands of 'helpful' sleuths online. Controlling information isn't as easy as it used to be.
Eyebrows, WHAT EYEBROWS?
I would love to know where the roomie that knows nothing is and how do they know he knows nothing?
This is interesting... a wikipedia article. dunno if it's been linked here yet, so here it is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_University_of_Oklahoma_bombing
All he needed to say is that this was an active investigation and he would have more details when he was allowed to talk. His arrogance got the best of him and he started spouting the depression theory which was debunked by the kid's fraternity President and fraternity brothers. The depression theory didn't fly with anyone I know.
I heard that too. Also heard there were more explosives found then they are admitting at the crime scene not to mention kitchen matches that were used everywhere on the ground for what that is worth. They were still there on Sunday afternoon according to someone who was in the area.
The BS meter around here is going off big time. Another odd thing is that I was just told the Tulsa World had in on Page 2 not the front page. Talk about media blackout -- feel like we are living in the twilight zone.
One thing I will say for our media, they will not report without two reliable sources, but it sure is frustrating when they have facts they cannot share.
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