Father apologizes for son's actions (OU bombing, includes timeline)

The Daily Oklahoman ^ | October 9, 2005 | Nolan Clay and Ty McMahan

[MizSterious]

Father apologizes for son's actions

By Nolan Clay and Ty McMahan
The Oklahoman

The father of a University of Oklahoma student who died in a bombing has apologized for the actions of his son.

"I truly hang my head," the father, Joel Hinrichs Jr., said from Colorado Springs, Colo.

Joel "Joe" Henry Hinrichs III, an engineering student, died Oct. 1 when a bomb went off outside the football stadium during the second quarter of OU's night game against Kansas State.

The FBI and OU are treating the bombing as a suicide by a troubled loner, rather than a failed terrorist attack.

"I feel obligated to apologize to everyone whose inconvenience has increased, or had worse things happen to them, due to Joe III," the father told The Oklahoman.

He said he wanted to specifically apologize to the Muslim students who were shackled and questioned during the investigation, apartment residents who had to be evacuated, and "the hundreds of thousands of future OU sporting event attendees who will now endure even more rigorous, restrictive search and carry restrictions."

The dead student, 21, was remembered last week as depressed and so mesmerized with bombs that he bought artillery shells on eBay.

Hinrichs started at OU in the fall of 2002 after being a National Merit Scholar at Wasson High School in Colorado Springs.

He was so depressed his second semester at OU that he had trouble going to class and underwent counseling, his father said.

He dropped out in 2003-2004 and worked doing inventories at night, the father said. He returned but lost a scholarship because of his grades.

"Internally, he suffered from both depression and an utter lack of hope in his own future," said the father.

"He could tell that other people were relating around him and even trying to relate to him. He could not relate back. ... My guess is that ... was very close to the root of his problem."

Early warning signs?
The father said his son had been depressed at times in high school, too.

The younger Hinrichs built a bomb out of match heads in an empty tube at age 13 or 14, his father said.

"He was hiding around the corner. It made a loud noise and he brought the broken, open CO2 cartridge to me and had this look of awe in his eyes," he said.

The younger Hinrichs also regularly bought inert artillery shells over eBay, his father said.

"Like all little boys, he has an interest in things that go bang. ... He just took it a little farther than most. ... He showed them to me, 'Look at this, dad,'" he said.

He got in trouble at the end of the eighth grade in Illinois for bringing a 3-foot metal handle to school, The Oklahoman confirmed.

The younger Hinrichs spent six weeks on house arrest, wearing an ankle bracelet, and then spent ninth grade in an alternative school.

Still, there were few outward signs he was suicidal. His last e-mail to his father, Sept. 14, was about his father's offer of a Subaru to drive.

"Does the Subaru get good mileage? I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," the younger Hinrichs wrote.

OU President David Boren described the student as a loner with emotional difficulties and personal problems. Classmates said he was different and had been struggling again with his grades.

"He was really quiet, didn't really interact with any of the other students," said Garrett Jones, a Tulsa junior who had engineering classes with Hinrichs.

Jones, 21, said Hinrichs was different in his manner and clothing.

"He wore this little green vest all the time. It was really weird. ... You could look around in a classroom and be able to pick this guy out that he was a little unusual," Jones said.

Another classmate, junior Andrew House, told the OU student newspaper: "He seemed like he was a nice kid. He didn't seem troubled at all. Some people might have thought he was weird, because he knew a lot about ammunition and stuff like that."

Members of an OU organization of engineers, architects and scientists said Hinrichs was quiet, reserved and not very involved in the group.

"The guy liked guns and ammo and he said something about trying to buy some ammo. That's just what he liked," said Paul Lawson, executive director of the Triangle Fraternity, who visited the OU chapter last week.

At meetings, Hinrichs talked about his struggles and successes in class, a new job, trouble sleeping and a road trip to Las Vegas, according to minutes.

He also talked about "missing ammo," building a catapult and carving a club with a pocket knife, according to minutes.

He had his own Web site. It read: "This is Joe Hinrichs' website. He currently doesn't have anything to put on it, but it does exist and it is here."

Officials have said investigators do not believe the student was trying to get inside the stadium or had any help. His father said the FBI told him his son made the bomb out of hydrogen peroxide, a common disinfectant.

[HairOfTheDog]

Some of you have your head so far buried in the sand, you will never see the truth.

Don't rant at me.... you have no idea where my head is on this case. All I said was that it wouldn't surprise me that the dad doesn't know.

[fanfan]

The facts are the facts. Whether they try to hide them, or not.

I guess we have to hope they are doing this to protect everyone.

[andysandmikesmom]

I would maintain, that there are many parents out there, and also here on FR, who really dont know their kids as well as they think that they do...

Here on FR, we often are told, by many parents, how well they know their own kids, how they are absolutely sure, that their child would/would not do such and such a thing...

Sorry, but no matter how well you may or may not know your child, children eventually come to a point where they go their own way, and in spite of what the parents think, that way may not be the parents way...I am not saying, that raising your children in a way which you think will provide the best for them, is fruitless...what I am saying, is that I am not a clone of my parents, and my children are not clones of me and my hubby...and that goes for every set of parents and children all over...as parents, I believe, that most of us raise our children as best we see fit, and hope that what we teach our children remains with them...sometimes that just does not happen...

And if other problems are involved, like mental illness, physical disability, etc. the dynamics of parenting children is even more complicated...

The guilt that suicide brings to any parents who lose their child in such a manner, must be overwhelming...they must deal with the suicide of their child, and live with the guilt, that they did not do enough to try to prevent it...that is not something I would wish on anyone...

I do feel sympathy for this father, as he will have to deal with this, until the day he himself dies...I truly believe he is heartbroken...

[PhiKapMom]

The Dad not knowing wouldn't surprise me either. Sorry if I took you the wrong way. This has been frustrating as heck around here.

[LibertyRocks]

Hi Miz, Thanks for the ping. I've got some catching up to do so I'll comment in a little bit. (o:

[HungarianGypsy]

Yes, about the Phoenix power plant explosions? We have had none. There were transformer overloads last year. These were nowhere near the power plants themselves. They were transmission lines for out of state power.

[LibertyRocks]

I've been following the local media reports on this event from the moment it happened. For the most part I've steered clear of sources some would deem "unreliable". Channel 4 and Channel 9 news out of Norman have been doing investigative reporting and is where I've gotten the majority of information I'm working with at this point. Channel 5 out of OKC started along the same vein and then around Tuesday or Wednesday of last week started only reporting what the FBI, and OU President Boren were saying - the "official story" so to speak. At that time they also started Numerous witness statements are being discredited - OU says because students are "excitable".

I've compiled what started out as a "Cliff Notes" summary of events, which has turned into a pretty comprehensive accounting of all that's been reported. I've also sourced almost all of the statements and such. I've published it on my blog because it's become to big to continue publishing it here... I'm continuing to plug in sources for the comments as we speak. I've also made available documents that have been released. You can read my summary at this link:
http://sweetliberty.alfablog.com/post/1199/norman_bombing/normanbombing.html

A note about me, I've got no real reason to pursue this besides mere curiosity at how it's being reported - I'm not currently active politically and I have no wish to be in the future, I'm gaining no money in any way on any of this. That said, you may still wish not to read what I've collected, but the circumstantial evidence, coupled with witness statements in this case debunk what is being stated about a "lone suicide".

[OKSooner]

"I refuse to cover my eyes and ears and get my information from David Boren who is seriously compromised according to a host of sources including kids on campus."

It may or may not be pertinent, but all this spin has reminded me of something that "everyone around here" has NOT been talking about for over 25 years now. Here's a legal document (public domain) that kinda lays it all out...

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=ok&vol=/supreme/1983/&invol=1983ok73

[DC Bound]

Thanks; I'll check it out.

[DC Bound]

I checked it out. You have clearly put a lot of work into this and it is EXCELLENT! Thanks for being on the ball. I especially appreciate your objective stance.

[LibertyRocks]

You're very welcome. (o:

[LibertyRocks]

"At that time they also started"

Don't know where the rest of that sentence went, here is the rest of the statement! LOL

At that time they also started interviewing people within the Muslim community and being apologetic towards them. They have never addressed the reasons people are skeptical of their local community (i.e. Moussaoui, Atta, Nick Berg, et al...)

[DC Bound]

I checked it out. You have clearly put a lot of work into this and it is EXCELLENT! Thanks for being on the ball. I especially appreciate your objective stance.

(I mistakenly sent this to myself, and wanted to make sure you saw it. This is the information clearinghouse I've been looking for.)

[LibertyRocks]

I saw your other post. Thank you for the kind words!

[El Gato]

I love the line about Hydrogen Peroxide, if I remember other posts it was not common household Hydrogen Peroxide that was used in the bomb. Any one remember?

Household Hydrogen Peroxide is a 3% solution of HP in water. Pure HP can be used as a propellant, it takes a catalyst to decompose it first. IIRC some Air Independent propulsion systems for submarines use something like that.

However the explosive was not hydrogen peroxide, but rather Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP) , which, as you might suspect from the name, is made from acetone and hydrogen peroxide. It's also sometimes called acetone peroxide. It's touchy to make and remains touchy until use (deliberate or otherwise).

Just Google "TATP" or "Triacetone Triperoxide", and you'll likely find how to make it, but I wouldn't suggest trying it a home boys and girls. But it's not difficult, just dangerous.

[CedarDave]

Did you get a chance to check if the Lincoln Town Car was still parked outside Hinrich's apartment?

[El Gato]

"He wore this little green vest all the time." A little bit on the tinfoil hat side, but isn't green the color of Jihad?

Well the color of Islam at least. Don't many Islamics, particularly in Afghanistan and nearby regions, wear vests over their long shirt like garments? I seem to recall a picture of Osama wearing one, but haven't yet been able to find it. But sort of like this. (An American trying dress like an Afghan for security (his) reasons during the Taliban era)

[PhiKapMom]

I checked out the surveillance cameras as well:

I just returned from campus.

If his car was an old beat-up blue Lincoln Town Car, then it is still in the parking lot. It has one of the roofs that was not metal on the outside but kind of a leather like material -- I cannot think what they are called.

As for video cameras, I found what looks to be a new one installed at the SE corner of the end zone where students enter and also a new one in the parking garage as you leave -- at least they look new as they are black and around here black turns into grayish looking with the dirt blowing around. Could not find any at Gate 1; Gate 2 had one but it was pointed at the back of the ticket office not the gate; Gate 3 and 7 -- couldn't find any but will go back tomorrow to see if walking around I can see more. Very few people around campus this afternoon and frankly didn't want to stand out.

Looks to me like the video surveillance in the stadium was for ticket offices where they would have money and tickets not for the gates. The student gate definitely has one today -- all nice and new looking.

Can confirm a lot of ME students in Parkview Apartments that love to stare. Parking lot is pretty full at the Islamic Center.

End of my report from OU!

[CedarDave]

It has one of the roofs that was not metal on the outside but kind of a leather like material -- I cannot think what they are called.

A "hardtop", IIRC.

[El Gato]

Is caca del toro sort of like "bull pucky"? ;)

Yea, it's even the same sort of circumlocution. If you wanted to say the real deal you might say mierda del toro

As in English "caca" is baby talk.