Posted on 11/20/2002 7:04:07 AM PST by Polycarp
Mysterious tear gas canister sickens 43 in city
By KIRK SWAUGER and PETE BOSAK,
the tribune-democrat November 20, 2002
In violence called domestic terrorism by authorities, a canister of highly potent riot gas was detonated in a busy Johnstown neighborhood yesterday, sending 43 passers-by to hospitals.
None of the patients was seriously injured by the gas, which is only available to the military or large police departments.
An unnamed victim was admitted to nearby Memorial Medical Center for observation. All others were treated and later released from local hospitals. Symptoms ranged from tightness in the chest and tearing and burning eyes, to a burning sensation on the skin and face.
The FBI is evaluating the canister for fingerprints and other clues, Special Agent Paul Wilson of the Laurel Highlands office said.
Authorities said they are looking for an older model white or light blue Chevrolet Caprice seen leaving the scene. “We’ve never experienced something of this magnitude – nothing that affected this many people in this dramatic a way,” Acting Johnstown police Chief Craig Foust said. “We’re going to use our full resources to determine what occurred here.
“There’s different types of terrorism, foreign and domestic,” Foust added. “Clearly, this affected a lot of people, and affected our community very seriously.” Around 3:05 p.m., a large white vapor cloud was reported near Osborne and Franklin streets in the city’s Eighth Ward neighborhood, less than a block from Memorial Medical near Bishop McCort High School.
By the time emergency personnel arrived, the cloud had dissipated, fire Chief Mike Huss said.
Five victims received treatment at a makeshift decontamination chamber set up on Osborne Street.
They stripped off their clothes in one ambulance. They were sprayed down in a tarp-draped walkway and proceeded to another ambulance, where they were dried off, prepared for further treatment and taken to hospitals.
More than 30 others were treated at Memorial and four at UPMC Lee Regional.
“They almost all had chest pain, irritated eyes or hoarseness,” said Dr. Sandy Ergas, director of emergency medicine at UPMC Lee Regional.
The scare came less than three weeks after local emergency management officials conducted a widespread bioterrorism drill to test the region’s response.
Scores of emergency responders were at the scene, including police, fire and medical units. Several blocks of Osborne were shut to motor and pedestrian traffic.
The FBI and Johnstown police have launched a criminal investigation into the act that paralyzed one of the city’s busiest neighborhoods, forcing residents to stay indoors with windows and doors closed.
“We’re considering it a criminal act,” Foust said, adding the perpetrators will be facing “serious charges.” No suspects have been identified.
All three FBI special agents from the Laurel Highlands office in suburban Johnstown were quickly dispatched to the scene. Wilson said the agents have been in contact with national headquarters.
Wilson said it is premature to know whether it was an act of political terror, but added, “We’re in contact with people who want to determine what the motive was.”
The 6-inch long, 2-inch wide tear gas canister, marked “Riot Gas,” was found in Cherry Run, a trickling stream near Bishop McCort. The canister was located about 6 feet from Osborne Street and 40 feet away from Bishop McCort, authorities said.
The gas was identified as CS, which was developed in the 1950s for military use. It is used by the military or SWAT teams, Foust said. It is intentionally detonated like a hand grenade, and cannot be released accidentally. Authorities said the gas became even more potent when mixed with water from the stream – an indication the suspect may have experience with tear gas.
“When it hits the water, it has a greater effect than dry air,” Huss said.
The gas isn’t available at local Army and Navy stores or weapons dealers, Foust said. Police have to request it using official letterhead.
“This isn’t something that can be purchased over the counter,” he said.
A large section of the city from Central Avenue in Moxham to Franklin Street was cordoned off by police for more than three hours as authorities struggled to find the cause of the vapor.
A faint, pungent smell lingered in the air more than 30 minutes after the tear gas was released.
Shoppers at nearby BiLo supermarket continued to load their carts with groceries as patients were being triaged.
Students involved in extracurricular activities at Bishop McCort were kept at the school as a precaution until the danger cleared.
Worried parents paced the BiLo parking lot, waiting to pick up their children from school.
“I thought there was a bad accident,” said Bob Cooper of Salix, who was trying to pick up his ninth-grade son, Jonathan, from weightlifting. “All I could see were ambulances everywhere.”
While admittedly nervous, pacing the parking lot of BiLo as his son and others were locked down at McCort, Cooper was sure it would be OK.
“I have great confidence in these people,” Cooper said, gesturing toward city firefighters and police.
Maureen O’Connor of the Boswell area of Somerset County was trying to get to Bishop McCort to pick up her ninth-grade son, Peter, from basketball practice.
“We’re standing there pacing because we don’t know (what happened),” she said.
Students were released at about 5:30 p.m.
Memorial Medical, the region’s only trauma center, activated “Code White,” its bioterrorism response, for the first time in a real-life situation, spokeswoman Amy Bradley said.
“Because we were dealing with an unknown substance, that seemed to be the appropriate code,” Bradley said. She said emergency room staff in protective hazardous materials suits decontaminated patients in a tent outside the hospital before they were treated inside.
Both Memorial and UPMC Lee Regional locked all doors to ensure contaminated victims would not walk in and spread what had been an unknown substance, officials said. For the first time since the Sept. 11 terror attacks, when Flight 93 crashed 20 miles away in Shanksville, Johnstown officials established a command center in Public Safety Building.
Officials manned the center into the night as police searched for clues and more victims with latent symptoms showed up at hospitals.
“We’re in the preliminary stages of the investigation,” Foust said. “We’re in the process of interviewing numerous witnesses and victims.”
©Tribune Democrat 2002
I believe that the anthrax mailings were intended to deter a U.S. attack on Iraq.
Deterence equals will times capability.
I believe it is clear if we attack Iraq and threaten his regime, Saddam has the will to use biological and chemical weapons against the U.S.population. The only unknown is does he have the capability?
The intent of the anthrax mailings was a small demonstration of Iraq's capability, in my opinion.
Even if this particular event is unrelated to Iraq, it demonstates our vulnerabiliy considering the very real possibility that some of the thousands of former Iraqi POWs resettled in the U.S. are still loyal to Saddam.
Carolyn
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