FBI agent pays fine in shooting into hotel cooler

Las Vegas Sun ^ | August 29, 2003 | Sito Negron

[Double Tap]

FBI agent pays fine in shooting into hotel cooler

Sito Negron

LAS VEGAS SUN

An FBI agent who fired two rounds into a walk-in cooler at a Strip hotel in May has paid the Barbary Coast $12,517 for the damage and paid a $105 fine after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge, authorities said.

John Hanson III still faces investigation by his agency, said Special Agent Todd Palmer, spokesman for the FBI Las Vegas office.

Police reports indicate that Hanson, who was in Las Vegas to attend an accounting seminar, was caught on surveillance cameras firing his .45-caliber handgun into the walk-in cooler. No one was inside at the time, although there was a lobster.

Hanson was charged only with a misdemeanor because of the late-night time of the incident, and the fact that the freezer was in a back area with no one inside, District Attorney David Roger said.

"The only victim in that case was a lobster, and Nevada statutes don't provide for attempted murder of a lobster," Roger said.

Roger said Hanson did not receive preferential treatment in court.

"I can tell you anybody else with the same record and same circumstances would have received the same deal," Roger said. "He pleaded straight up to the charge, made restitution and paid the fine."

After the shots, security officers at the hotel detained Hanson, recovered the shell casings and called police, who confiscated the gun. They then called supervisors to tell them an FBI agent was involved in the incident.

The weapon and a copy of the tape were given to another agent, who was in town for the same seminar as Hanson, the police report indicates.

According to the police report, Hanson said he did not remember firing his Glock handgun. Officers cited Hanson with a misdemeanor, discharging a firearm, and released him.

Hanson pleaded guilty to that count June 26 and paid his fine.

Hanson has been an instructor at the FBI training academy in Quantico, Va., but Palmer said he could not say whether Hanson still was on duty. Disciplinary action against Hanson could range from leave without pay to firing.

[Double Tap]

"I can tell you anybody else with the same record and same circumstances would have received the same deal," Roger said. "He pleaded straight up to the charge, made restitution and paid the fine."

Yeah, sure.

[Fred Mertz]

Hanson has been an instructor at the FBI training academy in Quantico, Va., but Palmer said he could not say whether Hanson still was on duty.

What was he doing in Vegas? How old is he?

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

old news here in town

[John Beresford Tipton]

If I knew he was going to shoot the cooler,
I would have made sure Hogan was in the cooler!

[Stew Padasso]

"According to the police report, Hanson said he did not remember firing his Glock handgun."

You gotta be kidding me. How do you not remember a situation like this unless you are totally lit.

"Hanson has been an instructor at the FBI training academy in Quantico, Va."

Be afraid.

[Double Tap]

How do you not remember a situation like this unless you are totally lit

That is my guess.

[Double Tap]

OK. I did a search, it wasn't posted. It is dated yesterday, so it isn't that old. Did I miss something?

[nicollo]

Hanson? Rhymes with Hanssen? Not a good name for the FBI.

[Rome2000]

Maybe he's like that jump instructor who was so comfortable jumping out of planes that one day he forgot to put on his parachute.

[Squantos]

He could'nt "remember" firing his glock ?!?!?!?!!?

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuullllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt !

What a crock . Stay Safe !

[LibWhacker]

. . . and same circumstances . . .

He means an FBI agent.

Way too many irresponsible, trigger happy cops out there. You can find a story every few days about one.

[lelio]

Maybe not lit, but practicing saying "I don't remember" for the next Waco incident.

How did he get into an area with a cooler in the first place? Just stumbling around the kitchen?

[razorback-bert]

I am sure the lobster made a threating move, requiring a response.

[Squantos]

Actually.......I can see this happening ....... I used a satchel full of C-4 once to kill a woodpecker.

My OIC wasn't the least bit impressed either.........Stay Safe Bert !

[Young Rhino]

I am sure the lobster made a threating move, requiring a response.

Was it a lobster of color? Jesse Jackson will be picketing.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

I am sure the lobster made a threatening move, requiring a response.

Yep, he thought he saw something shiny in its claw.

[razorback-bert]

I fully understand, after having to rid a house of a woodpecker, finally caught it in a minnow net. I was about to try some really light loads in a 20 gauge.

[Travis McGee]

He can't remember, and he's an FBI firearms instructor!!!!

FAMOUS, BUT INCOMPETENT

[Travis McGee]

"The sheep disobeyed an order to put down the rope, and made a threatening gesture. The FBI SWAT man had no other alternative."

[Squantos]

Hey Bro let me know when the load lightens up and I'll send ya some duckets for the book........I'm too busy to read it for the next few months anyway

Hope yer book does well !............... Stay Safe !