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 police’s 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.”
“That’s 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, OU’s botany-microbiology building, prior to Saturday night’s 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 OU’s 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 son’s death Sunday, Hinrichs’ father said he was still processing what happened and did not trust himself to say much.
“I don’t 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 can’t 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 son’s remains cremated and the ashes sent back to Colorado.
Bingo! At graduation in 2004, Tenent made a point of saying Boren was his mentor. Don't forget the Nicholas Berg connection here at OU that included Moussouri (sp) and the Islamic Center. Did I mention Boren in the past has been an advisor to Pres Bush on Intellicence and Foreign Affairs and was the one that convinced #43 to keep Tenent at CIA?
They do tend to stick together. Berg was a frequent visitor to the Islamic Center while on campus before going to Iraq to climb towers and get beheaded but there was nothing there so time to move on. Now we have this guy living with a Pakistani roommate but the guy didn't know anything about bomb making but they cannot find him? That all defies probability.
The names/addresses are on-line but I have no idea of the name.
thanks for the "okie" pings ovrtaxt!
Here's an excerpt from a post from another Norman resident, over on timebomb -- she got her information from a friend inside local LE -- her post is 222 at the link:
http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?t=170283&page=6&pp=40
"Also, just to let you know that the guy does have islamic ties. A middle
eastern roommate, for one. Other ME friends, associates, also. The more
recent (i.e., more "muslim-looking") picture that has been posted here and
elsewhere is accurate. They did find other explosives, etc. in his
apartment. I didn't hear anything about Islamic literature, though. The
local LEs don't know if he was acting alone or in concert w/ others from
what I've been told. He did have some personal problems and bouts w/
depression so it's possible this was his way of making some sort of last
grand gesture/statement and there weren't others involved, but due to all of
his ME associates, it's also very possible he was one of a group of people.
I certainly hope that's not the case."
I would say the coverup has about exhausted it's cover!
I think that was an early theory because the explosion was near some buses.
I don't think the source cited is welcomed by FR management.
There are ways to do that, but I wouldn't use them near a large crowd like this. You use 'em in the vicinity of suspected clandestine bomb factories. A worst you'll set of the detonators, but they won't be in the explosives yet. Even that may put a few of the bomb builders in the hospital. Best case is you catch 'em after they've put the detonators in. Then you get confirmation the the bomb factory really was one, fairly spectacular confirmation at that. :)
Thanks for the ping!
True, but she talked to the ethnic Persian young lady who did.
"I would love to know where the roomie that knows nothing is and how do they know he knows nothing?
I would say the coverup has about exhausted it's cover!"
Heh heh LOL. Pretty good Ernest. The roomie must be long gone. Perhaps he had a timer or some pressure sensitive trigger set.
The threat with these types of situations involves secondary devices, which are a very real possibility if this really was a terrorist event. The kid obviously got his big bang before he was ready, or maybe he didn't.
I wonder if there were secondary devices planted around some of the other exits....not all of them...just a few would do the job. The kid detonates his pack, he plants a few secondary devices at a few key exit points in anticpation of an evac being ordered for the stadium. Perhaps the secondary devices would be detonated with a timer or some kind of motion sensor. In any event, he doesn't have to kill everyone, justa few to create a real panic exodus where many would be hurt and/or killed. I think the kid detonated before he was ready. Hopefully the reason was good security around the stadium...but maybe he was just having a change of heart...whatever the case we can be thankful the kid was the only one offed when that bomb pack exploded.
I have spent alot of time in training from the ATF/FBI as a first responder for bombing incidents....the worst part is that damned secondary device sweep....you don't want to find a device the hard way.
Ping
Hey, thanks!
I am trying to keep up with the crowd with witty comments.
Think I'll quit for the day and take my aching back to bed!
Got to move more stuff tomorrow!
The caption says:
Norman Fire Department members clean off debris from an explosion in the South Oval on campus
But clearly they are washing off a bus! Thus all the "bus" stories have at least a grain of truth in them. Hard to figure why an explosion that barely scorched the concrete around the bench it supposedly occured on, could throw "debris" (don't ask what sort) very far.
This photo from KOCO TV Channel 5 in OK City:
sounds like he had scads of that stuff
Is there a web link so we can post this before it disappears or the room mate becomes John Wayne Junior.
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