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(Denton, Texas) Athlete who fled Katrina jailed for making bomb threat
ESPN ^ | January 25, 2007 | Associated Press

Posted on 01/25/2007 1:58:11 PM PST by Arec Barrwin

Updated: Jan. 25, 2007, 1:11 PM ET

Athlete who fled Katrina jailed for making bomb threat Associated Press

DENTON, Texas -- A high school basketball star is accused of calling in a bomb threat to the school the night of a game he was missing because of a suspension for fighting.

Howard Stirgus, an 18-year-old who came to Denton in 2005 after fleeing New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, was jailed on suspicion of making a false alarm and abusing the 911 system.

Authorities said he called Denton High School on Tuesday night, claiming there was a bomb in the building that would detonate in minutes. The call delayed the start of a doubleheader between the Denton and Guyer girls and boys teams for more than an hour while authorities searched the school.

According to a police report, Stirgus admitted making the calls. He remained in the Denton County Jail on Thursday on a $12,500 bond, jail officials said. It was unclear if he had an attorney yet.

Denton Independent School District Athletic Director Ken Purcell said Stirgus, who averages 21.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, would not play pending a district investigation.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Louisiana
KEYWORDS: blanco; bomb; gangs; gangsta; katrina; nagin; neworleans; nola; texas; victim; welfare
Yikes - Katrina caused New Orleans AND Texas crime rates to go up. Thanks, Governor Blanco and Mayor Ray Nagin.
1 posted on 01/25/2007 1:58:12 PM PST by Arec Barrwin
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To: Arec Barrwin

NBA material fer shure.


2 posted on 01/25/2007 2:02:47 PM PST by NonValueAdded (Pelosi, the call was for Comity, not Comedy. But thanks for the laughs. StarKisses, NVA.)
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To: NonValueAdded

Anyone wanna bet he used his home phone, or his mobile, to call in the bomb threat?


3 posted on 01/25/2007 2:09:24 PM PST by IonImplantGuru (()
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To: Arec Barrwin

verry kreative...got skeels.


4 posted on 01/25/2007 2:09:56 PM PST by showme_the_Glory (No more rhyming, and I mean it! ..Anybody want a peanut.....)
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To: NonValueAdded

Or NFL.


5 posted on 01/25/2007 2:16:52 PM PST by proudofthesouth (Mao said that power comes at the point of a rifle; I say FREEDOM does.)
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To: Arec Barrwin

He was only doing what the Nike commercials taught him to do: "Just Do It."


6 posted on 01/25/2007 2:18:25 PM PST by Saltmeat
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To: Arec Barrwin

He was only doing what the Nike commercials taught him to do: "Just Do It."


7 posted on 01/25/2007 2:18:27 PM PST by Saltmeat
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To: Arec Barrwin
who came to Denton in 2005 after fleeing New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina

Somehow Katrina has become his personal guilt.

8 posted on 01/25/2007 2:22:48 PM PST by donna
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To: Arec Barrwin

I rightfully blame Mayor Bill White (D) as well who had no "exit strategy". It was all about his re-election, the locals be damned.


9 posted on 01/25/2007 2:24:51 PM PST by weegee (No third term. Hillary Clinton's 2008 election run presents a Constitutional Crisis.)
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To: Arec Barrwin

What does a hurricane have to do with this? Strange story.


10 posted on 01/25/2007 2:27:06 PM PST by Kirkwood
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To: Kirkwood
What does a hurricane have to do with this? Strange story.

I was wondering the same thing. Yea he moved here because of Katrina, so that made him call in a hoax bomb threat..how?

11 posted on 01/25/2007 2:29:39 PM PST by Domandred
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To: Arec Barrwin
"Arec says, I'm call'n J-Mon on you Texas wednecks! "


12 posted on 01/25/2007 2:35:57 PM PST by TexasCajun
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To: Domandred
It means that some of the re-locators have been causing us a lot of trouble.
13 posted on 01/25/2007 2:42:32 PM PST by CindyDawg
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To: Arec Barrwin

Stirgus arrested, suspended from team

Denton player allegedly called in bomb threat

07:20 AM CST on Thursday, January 25, 2007

By Jeff Andrews / Staff Writer

Denton forward Howard Stirgus has been suspended indefinitely from the boys basketball team after being arrested late Tuesday night.

Howard Stirgus

He remained in a city jail late Wednesday for allegedly making a false alarm or report of an emergency and abusing the 911 system.

Denton Independent School District athletic director Ken Purcell said the senior will not play for the Broncos until the district has completed its own investigation, and he declined further comment citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which states a school cannot release any information from a student’s education record without written permission from the parent or eligible student.

Broncos head coach Harold Jackson declined to comment.

“We’re following our student code of conduct as far as disciplinary procedure goes,” said Sharon Cox, Denton Independent School District spokeswoman.

According to the police report, Stirgus allegedly began calling Denton High School at about 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday while the school was hosting a doubleheader between the Denton and Guyer girls and boys basketball teams, claiming there was a bomb in the building and it would detonate in a matter of minutes.

Stirgus, 18, was not allowed to play in the game because he was suspended from school for three days for fighting. According to the report, Stirgus admitted making the calls but didn’t say much else.

The girls game, scheduled for 6:30 p.m., was delayed by more than an hour while police and fire officials searched the school. Both games were played Tuesday night, and the Broncos beat Guyer, 64-63, without Stirgus.

Stirgus’ absence will be hard on the Broncos, who already lack size inside. The 6-2 forward averages 21.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. The Broncos are 2-1 on the season without Stirgus, including Tuesday’s win. He previously missed two tournament games in December for undisclosed reasons, but was not injured.

Against Guyer on Tuesday, Aaron Smiley and Kevin Roberts absorbed a lot of Stirgus’ playing time. Smiley recorded eight points.

Stirgus, a New Orleans native, joined the Broncos in the fall of 2005 after fleeing from Hurricane Katrina.

JEFF ANDREWS can be reached at 940-566-6873. His e-mail address is jandrews@dentonrc.com


14 posted on 01/25/2007 2:45:06 PM PST by deport
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