[Vision2020] Hignway Snipings

[Art Deco]

I have to take the recent snipings at chip trucks and personal vehicles allegedly by two Deary area teenage suspects as serious business.  I have some questions, however, that have not been answered by newspaper accounts or press releases.

1.    According to the initial press release of the incidents, the first reported sniping occurred last Friday just before 1:00pm. yet the highway wasn't closed until about 3:45pm.  What's going on here?  Shouldn't the highway have been closed as soon as possible?  Couldn't some of the snipings been prevented by such a move?  When snipings occur elsewhere, isn't sealing off and closing the sniping area done immediately?  It now appears the alleged snipers went through a police roadblock unchallenged around 2:45pm, and before the highway was closed.

2.    Prior to the revelation about the possession of a pipe bomb by one of the suspects, this was still a very serious matter.  At least twenty vehicles were fired upon.  A bullet smashed the windshield of a passenger car and passed between two young women inside.  These were local Deary area women apparently known by the suspects.  Deary is not a big place, hence doesn't it seem likely that the shooters knew exactly who they were firing upon in this case?  The big question:  Why were only two charges initially filed against the suspects?

3.    With the finding of the pipe bomb, this becomes a much more serious matter demanding a much closer, serious investigation, perhaps aided by the FBI, HSA, and ATF.  What explosives were used in making the pipe bomb?  How did the suspect obtain the explosives?  What was the initial source of the explosives?  Did the suspect act totally alone?  Or was he aided and abetted by others including adults including members of some of the local crackpot political/religious groups?  Are there any ties (like between friends or relatives) between the suspect and some of these crackpot groups?  Was the suspect not only encouraged by others but given material assistance and instruction?  I don't know the answers, but for the sake of local and perhaps national security, these answers ought be found and reported.

4.    The press coverage has been meager.  If this had happened on I-90 in Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County would be swarmed by national media, and at least some of the above kinds of questions (and many more) asked and perhaps answered.  In addition, the LMT revealed the name of the pipe bomb suspect.  The DN didn't claiming that the sheriff wouldn't tell them, although it appeared that the LMT story was their source.  Is it the sheriff who withheld information or the DN, either party perhaps protecting someone they considered needed protecting?

Again, I think this is a very serious matter.  This is not a private incident, it is a blatant public crime.  The public has a right to know the details.

Before making up my mind about what I think should happen to the suspects or how area law enforcement can change so that they can intelligently respond to these types of incidents much faster, I await more information.  I hope that it is forthcoming.  I'd hate to think that we are being subjected to another Steven Sitler type cover-up.


Wayne A. Fox
1009 Karen Lane
PO Box 9421
Moscow, ID  83843

waf at moscow.com
208 882-7975

__________________________________________________________
Pipe bomb found at teen shooting suspect's home
By Joel Mills Of The Tribune

 

Latah County officials rearrest 14-year-old after executing search warrant as part of shooting investigation

One of two juveniles arrested in connection with the shooting of up to 20 vehicles on State Highway 8 last week was retaken into custody after investigators found a pipe bomb during a search of his room Thursday, according to the Latah County Sheriff's Office. 

Latah County Prosecutor William Thompson Jr. said authorities rearrested Austin James Rickert Thursday after a PVC pipe stuffed with fireworks powder and primed with a fuse was found in the room he uses at his grandfather's residence on Forks Road near Helmer. 

Thompson said the bomb was likely made before the Jan. 22 shooting incident that lasted for more than three hours and temporarily closed the highway between Deary and Bovill. 

"We don't have anything to suggest he actually made this device or possessed this device subsequent to his release," Thompson said. 

Authorities allege Rickert and his friend Austin Blake Medlock used two .22-caliber rifles and a crossbow to shoot at vehicles from a three-story fort on Rickert's grandfather's property, where the boy sometimes stays. 

Most of the bullets hit tractor-trailers, but at least two passenger vehicles were struck. No one was injured, but one round passed through the passenger compartment of one car, narrowly missing two girls. 

Thompson said Rickert's father lives at the Forks Road residence full time. Rickert lives with his mother in Deary but has a room reserved for him at the Forks Road residence, he said. 

Deputies were executing a search warrant as part of their investigation into the shootings, according to a news release issued Friday afternoon by sheriff's Lt. Brannon Jordan. Officials evacuated the area around the home, and a bomb squad from Spokane neutralized the device, Jordan said. 

Rickert appeared in court Friday, where he was charged with felony unlawful possession of bombs or destructive devices. Earlier this week, Rickert and Medlock - both 14-year-old freshmen at Deary High School - were charged with unlawfully discharging a firearm at a vehicle in connection with the Jan. 22 shootings. 

Latah County Magistrate John Judge released Medlock and Rickert to their parents last week, on the condition neither leave the sight of one of their parents; that all guns be removed from their homes; that they not touch a firearm; that the parents take them to and from school; that they both wear electronic monitoring devices; and they agree to be searched at any time by authorities. 

Thompson said Rickert's rearrest is a separate issue and was not due to a violation of Judge's conditions for release. 

Rickert will remain in the Latah County Jail for the weekend, and probably until scheduling hearings on Wednesday for both juveniles, Thompson said. 

Lewis County Magistrate Stephen Calhoun, the regular juvenile judge for Latah County, will handle hearings for Rickert and Medlock from now on, Thompson said. 

He said while the investigation into the shootings and the pipe bomb is ongoing, there is nothing to suggest the teens were planning a larger attack. 

"What happened last Friday was really serious and really dangerous," Thompson said. "We're waiting to see if there is anything else behind this." 

--- 

Mills may be contacted at jmills at lmtribune.com or (208) 883-0564. 


___________________________________

Teen charged in shootings arrested after bomb found
Spokane Bomb Squad neutralizes device found in suspect's residence
Staff report

Posted on: Saturday, January 30, 2010



One of the two teens charged with felonies in last week's Highway 8 shootings near Helmer is back in custody after a pipe bomb was discovered inside the residence following a search warrant.

Following the discovery of the bomb, the area was evacuated and the Spokane Bomb Squad responded to the scene and neutralized the explosive.

The search was part of an ongoing investigation involving alleged shooters Austin B. Medlock and Austin J. Rickert. The two 14-year-old Deary High School freshmen each were charged with two counts of unlawful discharge of a firearm at a vehicle during a hearing at the Latah County Courthouse on Monday. The Jan. 22 incident shut down a portion of State Highway 8 between Deary and Bovill for several hours.

Latah County dispatcher Jenny Bryant said the department is not releasing the name of which of the boys was taken back into custody as of Friday evening. The teen has been charged with unlawful possession of bombs or destructive devices along with the two other felony counts. 

Latah County Magistrate John Judge allowed for the release of Medlock and Rickert into the custody of their parents on the condition they not be out of sight of a parent except for when sleeping or attending school. They also were prohibited from being around firearms and will wear electronic monitoring devices, among other conditions.

The teens allegedly shot as many as 20 vehicles with a .22 caliber rifle and a crossbow. The sheriff's office was continuing to investigate the case this week to determine if additional charges needed to be filed.

The teens allegedly discharged the weapons from a three-level, 10-foot-tall fort located near the highway, according to court records. Casings from the .22 and other evidence were apparently discovered nearby, according to the document.

The two teens allegedly left the fort around 2:45 p.m. to attend basketball practice in Deary and actually went through the vehicle identification section of the roadblock outside of Helmer. They were eventually taken into custody separately later Friday evening.

Medlock and Rickert are scheduled to again appear in court at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

_______________________________

Courtesy of today's (January 23, 2010) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

------------------------------------------------------

Boys charged for vehicle shootings near Helmer
No one injured during Friday afternoon incident
Staff report

Posted on: Saturday, January 23, 2010

Two male juveniles were in custody at the Latah County Jail on Friday
night for allegedly shooting several vehicles on State Highway 8 near
Helmer.

The boys have been charged with unlawful discharge of a firearm at a
vehicle, a felony, according to a media release from Latah County
Sheriff's Office Lt. Brannon Jordan. Officials did not release the boys'
names Friday.

No injuries have been reported related to the shootings, the release states.

The sheriff's department began receiving reports of vehicles being struck
by gunfire in the Forks Road area east of Helmer at about 1 p.m. Friday.
Dispatcher Nathan Reetz said the shooting continued over the course of the
afternoon, with about 20 shots fired. Officials believe about 10 vehicles
were struck, though there is not yet an official count.

Reetz said about eight of the vehicles were semi trucks. Dispatcher Marci
Williams said the semis were operated by Jack Buell Trucking.

Sheriff's officials and Idaho State Police shut down the highway from 3:44
p.m. to 4:31 p.m. as they secured the area of the shootings. Officials did
not locate anyone on the scene, but later identified the location from
which the shots were fired and identified the juveniles, according to the
report.

The boys were taken into custody at 7:20 p.m. and 8:34 p.m., respectively,
Reetz said. He said no further information about the suspects was
available as of press time Friday.

Information about what type of firearm was used in the shootings also was
unavailable.

The incident remains under investigation, according to the release, but
the sheriff's office has determined there is no further threat.




 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20100131/dc2c887f/attachment-0001.html