TexasCHLforum.com

Developing story:

Car with weapons found in Lavaca garage
Bomb search team swept building; Man arrested
Updated: Tuesday, 12 Jul 2011, 7:34 AM CDT
Published : Tuesday, 12 Jul 2011, 6:58 AM CDT
http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/poli ... e-incident" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Police arrested a man after an incident that led them to investigate a Downtown Austin garage Tuesday morning.

Texas Department of Public Safety officials said someone discovered a car full of weapons Monday night at one of the William P. Clements building garages on 15th and Lavaca streets.

I can't find anything else in the news on this incident, so we can guess to our hearts' content.

The "incident" led to a search starting at 1 a.m. It could have been intoxication, an argument, assault, threats, suspicion of vehicle burglary or robbery, or possibly a felon or illegal alien in possession of firearms.

It would be pretty unusual for the police to start searching a public parking garage in the middle of the night for no good reason, and they need some kind of probable cause to search vehicles.

I have noticed that between the information police provide to the media and what gets printed or reported on TV, any involvement of a "civilian" with weapons becomes suspicious, even if no illegal act was committed with a weapon.

- Jim

seamusTX wrote: ...
I have noticed that between the information police provide to the media and what gets printed or reported on TV, any involvement of a "civilian" with weapons becomes suspicious, even if no illegal act was committed with a weapon.

- Jim

Yes. If it was his home, the word "arsenal" would probably appear in there someplace.

Oh, this is rich: "Texas Department of Public Safety officials said someone discovered a car with what police are calling 'gun paraphernalia...' "

I hope no one looks in the back seat of my truck...

I sincerely hope the DPS nipped a budding al Quaeda mujahideen wannabe right in his buds, but am afraid this will turn out to be a guy with a rifle rack and an open range bag...

I seem to be getting more cynical as I age.

Yes. If it was his home, the word "arsenal" would probably appear in there someplace.

And if the home has a perimeter fence of any kind, it is a compound. Storm or root cellars equal bunkers. So much for the media keeping us "informed" in an impartial manner.

This is not encouraging.

Right now, this story says the following:

Police arrested a man Tuesday morning after authorities discovered a car at a state office building with "gun paraphernalia" parked in an adjacent garage.

While police initially said weapons were found inside, they later clarified to say nothing was found inside the car but that bomb robots were still investigating.

I don't remember the exact words earlier, but it was something equivalent to "full of weapons."

They are also trying to imply there is something wrong with having a weapon near a state office building. Of course there is not, except for the unique prohibition concerning a place of execution.

- Jim

There has to be more to this story....at least that's what I'm hoping.

It turns out DPS troopers initiated the investigation.

According to DPS, Troopers spotted the vehicle early Tuesday morning in Garage J at 16th Street and Lavaca Street. They also found the owner of the vehicle. Troopers arrested him and felt need to search his vehicle.

http://www.kvue.com/news/Bomb-Squad-giv ... 11128.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Maybe someone familiar with this place can say whether it would be normal to find people in the parking lot or the building after midnight. Most offices are deserted at that time. If a contract cleaning crew comes in after hours, usually they arrive together in a van.

Here's another story, but it's no more informative:

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/ ... he_blotter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:....

Right now, this story says the following:
....
I don't remember the exact words earlier, but it was something equivalent to "full of weapons."

- Jim

Yeah, I just refreshed the story and noticed it had an "update" at 11:41. It actually should have said a "complete re-write without any indication of what changed."

A lot of this kind of information comes from a reporter listening to a police scanner. Usually the police won't let a reporter get closer to a potentially dangerouos "crime scene" than you or I would be allowed.

Then later the media get something closer to the truth from an official spokesman or the chief. Most agencies have only one or two people who are allowed to talk to the media.

Speaking of which, here is a story that makes a lot more sense:

DPS says the owner of the car was charged with possession of a silencer, which was found in the car. The article names the suspect and says he has "a lengthy criminal history including several prior charges of possession of a prohibited weapon."

http://www.kvue.com/home/Bomb-Squad-giv ... 11128.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It still is not clear where the initial suspicion came from.

- Jim

P.S.: I prefer not to put the names of suspects or victims in forum messages, because sometimes they draw attention from interested parties.

- Jim

When I read this I wondered if the authorities had stumbled upon a professional of a "different" kind.

Middle Age Russ wrote:

Yes. If it was his home, the word "arsenal" would probably appear in there someplace.

And if the home has a perimeter fence of any kind, it is a compound. Storm or root cellars equal bunkers. So much for the media keeping us "informed" in an impartial manner.

And the "homemade silencer" was probably an empty 2 liter pop bottle in the back seat with a roll of duck tape on the passenger seat.

As of this afternoon, the car reportedly contained a hunting bow, arrows, a long blade, knives, and a 9mm handgun, along with "what looked to be a silencer in plain view inside the car."

Oh, and a marijuana plant, in the trunk.

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/crime/more ... g-shutdown" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

I worked in journalism briefly but I told my family I worked at a brothel so I wouldn't lose their respect.

Well, for those of us who don't get revelations from voices that only we can hear, there aren't many other sources of news.

- Jim