West Texas Fertilizer Explosion Now Under Suspicious Investigation

West Texas Fertilizer Explosion Now Under Suspicious Investigation

  • By Ginger Hill
  • May 10, 2013

West Texas Fertilizer Explosion Now Under Suspicious InvestigationShortly after attending a memorial service for one of his friends (a victim of the West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion) West EMT Bryce Reed finds himself arrested and detained by law enforcement, charged with the possession of a destructive device.

Officials have yet to say whether the arrest was related to the West Fertilizer Co. explosion; however, Reed is due in federal court in Waco, Texas this morning.

Apparently, Bryce Reed was also an EMS instructor, and Dallasnews.com spoke with one of his students, Amanda Atkins. “The Bryce Reed that I know is a great guy. He would do anything for anybody. I would trust him with my life.”

Currently, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers are launching a full criminal investigation based on the April 17 fertilizer plant explosion.

West Texas Fertilizer Explosion Now Under Suspicious InvestigationParnell McNamara, McLennan County Sheriff, stated, “The citizens of McLennan County and Texas must have confidence that this incident has been looked at from every angle and professionally handled – they deserve nothing less.”

I must say that I, as a Texan, am truly saddened by this additional news about the West fertilizer plant explosion. It was horrible enough that it has been thought the plant exploded on its own dangerous accord, but now that there is a possible suspect and a possible motive attached to it, it’s even worse than it was initially. And, if it turns out to be a malicious act, I hope those involved are punished to the full extent of the law.

Sources: http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2013/05/west-paramedic-arrested-on-charge-of-possession-of-destructive-device.html

 http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2013/05/mclennan-county-sheriffs-office-texas-rangers-open-criminal-investigation-into-west-plant-explosion.html/

Afternoon UPDATE from the Waco Tribune

A sworn affidavit has indicated that deputies who were called to an undisclosed residence in Abbott, Texas on Tuesday discovered components that experts say could be used to make a pipe bomb:

  • A 3.5-by-1.5-inch galvanized pipe;
  • Canisters containing a hobby fuse, a lighter, digital scale, plastic spoon, six coils of ribbon; and
  • Several pounds of bagged chemical powders: potassium nitrate, aluminum powder, red iron oxide, ammonium perchlorate, potassium perchlorate, sulfur powder, air float charcoal and Eckart 10890 German Dark Aluminum.

Apparently, on April 26, the resident at the Abbott, Texas home had taken possession of the above listed components from Reed without knowing what they were. Reed has admitted to possessing the components of a pipe bomb to law enforcement officials.

Reed, who is in federal custody, is scheduled for a detention hearing Wednesday, May 15, 2013.

Source: http://www.wacotrib.com/news/west_explosion/update-feds-will-not-speculate-whether-pipe-bomb-components-related/article_497ff644-0631-53c4-8181-755e1743aa39.html

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • AI Is Now the Leading Cybersecurity Concern for Security, IT Leaders

    Arctic Wolf recently published findings from its State of Cybersecurity: 2025 Trends Report, offering insights from a global survey of more than 1,200 senior IT and cybersecurity decision-makers across 15 countries. Conducted by Sapio Research, the report captures the realities, risks, and readiness strategies shaping the modern security landscape. Read Now

  • Analysis of AI Tools Shows 85 Percent Have Been Breached

    AI tools are becoming essential to modern work, but their fast, unmonitored adoption is creating a new kind of security risk. Recent surveys reveal a clear trend – employees are rapidly adopting consumer-facing AI tools without employer approval, IT oversight, or any clear security policies. According to Cybernews Business Digital Index, nearly 90% of analyzed AI tools have been exposed to data breaches, putting businesses at severe risk. Read Now

  • Software Vulnerabilities Surged 61 Percent in 2024, According to New Report

    Action1, a provider of autonomous endpoint management (AEM) solutions, today released its 2025 Software Vulnerability Ratings Report, revealing a 61% year-over-year surge in discovered software vulnerabilities and a 96% spike in exploited vulnerabilities throughout 2024, amid an increasingly aggressive threat landscape. Read Now

  • Motorola Solutions Named Official Safety Technology Supplier of the Ryder Cup through 2027

    Motorola Solutions has today been named the Official Safety Technology Supplier of the 2025 and 2027 Ryder Cup, professional golf’s renowned biennial team competition between the United States and Europe. Read Now

  • Evolving Cybersecurity Strategies

    Organizations are increasingly turning their attention to human-focused security approaches, as two out of three (68%) cybersecurity incidents involve people. Threat actors are shifting from targeting networks and systems to hacking humans via social engineering methods, living off human errors as their most prevalent attack vector. Whether manipulated or not, human cyber behavior is leveraged to gain backdoor access into systems. This mainly results from a lack of employee training and awareness about evolving attack techniques employed by malign actors. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.