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| First responder 'will plead not guilty' in Texas fertiliser blast case | First responder 'will plead not guilty' in Texas fertiliser blast case |
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| A first responder to last month's deadly fertiliser plant blast in West, Texas, intends to plead not guilty to charges of possessing bomb-making materials, his lawyer said on Saturday. | A first responder to last month's deadly fertiliser plant blast in West, Texas, intends to plead not guilty to charges of possessing bomb-making materials, his lawyer said on Saturday. |
| Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) arrested 31-year-old Bryce Reed early on Friday, just hours before Texas's Department of Public Safety confirmed that it had launched a criminal investigation into the explosion of 17 April, which killed 14 people, left 200 others injured and flattened scores of homes. | Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) arrested 31-year-old Bryce Reed early on Friday, just hours before Texas's Department of Public Safety confirmed that it had launched a criminal investigation into the explosion of 17 April, which killed 14 people, left 200 others injured and flattened scores of homes. |
| Reading from a prepared statement on Saturday, Reed's attorney, Jonathan Sibley, said his client had had no connection to the blast, other than as a first responder. He said that Reed remained "heartbroken" by the incident, in which he lost friends and co-workers. | Reading from a prepared statement on Saturday, Reed's attorney, Jonathan Sibley, said his client had had no connection to the blast, other than as a first responder. He said that Reed remained "heartbroken" by the incident, in which he lost friends and co-workers. |
| On Friday, officials refused to directly link the charges to the deadly explosion. "Authorities will not speculate whether the possession of the unregistered destructive device has any connection to the West fertiliser plant explosion on 17 April," the US Attorney's Office said in a statement. But state officials are now treating the incident as a criminal act. | On Friday, officials refused to directly link the charges to the deadly explosion. "Authorities will not speculate whether the possession of the unregistered destructive device has any connection to the West fertiliser plant explosion on 17 April," the US Attorney's Office said in a statement. But state officials are now treating the incident as a criminal act. |
| Also on Friday, Texas's Department of Public Safety instructed rangers and a sheriff's department to assist in the investigation. In a statement, Steven McCraw, director of the state's Department of Public Safety, said he would ensure that "no stone goes unturned" as investigators sought to discover what caused the explosion. | Also on Friday, Texas's Department of Public Safety instructed rangers and a sheriff's department to assist in the investigation. In a statement, Steven McCraw, director of the state's Department of Public Safety, said he would ensure that "no stone goes unturned" as investigators sought to discover what caused the explosion. |
| Reed, was a paramedic and incident commander with the West Emergency Medical Services. He was "let go" two days after the explosion, by which time he had been widely quoted by the media in relation to the rescue operation. In an interview with the LA Times, Reed explained how he had to deliver the news to a friend's family that a fellow first responder had died. | Reed, was a paramedic and incident commander with the West Emergency Medical Services. He was "let go" two days after the explosion, by which time he had been widely quoted by the media in relation to the rescue operation. In an interview with the LA Times, Reed explained how he had to deliver the news to a friend's family that a fellow first responder had died. |
| "He was my best friend. He got me help through the crisis in my life. He's my brother," Reed was quoted as saying. Photographs showed him crying at the memorial services of victims. | "He was my best friend. He got me help through the crisis in my life. He's my brother," Reed was quoted as saying. Photographs showed him crying at the memorial services of victims. |
| If convicted of possession bomb-making materials he could face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. | If convicted of possession bomb-making materials he could face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. |
| • The picture caption on this article was amended on 13 May 2013. The original incorrectly referred to Bryce Reed as the brother of a colleague, Cyrus Reed, who died in the explosion. | |
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