Plane Crashes Into Austin Office Building; Believed Intentional
A single engine plane has crashed into the side of an Austin, Texas office building this morning and authorities are investigating reports that the pilot may have burned down his house down prior to the crash. I just saw on CNN that officials believe that the crash may have been intentional act by the pilot, Joseph Andrew Stack.
From the Associated Press:
CNN is quoting a federal official who says that an airplane that hit a seven-story building in Austin was deliberately crashed. Not only that — the plane was stolen, and the pilot had set his own house on fire before taking flight, the channel reports.
Not to read too much into it, but the office building does house some federal workers, including those from the IRS. The Austin American-Statesman says that it could only find two people who’ve been taken to the hospital with injuries. It’s not clear how many people were hurt or killed by the crash.
Tags: Austin, Austin Crash, Austin Plane Crash, Joseph Andrew Stack, Joseph Stack, Plane Crash, Small Plane Crash
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February 18, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Just received an e-mail from a friend in Texas. Yes, it was a suicide. Apparently the IRS had been harassing him for a long time. He just couldn’t take it any more. He left a suicide note, it was “removed” from the paper, and website. How very, very sad. With the lousey economy, lack of jobs, foreclosures, I’m afraid America is going to be seeing more of this.
February 18, 2010 at 8:59 pm
Yes, it is sad, unfortunately his choice will not change anything as far as the IRS
except to his own relief. I wonder if there is not more involved to have caused his
distress.
February 19, 2010 at 1:31 am
Oneop: I think Smoking Gun has a copy of his suicide note. I think when his small tech firm moved from Ca. to Austin (I lived there for 25 yrs.) it just got swallowed up by Dell, IBM, and other larger companies. When the stock mkt. took a dive, I think his frustration just grew and grew. He had probs. with the IRS etc…and finally he “just snapped.” They are calling him a “terrorist” in some of the media, which I think is BS. Who knows, I could be wrong. As far as the IRS, I think he just wanted to be “heard”…
February 19, 2010 at 1:55 am
This is really something. I tend to think also, that there’s more to the Story. Still, this man sure went-out in a way which didn’t include his consideration of, or care about, inflicting potential Harm to “Innocent” people, and their Property, who may have just happened to be in or around the area, and who had nothing to do with his direct Target. I can only imagine the horrific panic in the Building itself— The Footage on the News is flooring. Thank God, the latest report is that everyone has been accounted-for, except for two Bodies… one being that of the Pilot. It’s a crazy, scary World to be in sometimes.
February 22, 2010 at 11:01 am
I believe this tragedy was a selfish act of rage with no thought of anyone else. His family, Friends, and anyone who still had faith in this man is now at a complete loss. This man was not alone with the tax issues and government frustrations. We have all had our share of sadness and loss because of finances. Now his grandchild has no grandfather and potentially holds the burden of knowing that it had something to do with this attack of innocents. What a way to enter the world. Now his family will just struggle more! Way to be a “hero”????? It makes me sick.
February 22, 2010 at 5:54 pm
He snapped.
February 23, 2010 at 1:02 am
The innocent man who was killed as a result of this was a Veteran of War— the only REAL “Hero” here.
The only Title the perpitrator (won’t give him any Honors by saying his Name) will ever get is “Domestic Terrorist”. Yeah, he and the Family he left behind can be real Proud of that one.