(Ohio) Bomb Squad Called After War Vet Commits Suicide

[sabra]

Source: whiotv

DAYTON, Ohio -- Members of the Dayton Bomb Squad detonated the backpack of an Iraq War veteran after the 27-year-old man committed suicide in front of the VA Center Hospital Friday morning.

Security officers at the hospital discovered the body of Jesse Huff and called Dayton Police. Officials say Huff used an M1 military assault rifle to shoot himself on the steps of the main entrance to the facility.

VA spokesperson Donna Simmons said, “We have a confirmed suicide of a 27-year-old veteran and the investigation is ongoing at this time.”

Investigators discovered what they called a suspicious backpack next to Huff's body and made a decision to call in the Bomb Squad. Police said the entire backpack was detonated just to be safe.

Read more: http://www.whiotv.com/news/23169765/detail.html

[saigon68]

1. Police said the entire backpack was detonated just to be safe.

Unreal --- to be SAFE

[paulsby]

5. yes, exactly

and considering the facts and circumstances, entirely reasonable

[RaleighNCDUer]

10. Not at all. Bombers want their bombs to be appreciated -

if he killed himself before detonating his bomb he wouldn't ever know if it worked. You virtually NEVER find a bomb maker who does not want to see the results of his bomb.

Even suicide bombers have the assurance that the bomb works as it kills them.

There is NO psychological basis for thinking that this guy had a bomb in his backpack.

His suicide was his public statement. Having a bomb or booby trapped backpack makes no sense at all once he is dead.

Now, if he'd been killed in a shootout, that would be a different matter entirely.

[Robb]

14. There was still the likelihood of explosives.

Even if it was not meant to be a suicide bomb, it's not unreasonable to assume he might've had a grenade or two in the pack, given events.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Robb]

17. I can, actually.

And I don't think agreeing with the bomb squad's sense of caution besmirches anyone's memory.

[Rapier09]

20. I cordially despise the VA

But given the circumstances what he says is essentially correct.

Committing suicide is a pretty stupid thing to do BTW.

[Cal Carpenter]

2. I wonder

if there was a suicide note in it?

:(

I don't know why that was my first thought.


RIP.

[RaleighNCDUer]

9. Mine, too.

What kind of evidence did they destroy?

[bergie321]

18. That was my first thought

Probably some atrocity he wanted made public.

[JuniperLea]

3. This is what war does, people...

:cry:

I have a son that age... this really freaks me out... this poor kid.

[slay]

6. :(

indeed.. :cry:

[truthisfreedom]

4. Seems like they should add a little technology to the bomb squad equipment.

A brand new device developed at the turn of the last century called an x-ray machine (fluoroscope).

[OhioChick]

7. So sad :( n/t

[CLANG]

8. I can't imagine his parents grief

Not only losing their son, but never knowing if there was some kind of explanation note blown up in that backpack.

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. There was probably not only a note, but also a file full of his medical

records and communications with the VA, which he intended people to find - he killed himself at the VA hospital for a reason.

[Cal Carpenter]

12. The more I think about it the more messed up it sounds

that they blew up the pack.

The dude had an M1, if he wanted to hurt other people he could have done it.

Weird.

[myrna minx]

13. .

:cry:

[unabelladonna]

15. tragic

another casualty of this obscene war.

[tomg]

19. Bring them all home. Treat all our

soldiers and all our resisters with honor. Provide help for the mentally and physically wounded. End it.

"there were no explosives inside. Authorities said it only contained personal items that belonged to Huff."

My deepest sympathy for that young person and his family and for all of us.

[Sadie5]

21. The va is a sick excuse for a hospital

The VA in Indianapolis is filled with Pakistani and Indian Dr's, but most of the nurses are able to translate for them. Want to bet they work cheaper and get to stay in this country. My SIL goes there and there is a 2 week wait for meds and often they are older remedies, no new drugs. At his last appointment the Dr arrived 35 minutes late and had coffee spots on his wrinkled lab coat and dirt around the bottoms of his pant legs, as though he had gone wading in mud puddles. He did not even wash his hands when he entered the room. My SIL was livid when he saw how dirty he looked and filed a formal complaint against him, not that it will go anywhere. He has been going to the VA for over a year now and still gets the run around. A private Dr who waived the office fee and told him he could help if the Va would handle his meds as they are very expensive. They refused and wanted to give him meds that had been proven not to work which is why new ones were invented.Yet they still wanted to use them. The Va in Ft Wayne Indiana was closed down due to dirty instruments and unkempt dirty Dr's. The Techs in the operating room could not even identify the instruments they were using. Nor even knew how to sterilize the utensils. A few have committed suicide at the Indianapolis Va. There was a story in the star not long ago about the 27yo's death told by his wife who blamed the Va for his suicide.This is what Bush has reduced this country to after starting a war and not satisfied with killing them in Iraq, he made medical care impossible so they no longer see a reason to live. My sympathies go out to this young mans family.

[tabasco]

22. I'm very happy with my VA care.

It will only get better now that Obama gave VA tons of money.

[Sadie5]

23. I am happy for you

You must have a better Va near you than most do. My daughter just landed a job with benefits which means he can go to the private doctor again. But not until june when the benefits kick in. Obama has repaired many things Bush messed up.

[coffeenap]

24. There have been people named Huff in Dayton for generations.

The article said almost nothing about the person, the human being who died on the VA's front steps. I hope the follow up coverage does. :(