Saturday, November 03, 2007

Ex-Homeowner Lobs Molotov Cocktails At Cops Before Taking His Own Life; Refused To Vacate Home Lost In Foreclosure

In Houston, Texas, the Houston Chronicle reports:
  • A 12-hour standoff ended [last week] with a north Houston man lobbing Molotov cocktails at Houston Police before taking his own life rather than vacate a home he'd lost to foreclosure. James Hahn, a chemist, had told police he would not be taken from the home alive, said Capt. Bruce Williams, an HPD spokesman. "'You know what I do for a living and you know what I am capable of,'" said Williams, recalling one of the conversations police had with the man on Wednesday.

  • It would appear that Hahn had prepared for the standoff. He had nailed plywood over windows and doors and stuffed insulation into cracks. A cache of weapons and explosive devices were found in the home, along with a gas mask, chemical suit similar to those worn by Haz-Mat crew members. Williams said it explained why Hahn didn't vacate the house after police shot tear gas into the residence on three separate occasions in the hopes of bringing the standoff to an end. Williams said Hahn was recently divorced, depressed and struggled with financial problems and drug addiction.

For more, see Lengthy standoff ends in Spring with man's suicide (if link expires, try here).

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