Gunman Kills Hostage, Self At NASA

One Wounded As Hostage Drama Ends At Johnson Space Center In Houston

(CBS/AP)  A NASA contract worker took a handgun inside an office building Friday at the Johnson Space Center and fatally shot a hostage before killing himself, police said. A second hostage escaped with minor injuries.

"All of us at NASA are profoundly saddened by today's tragedy at the Johnson Space Center in Houston," NASA administrator Michael Griffin said in a written statement. "Our hearts go out to the families of the victims and all those touched by today's events."

The gunman was able to take a snub-nosed revolver past NASA security and barricade himself in the building, which houses communications and tracking systems for the space shuttle.

NASA spokesman Doug Peterson said the agency would review its security.

"Any organization would take a good, hard look at the kind of review process we have with people," Peterson said.

To enter the space center, workers flash an ID badge as they drive past a security guard. The badge allows workers access to designated buildings.

NASA and police identified the gunman as 60-year-old William Phillips. He apparently had a dispute with the slain man, Police Chief Harold Hurtt said without elaborating.

NASA identified the slain man as David Beverly, a 62-year-old NASA worker. Beverly was shot in the chest and was probably killed "in the early minutes of the whole ordeal," police said.

Beverly's wife, Linda, said her husband of 41 years was an electrical parts specialist who felt working at NASA was his calling.

"His intellect and his knowledge, David really felt he was contributor," she said.

Her husband had mentioned Phillips before, but she declined to say in what regard. Linda Beverly said it wouldn't be fair to Phillips.

The second hostage, identified by NASA as Fran Crenshaw, a contract worker with MRI Technologies, escaped after being bound to a chair with duct tape. She worked in the same general area and was presumably taken hostage after Beverly was shot, Hurtt said.

"She was very courageous, a calming influence in this whole issue and apparently was a very positive relationship between her and the suspect because he at no time that we know of threatened to do injury to her," Hurtt said.

Phillips, an employee of Jacobs Engineering of Pasadena, Calif., had worked for NASA for 12 to 13 years and "up until recently, he has been a good employee," Coats said.

He was unmarried, had no children and apparently lived alone.

The shooter left telephone numbers and names of people to contact and wrote a note on a dry erase board in the room, police said.

"I don't recall what was on it," Hurtt said.

During the confrontation, NASA employees in the building were evacuated and others were ordered to remain in their offices for several hours. Roads within the 1,600-acre space center campus were also blocked off, and a nearby middle school kept its teachers and students inside as classes ended. Doors to Mission Control were locked as standard procedure.

A source inside JSC told CBS station KHOU that a meeting was under way in a conference room when the gunman walked in and pointed a gun at one person. He ordered everyone else out.

The gunman shot himself once in the head more than three hours after the standoff began, police said. Initial reports indicated two shots were fired at about 1:40 p.m. and another shot was heard about 5 p.m.

Police said the gun used was a revolver purchased on March 18 at a local gun shop.

Jacobs Engineering provides engineering for the international space station, space shuttle and other spacecraft programs, and conducts research and development for new technology. In 2005, the company received a five-year contract with the space center worth up to $1.15 billion.

[xpozrap]

NASA is clearly a very diseased intitution. These supposedly "secure mentally healthy top of their game brilliant" people are NOT stable, they are NOT working in a healthy professional environment. That this and the other attempted murder by an astroNUT (stemming from illicit affairs within NASA) have bubbled to the surface is merely the tip of a huge iceberg. There is something VERY WRONG. Two shuttle missions have blown to bits killing 14 in 20 years...maybe not everyone is paying attention of doing quality work at NASA, they are focusing on their psychotic little secret worlds.

[down-ndirty]

"If Phillips was a contract worker, he was not a NASA employee and should not have received a performance review, so obviously NASA is playing payroll games. If Phillips was really a contract worker and was that worried about his contract not being renewed, he simply had to go back to his employment agency and have them find him another job before the ax fell." Posted by gmond at 03:27 PM : Apr 21, 2007

Your comment makes it obvious you don't have a clue, gmond. NASA, or any other employer, has every right to review its employees, including "contract services" employees. Jacobs Engineering provides long term engineering services. When these people don't perform, they are usually "canned," as they should be.

Too bad violent nut cases can't be "weeded out" before it's too late.

[joanpz]

Guess things aren't as ROSY in this generation as in the last two - FIND OUT HOW MANY CONTRACTORS in many CORPORATIONS are LEARNING THAT THEY ARE SUDDENLY BEING "LET GO" - STRESS OF THIS TROUBLED WORLD is MAKING THE DIFFERENCE!
Outsourcing, not ability is the beginning of the end...

[feelfree1]

Re: "Gunman Kills Hostage, Self At NASA"

Yet another graduate of the George Bush (the lesser) school of problem solving.

[mikealford3]

What a lovely time to be a NASA employee. Must be something in that anti-gravity stuff. One day an astronut drives from Texas to Florida to kill her lover's lover and within a few months a poorly performing employee kills himself and some others in Texas. Must be the sun spots getting to them.

[gmond]

If Phillips was a contract worker, he was not a NASA employee and should not have received a performance review, so obviously NASA is playing payroll games. If Phillips was really a contract worker and was that worried about his contract not being renewed, he simply had to go back to his employment agency and have them find him another job before the ax fell. If NASA is playing games with federal and state definitions for an "employee", then NASA is doubly to blame for this tragedy, first for lax security and second for using contractors as employees just to avoid payroll taxes.

[randalds]

RandalDS, you said

How much good will your shotgun or my guns be against mortar shells or bombing runs?

Personally I don't have a beef with out goverment, but I do have to point that you are dumb. Poor Iraqies with basic weapons are handing us our butts right now with the use of simple guns, dispite our using the most advanced weapons on the face of the planet.
Posted by kindrox at 08:13 AM : Apr 21, 2007

Actually if you read the post more closely you'll see that I did NOT say that, but was responding to another poster. I'm the one who said a shotgun was better then no gun at all. It was toldyouso that said it wouldn't be of any use.

[zootallures2]

How do you people have thoughts and prayers with no brains and no hearts?

You are fakes, charlatans, swindlers, creeps....

You have no honor, pride, patrotism, cohesiveness. Look at the facts on the ground not your fantacy media world.

There is no United States. Just Everyone for Themselves Land.

[zootallures2]

How could guns or gun laws be the problem?

Never in the history of NASA did this kind of sh*t happen. Not even in the wild west or during the Bonne and Clyde days did anyone shoot up schools.

You people are massively f**ked up!

You are evil, you are bad, you are horrible people and you refuse admit it. So, why bother with analysis and laws? The answer is, change your ways or don't be shocked or sorry this sh*t happens. You aren't fooling anyone.

[gramto7]

"While most people think of us as focused on firearms, ..."
Sandy Froman, NRA President
http://www.nra.org

The reason "most people think of us as focused on firearms" is because the name of the organization is National RIFLE Association of America. Ya think that has something to do with it?

[gramto7]

"I do believe, however, that more gun control is NOT the answer. Arresting, convicting, and imprisoning criminals is the answer." Posted by gramto11
-----------------

"It's a proven fact that punishment does NOT deter crime. It only deters the criminals who are incarcerated--until they get out." posted by down-ndirty
------

It is that "until they get out" part that bothers me. Most of them get out long before they are supposed to, and are not given long sentences or are not given the appropriate death sentence to start with. These violent offenders are the ones who should under no circumstances be let out early. Instead, people who have one marijuana joint are being imprisoned for extended periods, and the violent ones are let out to make room for them.

[gunownerdan]

NRA: The Largest Civil-Rights Group Ever!

"The NRA is committed to constitutional rights. While most people think of us as focused on firearms, we are rather more focused on freedom. Yes, we concentrate on the Second Amendment, but the Second Amendment is about liberty. It's an insurance policy for all of your constitutional rights. The purpose of the Second Amendment is to make sure that you have the ability to protect your life, liberty and property, and those of your loved ones, against any who would try to take them from you. That includes your freedom to speak, worship, protest and vote. It includes the things you hold most dear."
Sandy Froman, NRA President
http://www.nra.org
http://www.nraila.org

"The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed and that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of press."
- Thomas Jefferson

[kindrox]

RandalDS, you said

How much good will your shotgun or my guns be against mortar shells or bombing runs?

Personally I don't have a beef with out goverment, but I do have to point that you are dumb. Poor Iraqies with basic weapons are handing us our butts right now with the use of simple guns, dispite our using the most advanced weapons on the face of the planet.

[butch461-2009]

Criminals do not use legal weapons that can be traced back to them,so tighter laws won't help.The VA and NASA guys are mental cases,that slipped passed Doctors,family and everyone else,which is sad for everyone,and I asure you they,did and anyone in the future will get their guns when they want them without any trouble and no laws will stop them.

[fascistusa]

All you need to know about Modern Fascist America and our Future can be summed up with 3 movies:

Falling Down (1993)

Fight Club (1999)

and

V For Vendetta (2006)

We are in for one hell of a bloody REVOLUTION.

Thank GOD.

[seezero]

After seeing this story and the other one involving the astronaut/stalker, I fell the NASA program should be terminated. Now some people may accuse me of breaking one or more rules of logic but I still think I'm right. I think the money spent on NASA should be spent on something more worthwhile instead.

[down-ndirty]

"I do believe, however, that more gun control is NOT the answer. Arresting, convicting, and imprisoning criminals is the answer." Posted by gramto11
-----------------

It's a proven fact that punishment does NOT deter crime. It only deters the criminals who are incarcerated--until they get out.

It is also a fact that common criminals do NOT like to mess with civilians who own guns. Criminals have a tendency to avoid occupied premises out of fear the occupants may have a weapon. Far more criminals are killed in self defense by civilians than in the line of duty by police.

See my previous posts and check out the journal link I posted at 12:50 this AM.

[down-ndirty]

"...but even more dangerous to the American people. They are so far to the right that fascism is just around the corner and I want to be armed when they turn that corner, because I and others need to be ready to stop them."
Posted by RandalDS at 01:31 AM : Apr 21, 2007

That's pretty dammn scary, isn't it. Major disasters are my main concern. Look what happened in New Orleans--lot's of looting. We have lots of earthquakes, and if we ever had a major hit, the looters would be out in force.

I have some old antique guns, but I also have some that will hurt. My Dad's 30-30 carbine; not much good for hunting but good for protection at 300-yards or less. A semi-automatic MAK-90 (sporterized AK-47) with two (legal) 30-round clips. A couple 9mm Barettas for home protection.

In spite of owning semi-automatics, I question the necessity of anyone owning them. But, they are legal and I will keep them until absolutely forced to turn them in. At my age I don't think I'll have to worry about that.

[gramto7]

I am a 51-year-old grandma who has in times past had to use a gun in defense of my home. (Thankfully I no longer live in the same area, and no longer feel the need to continually be armed to the teeth.)

My weapon is now taken apart and hidden in the attic, as I have two little grandsons who just love to find out how things work. My attic is not one easily accessible. It requires carrying a ladder into my bedroom, which neither of them is big enough to do.

In spite of the above, I detest the NRA. Their attitudes are the among the most selfish of any in America, just like good ol' Duhbya. They will denigrate and harass anyone who does not agree totally with everything they say. I do not believe for one minute that anyone needs to have fully automatic assault rifles or fully automatic any type of gun, but if NRA had their way they would be allowed even those.

I do believe, however, that more gun control is NOT the answer. Arresting, convicting, and imprisoning criminals is the answer. If the crime is heinous enough, then the death penalty should be invoked, without having to wait 30 or more years. Granted the evidence needs to be absolute, as in DNA, but then the punishment needs to be swift.

[down-ndirty]

"You can point to the odd story of the clerk that shoots the armed robber or the victim turned champion for shooting their assailant, but it's a lot easier for me to point to the Department of Justice Fact Sheet that shows over 30,000 gun-related homicides and 400,000+ gun-related crimes committed in this country EACH YEAR." Posted by pixelslinger at 11:44 PM : Apr 20, 2007
---------------
What's your source, pixelslinger?

Based on the Bureau of Justice Statistics, your numbers are grossly inflated.

The TOTAL homicide rate in 2004 was 5.5 per 100,000 population. That's death by guns, knives, baseball bats, strangulations, etc.

Doing the math results in less than 16,582 total deaths by homicide in 2004.

My source is the Bureau of Justice Statistics at
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/tables/totalstab.htm

Also read my other posts below, all based on reputable sources.

What's your source, pixelslinger?