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FBI Agent Injured by Shotgun Attached to Booby-Trapped Wheelchair in an Oregon Home

posted by martyb on Wednesday October 03 2018, @04:57AM   Printer-friendly
from the that-was-a-wheel-problem dept.

takyon writes:

FBI Agent Shot by Booby-Trapped Wheelchair

The bomb specialists suspected that an Oregon home was booby-trapped. As they entered the front door, they noticed what appeared to be a tripwire. Seconds later, a shot rang out, apparently from a booby-trapped wheelchair. And an FBI bomb special agent was hit in the leg. Sixty-seven-year-old Gregory Lee Rodvelt, the man who used to live at this home in Williams, Ore., has been charged with assaulting a federal officer. And before the highly trained team even entered the house, it encountered a series of traps that are straight out of the adventures of Indiana Jones.

This started on Aug. 22, when a judge in Josephine County appointed attorney Joseph Charter to take possession of the property where Rodvelt resided in order to sell it. According to the criminal complaint, Charter asked authorities from the FBI and Oregon State Police to clear the property. He had reason to think it might be unsafe. Rodvelt had previously been charged with unlawful possession of explosives but was released to attend the property hearing. Several days prior to the judge's order, neighbors had seen Rodvelt at the property. There was another, more direct warning: Charter told the authorities that he spotted a sign "warning that the property was protected by improvised devices."

Also at OregonLive.

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @03:02PM (9 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @03:02PM (#743417)

    Why was the FBI involved at all?

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @03:10PM (6 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @03:10PM (#743423)

    ...A judge in Josephine County appointed attorney Joseph Charter to take possession of the property....

    [Joseph Charter] asked authorities from the FBI and Oregon State Police to clear the property.

    Hope that helps!

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @03:18PM (5 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @03:18PM (#743430)

      I've read that. Just because a lawyer asks the FBI to do something it becomes their jurisdiction? Does that really not seem odd to you?

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:12PM (4 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:12PM (#743532)

        No, it doesn't seem odd to me at all. They needed experts to come in and clear the property, and the FBI has such experts.

        ...Should it seem odd?

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:43PM (3 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:43PM (#743554)

          the FBI has such experts.

          So does the EPOD, USFS, DOC, BIS, OEE, NIST, NMFS, OLE, DOD, DCIS, PFPA, USPPD, DLA, NSA, NGA, SIGAR, CID, ACI, NCIS, AFOSI, OST, HHS, OCI, FPS, USCG, CBP, USBP, AMO, OFO, OCSO, ICE, HSI, ERO, OPR, USSS, TSA, FAMS, HUD, DOI, BLM, BOR, NPS, OSMRE, USFWS, ATF, DEA, BOP, USMS, OPR, DOL, DOS, DSS, DOT, USDT, IRS, USMP, TIGTA, SIGTARP, VA, USCP, AOUSC, EPA OECA, NASA, USPS, SI, NZPP, OSSSO, CFPB, TVA, and local/state police.

          Which agency's job is it to deal with civilian disputes?

          • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:54PM (2 children)

            by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:54PM (#743568)

            Well, maybe you're on to something. The attorney should have called the experts at NASA or the USPS instead.

  • (Score: 2) by cmdrklarg on Wednesday October 03 2018, @08:53PM (1 child)

    by cmdrklarg (5048) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday October 03 2018, @08:53PM (#743665)

    Rodvelt had previously been charged with unlawful possession of explosives

    and

    Charter told the authorities that he spotted a sign "warning that the property was protected by improvised devices."

    Seems not unreasonable to me that the FBI was involved.

    --
    The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.

    • (Score: 3, Informative) by The Mighty Buzzard on Thursday October 04 2018, @04:15AM

      by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Thursday October 04 2018, @04:15AM (#743846) Homepage Journal

      The FBI has no authority to interact in most purely local matters because the entire federal government itself does not have that authority. The FBI derives their authority from Congress and Congress derives their authority from the Constitution. If the Constitution fails to give Congress authority over something that authority defaults to the States or the people and the FBI cannot have derived authority over it. Period.

      That said, it's perfectly acceptable for the FBI to assist state or local law enforcement if they're asked.

      --
      My rights don't end where your fear begins.