VLBA facility and vehicles damaged on Mauna Kea

[TomK]

"Attacker Damages Radio Telescope Site on Mauna Kea"

https://public.nrao.edu/news/announcemen...scope-site

[PaulW]

https://local.nixle.com/alert/5615887/

[Chunkster]

I love the fact that the report was filed by Captain Richard Sherlock.

[opihikao]

Chunkster, lol...

More at Big Island Video News:

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2016/0...ine-array/

I heard this whole thing go down on the scanner, and this guy is very fortunate he didn't fight (alot) the police and one Sheriff, who subdued him alone until police got there. He was out of his cotton pickin' mind! Truly warrants a mental health check.

WTH is going on here on our island?!?!! Too much.

JMO.

[TomK]

Opihikao - do you mean MK ranger/s rather than sheriff? I'm not sure of all details right now, but the initial responders were the MK rangers. Although restraining people is not really in their job description, some of them are ex-police officers and/or ex-military, so can handle themselves. If they were the ones that restrained the guy until the police turned up, well done to them.

Two VLBA technicians had to barricade themselves in the VLBA building and were apparently pretty shaken up, but fortunately unhurt. This appears to be a pretty nasty incident with a lot of damage and a guy trying to smash his way through the facility's front door.

[opihikao]

The scanner stated "Sheriff", Mr. Tom. He took this man into custody by himself, and waited for the police. It was stated the man was trying to get into the facility using a hammer, trying to break the door down. The initial call was a vehicle accident.

What a horrendous experience. The medics supposedly checked on the "victims" (again, per the scanner), with no injuries. So thankful the staff is physically unharmed, but the experience must be nothing short of hair raising, Sir. My God!

JMO.

[TomK]

Thanks, Opihikao. I suspect it was a ranger rather than sheriff (what was a sheriff doing up there?) and it was a miscommunication by the dispatcher, but will update the thread if and when I get more details.

[kalakoa]

How "ironic" that this story runs alongside the latest burning question from lawmakers:

http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/news...le-driving

[Guest]

Here is a rather rare and well written article with plenty of details from our very own non-bias hilo tribune herald.

http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/loc...er-ramming

Apparently the nightmare ordeal lasted for an hour in a half before authorities showed up. http://kauaieclectic.blogspot.com/2016/0...kooky.html.

Quite disturbing and A shining type of experience atop Maunakea would certainly frighten me too, only the scariest movie ever made,jmo.
Gosh, here at first, I thought or was hoping someone may have just gotten temporarily lost up there(thin air and all) and was just trying to get home using that road.

[TomK]

Opihikao,

Latest is the ranger had to retreat as the guy was acting so violently, so it does seem the police/sheriff were the first to restrain the guy.

Those of us who work on the mountain are well aware emergency responders won't get there for an hour or two, but until now that has only involved medical emergencies (and the occasional nutcase, but nothing as violent as yesterday's incident). Not a guy ramming his truck through the front door of a facility forcing staff to barricade themselves into another room while the guy tries to smash his way in there with whatever heavy object he could find; hammers, fire extinguishers or large rocks. People could have been killed.

This might be a bit of a game-changer when it comes to security and access to the summit area, and all down to one very violent individual.