Bowling Green State University ScholarWorks@BGSU BG News (Student Newspaper) University Publications 4-20-1993 The BG News April 20, 1993 Bowling Green State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news Recommended Citation Bowling Green State University, "The BG News April 20, 1993" (1993). BG News (Student Newspaper). 5532. https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news/5532 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the University Publications at ScholarWorks@BGSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in BG News (Student Newspaper) by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@BGSU. Weather Today: breezy with Softball sensation Lisa Mountjoy showers & thunderstorms The Big Six: BG's wealthiest pours it on from the pitching and a high in the 50s. private landowners. mound. *ti ><? The BG News Tuesday, April 20,1993 The BG News Volume 75, Issue 139 Koresh compound destroyed by flames by Laura Tolley end to the standoff. Ricks said multiple witnesses spotted said the agency believed no tunnel The fire erupted while television The Associated Press Eight cult members who escaped the cult members setting several fires. system would have allowed people to cameras provided live coverage of an flames are believed by federal officials One person. Ricks said, "was knelt survive the fire. armored vehicle battering a hole into to be the only survivors, but authorities down with his hands cupped, from "It's a bad end and one of the ends we the compound's first story. Moments WACO, Texas - Doomsday cult said they would not know the precise which a flame erupted." feared from the beginning," Killorin before, the mother of one cult member leader David Koresh's apocalyptic pre- death toll until they could search an FBI agents reported seeing a man said. "Obviously, suicide was a concern had voiced her fear in a telephone diction for his followers came true underground maze of passageways. wearing a gas mask and black uniform all along, but the method was different, interview about what might happen. Monday when a raging fire destroyed Justice Department spokesman Carl throw something inside, followed by a unexpected." "It's impossible to know how he the compound where he had held fed- Stern said two survivors were injured fireball. Additionally, Ricks said, a man Attorney General Janet Reno ap- [Koresh] will respond," said Balenda eral agents at bay for 51 days. critically, one had a serious injury and found Monday afternoon in a bunker on proved the assault and informed Presi- Ganem, mother of cult member David As many as 87 members of the three have minor injuries, all including the grounds said lantern fuel had been dent Clinton. The FBI notified the com- Thibodeau. "When you're under great Branch Davidian religious sect, includ- burns. One person taken into custody spread throughout the wooden complex pound's neighbors before daybreak stress and great fear, you rarely re- ing Koresh and 25 children, are be- told authorities that people inside the and that the fire was started simultane- "that it would end today," according to spond responsibly. We hope he will." lieved to have died in the flames, which compound had set the blaze. Stern said. ously in several places. Melanie Felton, a nearby rancher. Thibodeau was one of the eight survi- raced through the wooden buildings in The person said that as he left one of Koresh had warned the FBI in a letter Late in the day, Reno said the FBI's vors. half an hour. Authorities said cult the buildings, "he could hear above him last week that agents would be "de- assault had been carefully planned over Agents in the pre-dawn tear gas as- members set the fire themselves. people saying, 'The fire's been lit, the voured by fire" if they tried to harm several days. She added that she "could sault were met by gunfire, at least 75 to The blaze erupted about 12:05 p.m., fire's been lit,'" Stern said. him. not give the president that assurance" 80 rounds, the FBI said. The agents con- just six hours after FBI agents began "We can only assume it was a massive A maze of tunnels was believed to run that the agents could prevent a mass tinued ripping holes in compound build- using armored vehicles to pound holes loss of life," FBI spokesman Bob Ricks under the complex, but Jack Killorin, a suicide such as the cyanide poisoning ings throughout the morning, and at a in the complex of buildings and spray said in a solemn afternoon news confer- spokesman in Washington for the Bu- that killed 913 people at Jonestown, them with tear gas in a bid to force an reau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Guyana, in 1978. See WACO, page five. Prisoners threaten Faculty help in safety of state policies by Cindy Krogh "There are many ways to contributing writer reach a legislature ear, don't hostages give up," Montgomery said. She said the best time to State Sen. Betty Mont- reach a legislator is during by James Prlchara gomery, R-Perrysburg, en- the summer session when the The Associated Press couraged administrators and person is in his or her own faculty to keep legislators in- district. LUCASVILLE, Ohio - Inmates formed about what is needed The senator said because barricaded in a maximum- in higher education during a the legislative process is security prison for more than a speech on campus Monday. democratic, it Is affected by a week tortured and mutilated a The featured speaker of the diversity of cultures and guard who was killed, and they Third Annual Fayetta Paulsen opinions. Montgomery added threatened to cut off another Lecture added she believes that even though a constitu- guard's hand, newspapers re- the University, her alma ent may disagree with her, it is important to keep the lines ported today. mater, is doing an excellent And the inmates probably job of communicating with of communication open. would kill their remaining five the state legislature. "If you slam the door, the hostages if authorities attempt to "The core in understanding next time you knock, [the leg- end the standoff by force, one of the legislative process and islator] may not open the door," Montgomery said. two guards freed since the upris- the university community lies ing began said. in common sense," Mont- In addition, the senator asked for administrators to That freed guard has blamed gomery said. "You have to remember that legislators are the death of hostage Robert Val- understand the process and landinghan on a prison official the folk who people it." just people. who seemed to dismiss the re- She said a univeristy's ad- After Montgomery gradu- bellious inmates' threats. ministrators are critical re- ated from the University in Officials said the inmates will sources for the legislature. 1970, she received a law de- be allowed to consult with a law- "We need people to tell us gree from the University of yer during negotiations. how [issues] are affecting the Toledo. Montgomery became The siege began April 11 when university," she said. 450 inmates took eight guards Montgomery said because one of four women in the 33-member Ohio Senate in hostage and gained control of a legislators do not have the 1989. The former Wood cellblock at the prison, about 70 time to research every bill, County prosecuting attorney miles south of Columbus. Seven they need to rely on these re- was also the first female inmates have died in addition to sources to determine what county prosecuting attorney the guard. policies are going to be effec- in Ohio. Freed hostage James A. De- tive for higher education. Montgomery said she was mons said any attempt to storm For constituents who want glad to come back to the Uni- the cellblock held by the inmates to make their voices heard, would cost the lives of the re- the senator made several versity. "It is a real pleasure, [espe- maining hostages. suggestions. Montgomery cially] when I don't have to "If they try to storm inside that said the most effective ways to communicate with a mem- look for a parking space." institution, you might as well say The Fayetta Paulsen Lec- they killed those officers," De- ber of legislature are face-to- face communication, a phone ture Series were created in Tht BG Ncwi/TIm N mons told The Columbus Dis- the honor of the former assis- patch in an Interview published call or a personal letter. The least effective ways are form tant vice president of student State Sen. Betty Montgomery, R-Perrysburg, talks to about 40 people at the University Union Monday today. affairs. afternoon. Montgomery was the featured speaker of the Third Annual Fayetta Paulsen Lecture series. Demons, released Friday as letters, petitions and threats. part of negotiations, said inmates have given the hostages food. "But they said, if those guys come in here, we're going to have to kill you,'" Demons said. King decision promotes peace in L.A. The Akron Beacon Journal, quoting a source it did not identi- by Jefl Barnard during a 1991 videotaped beating brought and search buildings. prison and $250,000 in fines. Sentencing fy, reported today that bones In The Associated Press a sense of relief to the city. "I'm looking forward to sleeping in my is scheduled for Aug. 4. Each was freed Vallandingham's ribs, back, arms Churchgoers rejoiced and residents own bed," said 1st Sgt.