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APD explores doctor's office case By Myles Murphy and Troy Heie Ashland Daily Tidings Police are awaiting test results on a noxious substance introduced into the air at an Ashland medical office where abortions are performed. The incident has raised concerns that abortion opponents targeted the office, though no immediate connection has been determined, law enforcement officials said. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the FBI are aware of the case, spokespersons for both groups said this week. "We're very concerned about what occurred up there," Ashland Interim Police Rich Walsh said. "But the bottom line is before we get everyone excited (about the possibility of an anti-abortion-related attack), we need to have the substance tested." The incident occurred prior to 9 a.m. June 19 at 125 Maple St., and was initially reported as a "noxious odor," according to Ashland police reports. Employees at the medical office described the odor of rotten eggs, the signature trace of a chemical used in other incidents at clinics where abortions are performed. In some cases, the use of butyric acid can cause explosions. Ashland Fire and Rescue crews were called in to conduct air sampling inside the building, but no health threat was found. There were no injuries, according to Ashland Fire Chief Keith Woodley. Police also arrived, according to an APD crime log from June 19. Police and fire crews were on scene for an hour and a half, but an incident report was not filed, APD records show. "The officer at the time didn't determine a criminal aspect to this," Walsh said. That changed Saturday, when a damaged air vent was discovered at the building. "We found an exterior vent and some type of substance was poured into the vent," Walsh said. "We took swabs of the chemical, we have taken latent (finger) prints and we're going to determine whether or not they belong to somebody who can be identified." The samples have been sent to the Oregon State Police crime lab. Walsh said he is unsure when the results will come back. However, the distinctive rotten egg odor, the manner in which is was apparently introduced, and the fact that the medical office is one of several practices that performs abortions in the city concerns employees and local authorities. Kirk Gooding, a physician at the multi-service practice, said the office has been targeted by burglars before, but he said he felt those incidents were not related to the abortion issue. "I don't think there was a connection," he said. Last week's incident is a different matter, he said. According to Gooding, he talked to several colleagues who have an understanding of abortion opponent tactics, and he wonders whether last Thursday's episode was, in fact, an attack on the doctor's office. While he remains highly concerned about future occurrences, Gooding said he is doubtful butyric acid is the chemical in question. He said colleagues told him butyric acid stamps an odor on anything it touches, and it doesn't go away. "There wasn't any remnant of (the odor) on Saturday," he noted. There were no threats made to the office prior to the incident, Gooding said, but the case has garnered the attention of ATF officials because clinics across the nation where abortions are performed have reported similar events over the past decade. "I do know the ATF was contacted because of the possibility (the incident is related to more violent attacks)," Walsh said. "If it turns out to be something that is occurring at a national level, then it's obviously a major concern." ATF officials have not opened an official investigation, but are keeping an ear to the ground. "We just got kind of an intelligence heads-up from the fire department down there," ATF spokesman John McMahon said in a telephone interview from Portland. "Since no arson or explosion occurred, we have no jurisdiction. We are obviously aware this took place and this site has drawn attention with some people." The FBI is also in the loop on the investigation, but would give no additional information. "We are aware of the incident - that's the extent of what I can say," FBI spokeswoman Beth Anne Steele said in a phone interview from Portland. In 1992, the Catalina Medical Center in Ashland that performed abortions was firebombed. Shelly Shannon of Grants Pass was convicted in that case. She also pleaded guilty to a number of other firebombings of Planned Parent hood offices and the 1993 shooting of a physician. She was sentenced to 11 years in prison for the shooting, and another 20 years for the firebomb attacks. Shannon remains in a Texas prison. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -