A homemade incendiary device was thrown at one of the participants of the 40 Days for Life pro-life prayer vigil at an abortion business in Kalispell, Montana on Thursday night.
The woman walked on the public sidewalk near the abortion business when an unidentified person threw the device — akin to a “Molotov cocktail” — in her direction. The woman did not see either the firebomb nor the assailant it exploded on the sidewalk behind her, making a loud popping noise like a big firecracker as it burst into flame. Fortunately, the woman was not hurt in the incident.
After she regained her composure, the victim called Karen Trierweiler, coordinator of the 40 Days prayer vigils in Kalispell at the All Family Health Care abortion center, over to her.
After a lengthy delay, a Kalispell police officer arrived. However, according to officials with the Thomas More Society, a pro-life legal group that is helping the participants, instead of inspecting the bomb debris or calling evidence technicians to the scene, the officer remarked that police could never get prints or other evidence from the bomb’s remains and said he would call the city’s garbage service to dispose of all the debris.
The officer then said that the 40 Days prayer vigil participants should expect this kind of reaction if they’re protesting at the abortion business. Questioning Officer Hoover’s assessment of the attack, Trierweiler called the Kalispell desk sergeant to complain, where she was unable to get further assistance.
Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Society says his group has filed a formal complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Field Office in Helena, Montana. The organization is for an immediate, intensive investigation of what it calls a “vicious” attack.
“We are appalled by this terrible act of violence, while we’re immensely grateful that God’s grace spared this valiant pro-lifer any serious injury,” he told LifeNews.com this afternoon. “But the reaction of Kalispell police officers after Ms. Trierweiler called them to the scene was equally appalling, indeed outrageous.”
“We intend to file disciplinary complaints against both the officer who came to the crime scene and the desk sergeant whose tepid, indifferent, and grossly unprofessional response to this blatant act of domestic terrorism shows them both unfit to wear a police uniform and at best deserving of severe disciplinary action. We expect much better from the FBI and we will pursue the matter to the very highest levels of the U.S. Department of Justice if this case is not investigated promptly and vigorously and — once the assailant is identified and apprehended — prosecuted to the hilt,” he continued.
Trierweiler also reported that an eyewitness has stepped forward, who was not part of the 40 Days campaign but was a passerby and who the incident occur and may be able to help the FBI track down the bomb thrower and bring him to justice.
