Laguardia Fake Bomb Suspect's Mom: "He's Not A Kook"

The mother of the man accused of essentially shutting down LaGuardia Airport Saturday morning with his fake bomb spoke to the Daily News. Margie Jones said her 32-year-old son Scott McGann has catatonic schizophrenia, which the News says "leaves victims in a psychotic state where they're unable to speak, respond or even move." She added, "He's a not a kook.

Jones had sent McGann, who has apparently been living on the streets of Manhattan from the past year, a ticket to fly home to California. However, when he arrived at the airport on Saturday, he did not have ID and seem spaced out and/or intoxicated, which concerned a United ticket agent who then alerted the Port Authority cops. The cops tackled him because McGann appeared to press a red detonator button on what was eventually found to be a fake bomb device. The airport's terminal was evacuated for hours, with passengers waiting outside and then waiting to catch another flight.

McGann, who faces a number of charges including first-degree placing a false bomb and making a terrorist threat, was moved to Bellevue Hospital for his psych exam. The Post's sources say, "He understands being in a hospital because he knows he does have problems, but the situation in the court and the cops and correctional officers ordering him about are confusing him... He doesn't believe he committed a crime." He was previously hospitalized there—after a June incident where he ran into Criminal Court and grabbed papers from a lawyer—and a source said, "He was a pain in the ass."

Other say that McGann, who also worked as a computer/technology consultant, was nice. A used bookseller in Union Square said, "He was a friendly guy who worked a lot with skateboarders. He didn't seem like the type of guy to do something like this," while another said McGann made scrap metal sculptures, "There was some spirituality he found in his art. He was very calm, very friendly, and smiled."

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By Jen Chung in News on August 3, 2009 2:31 PM

Comments [rss]

jaycjay

From NY1:

Police say he carried a bag full of batteries and wires that looked like a bomb into the airport. When asked for identification, investigators say McGann began to sweat and repeatedly pressed a red trigger button that was attached to a wire in his backpack.

Groundless speculation: I kind of wonder if this was a "suicide by cop" attempt. I mean, what was the goal here? Pressing that button obviously wasn't going to do anything, but maybe he was expecting to be taken as a suicide bomber and to be taken out more forcefully than just the tackle that was used.

Gnomie

It's possible he actually believed he had constructed and was carrying a fully functional bomb. Delusions are scary stuff.

fruitstand

I thought he looked like Malkmus

robingee

Yeah, he does.

snickerdoodle

Sad to say, schizophrenics are indeed "kooks" and many of them can be downright dangerous to other people. Don't listen to the "mentally ill people are not dangerous" B.S. propaganda from the so-called advocates. Would you want a guy like him standing behind you on the subway platform as a train approaches? No f'ng way.

I can't think of a more debilitating mental illness than schizophrenia.

robingee

Will Forte?

razzledazzle

Gnomie and SonnyBobiche, you must be soul mates.

SonnyBobiche

"He's not a kook."

Depends on what your definition of "kook" is.

I think that carrying a fake bomb to an airport qualifies as kooky.

Gnomie

Out of curiosity, how would the suspect's mom define "kook"? Because I think kook is a pretty charitable term for someone who takes a fake bomb to the airport

Polite New Yorker

He should be sentenced to spend some quality time with people who had their flights canceled because of his antics.

NannyState

I think he'll be sentenced to 20 milligrams of Stellezine.

militza

aside from the crazed look in his eyes, he's not half bad looking.

maevemealone

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2009/08/scott_mcgann.html?mid=daily-intel--20090803 Once he's released, he's the city's newest most eligible bachelor.

militza

well then, I can't wait that long!

*catches closest downtown train to Bellevue*

S.D.

Actually, I'm reminded of the actor Garret Dillahunt...

S.D.

"The cops tackled him because McGann appeared to press a red detonator button on what was eventually found to be a fake bomb device."???

Wow, he's lucky he was only tackled!

IMO: If all this is due to his sickness, he should be helped, not charged.