The Texas Observer

Monday morning around 1 a.m. a single gunshot from a passing car nearly killed a DJ working at the radio station KPFT 90.1 in Houston. KPFT is a local public radio station, fueled mostly by volunteers, that prides itself on eclectic, progressive programming. (The station does a weekly segment with Observer editors and writers.) It’s a member of the Pacifica Radio Network, a nationwide collection of stations committed to creating “independent, noncommercial radio in the service of peace, social and racial justice, and the arts,” according to the site’s About page.

At the time of the drive-by shooting, Mary Thomas and John Orr were hosting the show “Zydeco Pas Sale.” Orr was letting visitors into the station (which is run out of a converted home) through the front door a few feet to the right of where the bullet entered the control room. The bullet went through two plates of glass and lodged in a door on the opposite wall. It missed Thomas, who was sitting at the controls, by less than two feet.

Program director Ernesto Aguilar’s station blog is the go-to source for the latest information. Initial coverage of the shooting begins with this post, and Aguilar has at least a dozen follow-ups. We talked to him this afternoon, and he said there are still no solid leads in the case. They have recovered the bullet and * shell casing. Witnesses say the shot came from a white, four-door car driving slowly by the station, which is located in the quiet Montrose neighborhood, leading authorities to suspect the station was targeted intentionally. Aguilar said KPFT and Crime Stoppers will likely work together to seek more information.

The station held an employee meeting today to discuss immediate changes in security policy. Aguilar said the security around the station had perhaps become a bit “laissez-faire” and there was a need to “reemphasize this is serious business.” Tomorrow KPFT will hold a press conference and kick off a fundraising drive to pay for repairs — expected to cost several thousand dollars — and to upgrade video surveillance equipment. Aguilar said he’s received several calls from people who told him they don’t agree with a single thing the station broadcasts, but they’re sickened by efforts to intimidate discussion and want to help out. For now, those who want to donate online can go here.

Sadly, the station is no stranger to violence. Shortly after it went on the air in 1970, its broadcast towers were bombed twice within the first year. A member of the Ku Klux Klan was eventually convicted of the bombings. Two years ago, a group of youngsters hurled bricks at the station’s windows. And last year a mentally troubled listener arrived at the station with a shotgun, accusing KPFT’s technology program of having been co-opted by Microsoft. Police* Witnesses arrived and diffused the situation without incident.

The gunshot represents an escalation, though, Aguilar said. It has left employees shaken, but reaffirmed “certainly a very deep commitment to what we do,” he said.

The lack of leads is due in part to the station’s variety of programming. Shows range from gay and lesbian programming each week, to Spanish-language broadcasts, to a show hosted by the Southwest Regional Rep. of the Nation of Islam, all of which could raise ire in conservative Houston. At the same time, Aguilar said, in recent years a small, dedicated group has vehemently criticized the station for not being far enough to the left. And there’s always the chance that this was simply a random act of violence with no political motive.

But Aguilar, who as program director handles all complaints from listeners, is concerned by a steady escalation toward violence. “We live in a very angry time,” he said.

Photo courtesy of Ernesto Aguilar.

* Two quick corrections, per Ernesto in comments: The bullet has not been recovered yet, and witnesses, not police, difused the situation last year.

by Matthew C. Wright

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 14th, 2007 at 7:56 pm and is filed under Criminal Justice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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