Additional reports are coming in regarding the victim of Joe Stack’s terrorist attack on the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) office in Austin, Texas. Austin’s Joe Stack crashed his plane into a federal building on February 18, 2010, killing himself and 67-year-old IRS worker Vernon Hunter.
February 18 Attack on Austin, Texas IRS Building
The murdered IRS worker, Vernon Hunter, was described by a neighbor as “proud Vietnam Vet and a great neighbor,” as well as a “real tender guy.”
IRS's Vernon Hunter - Murdered in Austin, Texas Terrorist Attack on IRS Office (Photo: American Statesman)
The American Statesman also reports: “police delivered Hunter’s Chevy Silverado truck, emblazoned with Vietnam Veteran and POW MIA emblems, to the home. Hunter served in Vietnam and often spoke of his time during the war, neighbors said.”
“Robert Foster, who has lived near Hunter for about 10 years, said that he knew Hunter was a veteran and wanted to honor him with his American flag. ‘Out of respect to him, when I came out this morning, I put my flag out,’ Foster said. ‘You could talk to him about anything. He always had a smile.’
Vernon Hunter, Murdered in Austin Terrorist Attack, Vietnam Veteran
“He was known to friends, co-workers and relatives as the one who gave. Hunter is also described as a devout Christian and father of six grown children who loved his white cowboy hat. At Greater Mount Zion Baptist Church in East Austin, where Hunter served as a lead usher, news of the tragedy weighed heavily.”
“‘We’re devastated,’ said Brian Balque, facilities manager at the church.”
“Balque said that Hunter had set up the church’s tax ministry, helping members and local residents with their taxes. ‘He had a servant’s heart,’ Balque said. ‘He represented what we stand for as a church, a kind word and a warm spirit.'”
“Balque said Hunter’s wife, who also works at the same IRS building and was there when the plane struck, called the church in the minutes afterward asking for prayers for her husband.”
Hunter Vernon Family Photograph
Vernon Hunter’s son, Ken Hunter, called his dad “a hero,” and said that he was someone who helped someone with their problems.
Ken Hunter says his dad helped people with their tax problems and was a "hero" (Photo: KENS 5 News)
KENS 5 News reports that: “Ken calls his father a real American patriot; a man who decided to serve his country as a soldier, putting his life in danger to defend freedom at a time when other men his age were dodging the draft.”
“In the same breath, Ken calls his father’s attacker, Joe Stack, a coward.”
“Ken has read posts on-line calling Stack a ‘hero’ who ‘struck a blow against the government.’ He knows of the sites set up on web pages like Facebook.com where people have memorialized Stack and written tributes to him.”
“Ken sees no honor in what Stack did.”
“He sees no honor in a man trying to burn down his own home…. He sees no honor in a man who can’t pay his taxes but owns a plane, deciding to fly that plane into a building in an effort to claim innocent lives.”
“He sees no honor in anything that Joseph Stack did on Thursday.”
“All he sees now is a life cut short. The life of a retired Vietnam veteran and grandfather who will never see his six grandchildren grow up.”
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R.E.A.L. urges all Americans to Choose Love, Not Hate. Love Wins.
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Reports:
February 19, 2010 – Austin American-Statesman: “Family, friends gather at home of missing man”
February 19, 2010 – KVUE: Gov’t worker believed dead after crash
February 19, 2010 – News 8: Family, friends wait for news of missing IRS employee
February 19, 2010 – KENS 5 News: Victim’s son calls Austin pilot a coward