The St. Edward’s Professional Education Center resumed business as scheduled on Monday after a man intentionally crashed his aircraft into the Echelon I Building located nearby on the morning of Feb 18.

The seven-story building, located in Northwest Austin off N. Mo-Pac Expressway and U.S.-183, was engulfed in flames for several hours after the crash. The building housed several federal government offices, including the Internal Revenue Service.

Although the PEC building was not affected, law enforcement closed off and monitored the PEC parking lot during the incident, according a statement published on the homepage of the St. Edward’s University Web site.

Ninety-eight people at the PEC—62 corporate students, 18 St. Edward’s students, 11 administrators, six contract instructors and one St. Edward’s instructor—were evacuated due to the building’s proximity to the Echelon I building, according to Mischelle Diaz, director of communications.at the marketing office. The PEC hosts classes for graduate students and for employees of various companies.

Students and staff were told to expect highly controlled and monitored access to the parking lot at the PEC upon reopening.

Stefanie Jaeger, a former St. Edward’s student, witnessed the aircraft crash into the building.

“I was driving to school and saw a plane coming kind of fast and low,” said Jaeger. “It crashed into the building around 10 a.m. [Traffic] stopped. I saw a big explosion and a huge fire went up. The plane looked like it was heading right for the building.”

Other witnesses reported no smoke or other apparent problems with the aircraft and said the plane appeared to be in control.

Two deaths resulted from the plane crash and subsequent fire. The pilot, Joseph Andrew Stack III, died of blunt force injuries, according to Sarah Scott, chief administrative officer for the Travis County medical examiner’s office. Vernon Hunter, 68, died of “conflagration injuries,” Scott said. Hunter was an IRS employee and Vietnam War veteran whose wife also worked in the building.

Stack published a six-page letter on his Web site on day of the crash, chronicling his motives for the crash and criticized the corporate greed of the IRS for his financial situation.

Authorities believe Stack was aiming to retaliate against the IRS. Erik Vasys, an FBI spokesman for the case, said the investigation is still active, and the FBI is unable to provide any further details.

Stack’s adult daughter, Samantha Bell, defended Stack’s anti-government action to ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Monday. Although she admitted that Stack’s actions were inappropriate, she called her father a hero.

“If nobody comes out and speaks up on behalf of injustice, then nothing will ever be accomplished,” said Bell. “But I do not agree with his last action with what he did. But I do agree about the government.”

Stack’s wife also released a statement through a family spokesperson on Friday.

“Words cannot adequately express my sorrow or sympathy I feel for everyone affected by this unimaginable tragedy,” Stack’s wife said. “I want to thank my friends, family, colleagues and neighbors as well as members of my church and others for their expressions of kindness in our time of grief.”

 

 

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