Houston man faces federal charges for trying to blow up Confederate monument

By Jennifer Cruz

The Dick Dowling Confederate monument pays tribute to Richard William Dowling, who served in the Jefferson Guards and hailed as a war hero in Houston. (Photo: Houston Parks and Recreation)
A criminal complaint filed in federal court Monday accuses a 25-year-old man of attempting to blow up a Confederate monument in Houston’s Hermann Park last week.
Andrew Schneck faces charges of attempting to maliciously damage property receiving federal financial assistance, the Justice Department announced in a press release. The case is being handled in federal court because the park receives financial assistance from the federal government.
The criminal complaint alleges that a park ranger noticed Schneck Saturday evening kneeling near the Dick Dowling Confederate monument. According to the City of Houston website, Dowling, who served in the Jefferson Davis Guards, “was hailed as a war hero in Houston.”
At the time of the incident, Schneck was holding two small boxes. The ranger observed what appeared to be duct tape, wires and a timer.
As the ranger approached, Schneck placed the boxes on the ground and took a clear plastic bottle containing a liquid out of one of the boxes. Schneck took a drink of the liquid, but immediately spit it out, then poured the

Source: Guns.com