“Reports coming in all morning of an attack on the offices of famed physician and TV personality Dr. Quest, whose holistic wellness laboratories are located in central Florida, just outside Highland City, south of Lakeland. No word yet on the reason for the attack, but multiple eyewitness reports confirm that a man dressed in black combat gear entered the compound at around 9:17 Eastern time this morning. Three people are confirmed dead and several others are seriously wounded. Two of the deceased were security guards. Their names are being withheld by the authorities to protect their families. The third fatality was a research assistant, Alicia Remore, who was hiding with others in a secure lab on the fourth floor of the main building. The head of her lab, Dr. Priya Sagar, was taken hostage and then kidnapped. Polk County Sheriff Randy Everidge had this to say at a press conference this morning:”
After failing to stop the intruder at the front of the building, private security did their best to protect Dr. Quest, who was the presumed target. They escorted Dr. Quest, who was not harmed, out the rear of the building, at which time they were told not to engage the suspect and to wait for police—When officers arrived, they conducted a brief assessment and were able to confirm that the suspect had at least one high-powered rifle—SWAT was called—Officers’ main responsibility was to prevent the situation from spreading or escalating. They were ordered not to enter the building—The suspect exited with a hostage just before 9:30, and officers gave chase—Our primary objective is always preservation of life, which is why officers did not engage. The suspect was tailed but subsequently lost, we believe after changing vehicles, which suggests this was a premeditated, well-planned attack.
“After being treated for minor injuries at a local hospital, Dr. Quest gave a short statement to the press from the parking lot:”
This was a craven, cowardly attack on the good people of Quest Wellness, and our hearts and souls go out to the families of the deceased, and to Dr. Sagar, who we hope will be returned safely very soon. And although it is far below us to spread rumor, it is a fact that agents of the Science Control Agency interviewed Dr. Sagar just yesterday. Although the substance of that interview is not known to me, I find it strains credulity to suggest that these events, which come less than 24 hours after that interview, should not somehow be related, and I call on the Science Control Agency to make an immediate formal apology and to share the substance of their investigation with Dr. Sagar’s family and the American public. We have a right to know whether and if our public servants are endangering the very people they are sworn to protect. That is all.
“These tragic events come on the heels of a year of very public conflict between the SCA and Dr. Quest, who initially refused to acknowledge the validity of the Science and Technology Control Act and who has been the spokesman for a loose alliance of interests opposed to the law, which they believed violates the Constitution. In a 5-4 decision earlier this year, the Supreme Court upheld the law, striking down only one of its provisions related to search and seizure but leaving the bulk intact. Dr. Quest, speaking on the steps of the Supreme Court after the decision, vowed not to give up the fight and pledged $10 million toward the effort to get the STCA repealed.
“A spokesman for the Science Control Agency told us moments ago that they could not immediately comment on the substance of the interview with the kidnapped Dr. Sagar but that agents had no reason to believe Dr. Sagar was in any danger and that if they had, they would’ve made the threat known to local law enforcement immediately. The spokesman expressed deep concern over the tragedy and said a formal statement was being drafted by SCA Director Ogada, who is presently in the hospital receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer.
“The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has released details of the suspect’s vehicle as well as pictures of Dr. Sagar and are calling on members of the public to come forward with any information—”