BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned

Subject: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Bobert
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 07:06 PM

Channel 7 in Washington, D.C. is reporting that a person has been detained fro questioning in the Baltimore area. White van: yes... Guns: yes... sniper manuals found: yes.

The other stations are not reprting anything but you can bet they have crews on the way.

More will be coming out later, that's fir sure.

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Tweed
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 07:14 PM

Dammit! I hope they have the guy!

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 07:23 PM

I hope it's the right one, and I hope he "attempts to resis arrest"......

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Willie-O
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 07:27 PM

Sorcha, bite your tongue. Whatever happened, they need this guy alive to answer questions or or the whole thing will turn into another massive conspiracy paranoia fest, with some justification.

W-O

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 07:40 PM

Let us hope they've got the right one.

On the other hand there are a lot of white vans - and a lot of people in America seem to get a buzz out of the idea of snipers - going by the existence of sites such as Sniper's Paradise; Sniper Country; The Sniper Community - American Sniper Association; Marine Scout/Snipers.

They all come from writing "sniper" in a BBC search engine. Up came this page of results, and these were the first few. (Thank God when I typed in sniper + UK" it didn't seem to throw up that kind of site, at least not early on in the results.)

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: khandu
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 07:40 PM

I do hope they have the swine. And I'm with Sorcha!

khandu

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Amos
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 07:43 PM

Let the families of the victims practice their long-range rifle skills on him. Ought to take quite a while...


A

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 07:44 PM

OK, you're correct.......if it is the right one, remember I am Mrs.Cop.........save us the trouble of an arrest and a trial. If it is the wrong one, he shouldn't give an excuse for suicide by cop.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Willie-O
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 08:07 PM

CNN still hasn't picked it up...you and Channel 7 scooped em Bob!

Some interviews with professional snipers--cops and Marines--have them saying that they think it's a team of 2, one to set up the target...so one suspect may not be the whole shooting match.

W-O

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Bobert
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 08:18 PM

Other than what I reproted earlier, the only thing to add is that a woman might be involved.

I'm real surprised that no one else is on the case yet other than Channel 7?

Who knows. Might be nuthin' but, heck, they interupted their coverage with the story...

If I hear anything more, I'll post it.

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 08:27 PM

The idea the sniper as a hero - killing from cover, in a situation where the victim has no chance of defending themselves - seems as bizarre as the idea of the suicide bomber as hero. I mean I can sort of understand how people might get into that way of thinking, in both cases, but it also seems pretty strange.

But that's thread drift. I'd suspect that if this was a hot suspect, the media over there would be all over it; the police must pick up an enormous number of false leads in something like this. (And of course sometimes this can end in tragedies, such as the Birmingham Six over here, especially when the pressure is on to close the case).

Here's a link to the BBC round-up of the whole sniper story, which maybe has a little more distance, which can be helpful sometimes.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Midchuck
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 08:52 PM

For a pack of liberals, you guys do a pretty good imitation of a lynch mob.

The sad thing is, a high-publicity case like this, where everyone's outraged, is the kind of case where an innocent person is most likely to be accused, charged, and convicted.

Why not wait until you have some idea of what the hard evidence against any suspect is, before you start howling for his immediate execution?

Peter.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: kendall
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 08:57 PM

I'm not howling. Regardless of what we think of this scum, it deserves a trial. Cops have been known to make mistakes, and, they have been known to invent evidencs. So, give him a fair trial, then hang the bastard.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Glade
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 09:06 PM

I hope they have the one who's been killing the people. My husband has family in the area and we are worried sick.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Bobert
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 09:15 PM

Yo Midchuck: Where did you get the idea that anyone had this *person* convicted of anything. All that was posted was that the police ahve taken someone in for questioning who happens to have the weapons, the van, the sniper info... But that's all... Heck, there's probaly lots of folks just like him or her...

No, really..

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: harpgirl
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 09:18 PM

...innocent until proven guilty, my fellow Americans!

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Janie
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 09:21 PM

Can't do blue clickies but www.wral.com has story that sounds like what Bobert is speaking of. Look under Top Stories. Any connection with the sniper sounds very tentative at this point. We so much want this maniac stopped, but I think Mudlark makes an excellent point.

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Janie
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 09:25 PM

Just saw the Make a link link at the bottom of the box. Lets see if I can do this. www.wral.com. Can't make it work. *sigh*

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: khandu
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 09:36 PM

Maybe This will work

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Janie
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 09:40 PM

It does! (Who was that masked man, anyway?) Thanks. Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: NicoleC
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 09:43 PM

Good lord, people, they're just questioning someone and ya'll are really to form a lynch mob!

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 09:44 PM

I'm not trying to be a lynch mob.....I just think that IF it is the right one, we could save the trouble and expense of a trial IF it gives an excuse. Sorry, yes, cops do make mistakes,but so do courts and judges.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: toadfrog
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 09:48 PM

I checked the indicated link which is HERE The story I read said that police had arrested an individual who had a white van and sniper books, but was not considered a suspect in the DC area shootings. So we may be getting ahead of ourselves.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 10:03 PM

Just an FYI for those who aren't overly familiar with firearms. The wral.com article says that an AR-15 rifle was found at the guy's house. The AR-15 is the civilian version of the military M-16. It does use a .223 caliber round which is what has been used in all of the killings. While the standard military M-16 is not a sniper weapon, with a few common modifications (longer barrel, telescopic sight) an AR-15 can certainly be made accurate enough for sniper use.

Bruce

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Janie
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 10:21 PM

Our fear and our hope for an end to this may be getting ahead of ourselves, but I don't see a lynch mob (yet, anyway) in any of these postings. We are giving voice to our fear and our longing that whoever is doing this will be stopped.

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Bobert
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 10:23 PM

Ahhhhh, sorry folks! It's lookin more and more like theyt might have have found another *nut* but not *the nut*...

Shame on Channel 7 news fir jumpin' the gun a little on this one. No wonder that the other stations wouldn't touch it.

Meanwhilt, another shooting has just occured in Fairfax County, which is just 15 miles south of Washingotn, D.C.

Danged.

Bobert

Nicole: You keep every one honest on this one. You *are* up to the task.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 10:27 PM

Oh shit, oh well. We'll keep hoping it gets caught.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: khandu
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 10:33 PM

The Bastard!!

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: The Pooka
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 10:40 PM

BeeDub Bruce, I'm not "overly familar" -- not familar with long guns at all really -- but I believe the AR-15 is a Colt product, made in the next town over from me here in CT. Not exactly proud of this fact. *If* it's a fact; you tell me. I've heard on the telly that there are lots of these particular rifles Out There. / I keep wondering if the DC thing could be terrorism. I don't mean by academic definition; I mean Osama. I know it doesn't bear any of his "signatures", not his style, etc. But (a) heee's baaaack, apparently; and (b) this is a Hell of an effective terror tactic -- it has created sheer terror throughout the country's capital region -- and these Muthahs can adapt, y'know. Well I hope they've got 'em, or get 'em damn soon. The immediately important thing is to stop the carnage. As to the criminal-justice aspect later, I do believe I'll side with Kendall above. Fair trial followed by the yardarm, Cap'n. Aye aye.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: The Pooka
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 10:50 PM

Shit. Dammit. / Yknow the PO-lice really have a horrendous task here. My God, think of what it entails. / All honor to the Cops, Ms. Sorcha. Thank the Lord for 'em. Let us all remember that they are human, too. No miracles. / These DC-area "Its", the killers, are taking successful advantage of every single difficulty faced by law enforcement. / Dammit, I still say it *may* be al Qaeda. Or recruited affiliates. That need not mean non-Caucasians, either, nor "foreigners", nor Muslims. This slaughter is *achieving the terrorist goal*. Aaaah! Let us Pray.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: The Pooka
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 10:55 PM

CNN: The new shooting was at a Home Depot in Falls Church, Va. shopping center. Authorities not yet speaking to whether sniper-connected; must await ballistics tests etc. If so, it's the 5th county in which it has happened.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: khandu
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 10:59 PM

So many possibilities. One lone psycho-bastard, two psycho-bastards, al Qaeda, maybe even some nut that want one particular person dead and decided to kill many to cover suspicion. Who knows?

I don't. But I hope like hell that someone somehow stops the creep soon!

ken

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 12:20 AM

Pooka - Yes the AR-15 is a Colt product. "M-16" is just the U.S. military designation for the AR-15. The military version is basically a machine gun. Civilian versions can be anything some gun nut wants to make out of them, including a sniper rifle. I just mentioned it so folks would realize that the gun the cops found in the guy's place was of the correct caliber. Probably a moot point now though, isn't it?

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 05:45 AM

"Where did you get the idea that anyone had this *person* convicted of anything?"

"I hope he "attempts to resist arrest"...... "

Yes, that's just casual talk, and no malice, and quite understandible. But it's reflected in what actually happens. That's how Amadou Diallou got slaughtered.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Wolfgang
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 07:19 AM

Just for the sake of completeness:

UK SNIPER

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 07:32 AM

Yeah, you get them everywhere. Fortunately this site is virtually illegible on my browser, which is the best thing for it.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: John Hardly
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 07:32 AM

theories overheard this past weekend.

RE: no weekend shootings...
...single parent who has kids on the weekend.
...shoots only on the job.

RE: white van of varying descriptions...
...the shooter sets up and then waits for a white van to appear. He then shoots and has created his own red herring (people make a mistken assumption about the white van connection).

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Willie-O
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 07:40 AM

The Sniper Community? Gives one very bizarre images of what their get-togethers must be like. ("Hole-in-the-wall canyon, high noon, last survivor gets to be this year's community facilitator.")

If Bin Laden didn't dream this one up, well, he knows about it now, if he's still alive.

W-O
looking forward to Maryland!

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Kim C
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 09:54 AM

Maybe I have watched too much TV over the years, but here's my take on it:

White male, under age 30, possibly under age 25. Has had some military training and may have had a dishonorable discharge, perhaps recently. Trying to get attention, and prove a point he thinks is valid, but one that most of us will find ridiculous when it's revealed.

If there's a woman involved, she's probably the getaway driver, and not the shooter.

And of course, I could be totally, utterly, completely wrong.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: catspaw49
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 10:15 AM

A few years ago, we had a guy here who was shootinf hunters and fisherman. Nope, not an environmentalist, just a nut....but very tough to catch because of the random pattern of his killings. What went against him was that he was doing this in the hinterlands of the state and eventually was noticed as an outsider in one place and was turned in. Had he been a bit more intelligent about it, he'd still be on the loose.

Profilers have a part in this, but profiling will not find this guy. I really think he's going to have to make an obvious mistake, be seen by a chance passerby, or something along those lines. I found the Baltimore idea interesting because even though it is so nearby, it's still a different city.....not a bad idea if you're the sniper.

Also, the composite photo of the vehicle sure as hell isn't an Astro van.....Anyone else notice that? They keep referring to an Astro, but that's not what's in the picture.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: jeffp
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 10:20 AM

They're talking about two distinct vehicles. The latest from the Virginia police is a cream-colored Chevy Astro van with one (probably the left) taillight out and silver-colored ladder racks.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 01:34 PM

Until a few years ago, I believed in capital punishment. What turned me around was a trial of some fanatics who wanted to die for the cause after having killed a lot of people. If we cannot reasonably kill them, how can we consider killing others. The one thing these clowns don't want is to spend the rest of their unnatural lives in a cell.

Of course, neither is a deterrent. None of them ever expect to get caught.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Kim C
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 01:39 PM

Spaw's right - he'll make a mistake and get caught. They almost always do. And I think that's why so little information is being released to the public - they don't want to tip him off to anything. I think they're waiting for him to screw up.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Bobert
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 03:33 PM

Now this may sound a bit conspiratoral but the two following thoughts have entered my mind;

Motive: Terror... What if these murders are being done by a small terrorist cell that wants to terrorize the Nation's Capitol? They have the training and weapons and could possiibly be ebing financially supported by Al Queda or another terrorist group.

Motive: Competition... What if there were a couple severely mixed up kids who thru the internet and interest in virtual games that are real violent, are competing with one another?

Well, those are my happy thoughts for the day. I mean everyone is saying just how difficult it is to get a fix on this/these bad folks because of the "motive" issue, so I'm just trying to think out of the box a little.

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: M.Ted
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 03:50 PM

The Sniper Community is very upset about this, as they feel it gives snipers a bad name. Unfortunately, in spite of all the wonderful things they do for us, the Snipers Association have also posted the Army Sniper's Handbook on the Web, and made it possible for a lot of wannabees to "play sniper" by the official rules--

Our sniper may not be one of the chosen few, but he (or they) seem to be playing it pretty much by the book--

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: catspaw49
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 04:41 PM

Thanks jeff.....I have now seen 3 pictures of vans. Two of them are standard vans, one being an Astro and the other a Ford. The other picture is a composite picture put together form witnesses earlier. Let me play with that one a moment......

The 2 vans with ladder racks could be used in a variety of businesses and both are pretty common in white. The ladder racks are pretty common too on such a vehicle used for some construction/painting/gutters/phone/cable TV, etc. business. BUT....let's look at that composite.....The composite is a small box truck and not truly a van. Again it would be common to use such a vehicle in one of those or a hundred other businesses. If I were a cop on this and I had any confidence at all in that composite photo, I might figure that this guy has access to more than one vehicle.....AND, here's the kicker--The composite looks nothing like an Chevy or Ford box truck, but it has a very distinctive cab with odd windows on the doors ala Volvo. Why not run the registrations on any Volvo box trucks in the VA,MD,DC, area and then run a check on Astro registrations.....There are bound to be a number of matches, but it's as good a way to waste time as I can think of at the moment.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Ferrara
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 05:20 PM

I read an interesting theory a few days ago, expressed by a Washington man who almost died in an attack by a shotgun serial killer some years back. He said the first sniper attack took place a day after Ari Fleischer suggested (again?) on national TV that "one bullet" could take care of the Saddam Hussein problem. He thought that might have triggered this spree of killing.

Have given this some thought. One realizes that all theories are probahbly equally likely and equally unlikely.

This person(s) cannot be a devout Muslim, I believe, because of their leaving a Tarot card (near the school in Bowie), which would be offensive to devout Muslims, and because of the inscription "Mr. Policeman, I am God" on the card, which ditto. This doesn't mean however that it's not an Arab nationalist who got mad and decided to show the U.S. the impact of "one bullet."

Or even a member of an Al Qaeda cell who took off on his own initiative. The papers said that some AQ operatives have instructions to find any way to be effective, just keep at us.

Or it could just be someone who was bored and looking for excitement and attention.

Don't guess it matters who it is. Just matters to find and stop them.

I was on Rte 50 at a meeting last night -- the meeting got out about a half hour after the shooting took place just a few miles down Rte 50. Spent the next 3 hours sitting in police drag nets and having the inside of the car checked with flashlights. The radio said no one should expect to go anywhere for a few hours, ALL roads near major escape routes were blocked. My sentiments were "Go Get 'Em Boys, we'll all sit here without grumbling, glad to know you're on the job." But of course it was scary as hell, and before I could drive any where I just sat in the car and cried. I knew when I saw the racing police cars on the road, that it had happened again.

There are much worse things happening in the world. But this is my home, and my neighborhood in the case of the first 5 shootings, and it feels awful.

BTW the police seem to be taking the long view here: ultra careful in documenting evidence, etc, so that if there is an arrest, they will have a strong case in court. Montgomery County police chief Moose has said, first, that "just because you only have been given a few pieces of information, doesn't mean we don't have any information" and second, that he's not releasing too much info because he doesn't want witnesses to have tunnel vision: if they see ANY possible clues, he wants to hear about them, whether or not they are similar to other clues they have heard about.

Sounds right to me.

Rita Ferrara

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: DougR
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 05:40 PM

Nah, Bobert, the sniper couldn't possibly be a terrorist, or terrorist group. Review the first fifty posts on the thread that was posted originally on the shootings, and you will see that that theory was shot down promptly. (no pun intended)

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 05:55 PM

Too bad there couldn't be a news blackout of such events, to deprive the sniper or snipers of the public feedback.

Charley Noble, who hasn't even shot a squirrel in more than 40 years.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 07:19 PM

As recall the only reasons people put up for it not being a terorist was that there didn't seem to be a political motive, and that the modus operandi - individual random assassinations - didn't fit with the assumption that terrorits just like big bang spectaculars.

While I think it much more likely it's some screwed up character who's moved up from shoot-em-up video games to the real thing, I can't see how either of those reasons in the last paragraph actually stand up to scrutiny. Causing panic in the capital city of the United States could tie in well with an intention of destabilising things. For the expenditure of nine bullets so far, I suspect more distruption has already been caused than would have been achieved by a bomb. And the idea that terrorist are incapable of methodical patient activities such as this is just nonsense.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: DougR
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 07:26 PM

Yep, methings you may have something there, McGrath.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Ferrara
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 07:42 PM

Here's a quote from today's Washington Post regarding the guy in Baltimore:

"A law enforcement source said, 'We have three or four of these [fruitless tips] a day.' The only difference yesterday was 'you found out about this one.'

"'This is what the police do. They follow up leads like this, and many of them sound promising,' the source said. 'When they say they're making progress, they mean that they're following leads like this every day.'"

They certainly have caused a lot of terror and disruption around here, McGrath, you're quite right.

They are hurting the local economy, too. At my handcrafters' guild meeting, people reported that over the weekend there were a lot of empty booth spaces at the shows; the scheduled crafters had refused to come to the Washington area while this is going on.

Gas stations are seeing a slow down, as are the big strip malls, I suspect. Some gas stations have put up protective barriers to shield their pumps from the street: others have "Guardian Angels" working to pump people's gas so people can stay in their cars.

There are lots of other effects, too. At the "Taste of Bethesda" festival last weekend, which usually draws huge crowds, the MC got a big laugh when he said, "Welcome to Bethesda, all eight of you!" Well, you can imagine how people feel. Fatal auto crashes happen, but they are relatively few and far between -- not 11 people in two weeks. And not in circumstances that have always felt "safe" and now feel threatening.

Well here's me, too, rambling on about this when I ought to be revising and posting the FSGW Getaway program! -- See you later, got to get to work.

Rita F

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Bobert
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 10:11 PM

You know, I don't like using the term "sniper" for this guy. I might have posted this somewhere and if so ignore this. But "sniper" is a military term and within the military considered to be complimentary.

I'm going to refer to this person as a *murderer* or *shooter* from here on, depriving this nut of anything he or she might find pleasing.

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 10:58 AM

I wonder what the economic effect of the Washington/Virginia/Maryland area has been.

How "sniper" - a sharpshooter who kills at a distance - could be complimentary or uncomplimentary I don't know, by the way.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: YOR
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 01:07 PM

The local news coverage justs gets worse and worse. Last night Fox was running many commericals building up their excellent "latest" news coverage of the sniper case. Showing so many of these commericals during hours when children are watching is unexceptable. I saw the look on my daughters face and I didn't like it. They are helping to spread fear and hiding behind the "Were just doing our job". BULL!

Roy

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Fortunato
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 01:13 PM

Turn off the television. Don't let your children watch television. You wouldn't let them poison their bodies would you? Why let them poison their minds? Go the the library, rent acceptable movies, read together, play Parcheesi and make music and sing.

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: DougR
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 02:58 PM

Yep, Fortunato, I agree with you. Watching TV is a matter of choice. Everyone of them things has an on/off switch.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Little Hawk
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 03:15 PM

Exactly. That's why I don't watch TV. It's a matter of choice. The only disadvantage is that I occasionally miss something interesting, but I can live with that.

I think this is the simple solution that eludes most people, because it never occurred to them...or because they think they just couldn't LIVE without TV. LOL! It's as easy as living without cigarettes.

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: GUEST,Claymore
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 03:22 PM

I , as an ex-cop want to note a few things.

1. The task force has requested,and has been approved for, the use of special military planes, with extra perceptive sensing devices, for use in any pursuit or surviellence purposes by the police task force. While it has not been stated, it's my belief that these choppers will be coming from an experimental program run out of Ft. Belvior, in the southern portion of Fairfax County or a similar program in Texas. I also believe that this is one of those exceptions I wrote about, in the Posse Comitatus Act. There were several "experts" who wrote that it was a law, when I knew it as an enabling regulation, which can be invoked without Congressional permission at any point necessary. Yet the hysterical ones, claimed this was a movement by the Bush Administration to take over the nation. Bet nobody bitches now.

2. The snipers biggest mistake was killing anyone in Virginia (Spotsylvania Co., Fredericksburg, Manassas) but even more so in Fairfax County, which has the deserved reputation of being one of the finest Police Departments in the US. Moreover, the Fairfax Commonwealth Atty's Office is the most succesful in the State at obtaining death penalties, with the State being the second most succesful in actually putting it's criminals to death. If he is caught in Virginia, they will not extradite to Maryland (which has death penalty it has never used, or DC (which has no death penalty). Instead, once convicted, they will steadily march the perpetrator to his date with the needle, and then give the body to Maryland for trial.

3. Most sensitive comment: I have been concerned for days that no look-out has been issued for the individual. While every action taken by the sniper (long gun, one shot only, from a distance, sometimes from a natural growth position, at night and day, multiple racial targets, multiple locations separated by distance, etc.) has indicated to me that the killer has taken actions which are more likely to be associated with white males, than any other possible group, there has been no look-out for a specific individual. Yet there have been sightings, even from the folks who noted the vehicles involved. Note the tremendous amount of view glass in the windshields. Thus, while keeping all options open, I tend to suspect that the police suspect that this guy is not white, either through preliminary witness identifications, or physical evidence on the scene. While the release of information on unsolved crimes is always touchy, I hope that PC did not get some people killed, for the lack of a good look-out. And my guess (for what it's worth) is that his motivation is some form of the statement "I can do it too", coming back against the internalized feeling that "he is not good enough." [What actually transpires will tell the tale, and I could be all wrong, but there is no point in attempting an educated guess, if you don't do it before the case is solved].

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 03:31 PM

Sniping is a method of killing. The term for someone who kills people in that way is a sniper. The same way that someone who detonates bonbs is a bomber.

I've never heard of any other context where executioners are regarded as heroes. Maybe people to be treated with respect for doing a job that is seen as necessary, "a dirty business, but someone's got to do it".

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: M.Ted
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 03:36 PM

There are two kinds of snipers, ours and theirs--ours are good guys, theirs are not good guys--but they are still snipers, Bobert--

As I mentioned above, I have been reviewing the Army Sniper Manual, with a view toward making my family and myself less eligible targets--while there are some differences, the DC Sniper(s) follows the book in most of the key areas--at least did til Monday nite, when he (or they) broke form--a trained sniper would never have done that--

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: GUEST,Meatrail
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 03:53 PM

The murderer ain't striking on weekends. Ergo s/t/he/m could be doin time on weekends. Does Maryland, Virginia, D.C. law systems allow for the perps to live and work outside duruing the week and spend their jail time on the weekends to the sentence is worked off? I thouhgt this up on accounta thinking about how I used to work with guys who were doin this kind of time alot. I swear I thought a couplea were psycho enouggh to be in a Nightmare on Whazzitname Street movie even if they were just workin off minor drug/traffic/domestic charges or so they bragged.

Just a thought.

Tunney

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: GUEST,Wolfgang
Date: 21 Oct 02 - 10:30 AM

Another one being questioned now.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: catspaw49
Date: 21 Oct 02 - 10:43 AM

Watching on CNN......This one is really bizarre. Whatever is happening, it's not over yet. The police have arrested one man in a have taken another into custody elsewhere. The police state they are "going to respond to a message received," which is very cryptic. The arrest of the one in the gas station was very well orchestrated and the police seemed to be waiting for this individual....very strange.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Kim C
Date: 21 Oct 02 - 12:41 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/South/10/21/sniper.shootings/index.html

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Wolfgang
Date: 24 Oct 02 - 05:47 AM

Police have arrested the two men they have wanted to talk you urgently:

John Allen Mohammed
John Lee Malvo

I hope these news are as good as they look at the first glance.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: catspaw49
Date: 24 Oct 02 - 08:38 AM

I was wrong....this is an excellent piece of police work! These two look to be the real thing. Looks more promising all the time.....We can only hope.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Bobert
Date: 24 Oct 02 - 08:44 AM

Great news. Was gettin a tad stuffy under the bed withthe P-Vine, dog and two cats. Jus funnin...

Looks more and more like this sorry episode is coming to a close.

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: Wolfgang
Date: 24 Oct 02 - 08:47 AM

You were not the only who was wrong in this case:

Peg (in the first thread about the sniper):
This is a disgruntled and probably sociopathic (or psychopathic) killer, most likely a relatively young unemployed white guy: 30s, loner,
... There won't be a trial, I feel pretty sure of that (there never is anymore; the gunmen always either commit suicide or get
blown away by the SWAT team)

And I said something like: I bet she's not far off with that description

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: GUEST,Claymore
Date: 24 Oct 02 - 10:35 AM

Ahhh, I still got it... "despite all evidence to the contrary, I tend to suspect the suspect is not white..." (see my post above) 18 years in police work doesn't go away overnight...

Subject: RE: BS: Possible Sniper Being Questioned
From: 53
Date: 24 Oct 02 - 01:53 PM

close this one out now cause I think that they have him in custody.