Beltway Sniper Shootings-FR Commentary-Tuesday, Oct. 15

Fox News, CNN, Press Conferences | October 15, 2002 | Fox News, CNN, Press Conferences

[Peach]

To avoid multiple vanity threads regarding any news from press conferences, let's keep a live commentary thread going again today.

Note: This is the graphics-free thread. Graphics can be found under the thread titled "Beltway Sniper Shootings-Graphics Only"

[Elenya]

Boodhounds following a trail 4-5 miles from the parking lot to the beltway? Hmmmm.

This would fit in with the witness reports leaked after the school shooting: a man seen heading towards the wooded area, something like that. Anybody remembers the details?

[Peach]

You beat me to it - glad you caught it all. I only got snippets.

[aristeides]

WTOP now saying government is saying it does not appear that Franklin was targeted because of her job. Not the same thing as saying she was not working on terrorism, or the sniper case.

[LisaFab]

Just remember, Rita Cosby is the one who was handed the Supreme Court ruling and announced, "Looks like a victory for Al Gore!!!" <*cut to commercial much faster than planned*> ;-)

LOL! I'll never forget that night! When they came out of commercial and she started reading the announcement I knew she'd blown it immediately! What an embarrassing night for Fox News.

[mewzilla]

FWIW, Rep. Jim Moron, er Moran, assured everyone during an appearance on FOX a moment ago that the fact that this poor woman was an FBI analyst is just a coinky-dink. Uh huh. Thanks, Jim. I feel ever so much better now. NOT.

[aristeides]

Even if the perp was running, it would take him at least a half hour to cover 4-5 miles. Which means, by the time he got to the Beltway, most drivers would have been aware of the shooting. So what did he do when he got to the Beltway? Getting on a vehicle stopped on the shoulder would surely be too conspicuous.

[SLB]

I just did a quick run down of the shooting times as compared to prayer times for Alexandria, VA. No method to the madness. Some were within a few minutes and others a couple of hours.

[Peach]

Thanks for moving this back to breaking news today. On a go forward basis, would you prefer I put this elsewhere? I was trying to cut down on the vanity posts for you, but it hasn't always worked and perhaps you'd just prefer to deal with the vanities as they crop up. Let me know your preference and I will happily abide by it. Thanks for all the hard work you do.

[texasbluebell]

If true, that means they are conducting surveillance on law enforcement officers working on this case, probably right under their noses.

Well, one of the Fox guests addressed that, said that wasn't likely, that this was a random shooting. OTOH, it's probably not something LE would like to come to terms with, or even admit publicly.

[Peach]

Thanks for the confirmation.

[Kip Lange]

IF (and I assume this for the sake of argument, only) this is international terrorism, what's to keep them from unleashing all sorts of red herrings? Like...how having agents who are currentyly still "sleeping" and have no rap sheet -- tie up the police by filling the area with white van rentals?

--KL

[aristeides]

After the school shooting, man seen walking carrying duffel bag. I think the witness said the man got into a vehicle, which drove off.

[Sacajaweau]

If you add the bike, it's just another thing to trace and it requires certain conditions. Being on foot has a huge advantage, you can make instantaneous decisions. You can climb a wall, crawl through a field or get a cup of coffee.

Sac

[Admin Moderator]

My personal preference would be the extended news sidebar, but I put it back in breaking today because there does seem to be a lot of news regarding this breaking today.

Let's handle it on a case by case basis. But definitely let's not put two in breaking at the same time.

[Peach]

Good morning. Thanks for confirmation. It's getting more interesting by the day and looking more like organized terrorism.

[texasbluebell]

FWIW, Rep. Jim Moron, er Moran, assured everyone during an appearance on FOX a moment ago that the fact that this poor woman was an FBI analyst is just a coinky-dink. Uh huh. Thanks, Jim. I feel ever so much better now. NOT.

Okay, I take back my comment in #429! I was actually only listening half ways while reading here. If it was Moron (sp intentional) who said that, then I don't believe any of it...

[Elenya]

Getting on a vehicle stopped on the shoulder would surely be too conspicuous.

A motorcycle?

[aristeides]

This, on top of earlier indications that the perps were getting law enforcement info from the inside. Might just be those scanners. Or there might be a mole in the task force.

[Kip Lange]

Corrrect me if I'm wrong, but the last shot was a head shot...possibly indicating the sniper might know she was wearing a vest (I mean, it's the ONLY head shot, I think, is it not?)

--KL