"Police Arrest Witness Accused Of Lying To Sniper Investigators"

NBC affiliate WRC-TV News Ch. 4 ^ | October 18, 2002 | WRC-TV News Ch. 4 / Associated Press

[Hail Caesar]

Yes, I heard about that, too. However, it is my understanding that several of the other witnesses contradicted that particular witness, too. Also, that particular area has a lot of artificial lighting that distorts skin tones, especially at night.

[Hail Caesar]

LOL!

you bad....you bad.... ;-)

[jd777]

The artificial lighting would certainly cause most witnesses to think the white lone sniper was two middle eastern men.

[joesnuffy]

It is kinda ironic that so far the only person charged in the sniper killings is
A Witness??? was up wid dat?

[VaMarVet]

I think there has been a fair amount of discussion on FR about all of the theories, plus some of our own theories. They were not all about ME men. Its true that not many here would be surprised if it turns out to be ME terrorists. I don't think you can fault people for that considering the times.

Gus - Virgil has a very valid point - this is a discussion forum and I have seen the full spectrum of theories presented here. I opine you saw a few you did not like and assumed that all of FR was of the same mind. Additionally, as we were caught so unaware on 9-11, I would not discount the possibility that the sniper attacks are indeed terrorist acts initiated by Al-Qaeda or members of thier network. The bottom line is that we do not know - because one buffoon was discredited because he said it was ME terrorists has no bearing on the fact that it just might be. Personally, I have wavered between the looney home-grown nutcase theory and the terrorist. No one here has the answer as of yet - and if they did they most certainly should not be posting it here...

[Hail Caesar]

Regardless, at least to the credit of Chief Moose, and most of the other local law enforcement officials, they haven't been bringing up the classic "angry white male", Timothy McVeigh type domestic terrorist angle as THE most probable suspects in these shootings. Even though it does describe the classic profile of such a shooter.

Whoops, am I being non-PC now? :-)

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

Actually, of all the witnesses, only one has described the shooter as a "white" guy. Multiple witnesses have said dark-skinned or middle eastern. Seems there's a lot of people on FR that are quick to jump to the conclusions they wish to reach...

[Henchster]

"..But investigators cautioned that they still believe the sniper is using one of a family of more than 30 similar assault-type weapons capable of firing a .223-caliber bullet."

More PC BS for the gun-grabbers. There is NO indication the killer is using an "Assault-type weapon." MANY bolt action and hunting style repeaters are made in .223. The killer has not fired more than one shot in each murder, which indicates a bolt action hunting rifle if ANYTHING. But a bolt action hunting rifle wouldn't do the gun-grabber movement as much good as an "Assault-type weapon."

[Hail Caesar]

Interesting fact, but, now I hope that Johnny Cochran does not get in on this act as his defense attorney.

Or... maybe even Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton may be on the next plane down here or on a talk show later tonight since, so far, a black man has been the only one arrested over the last two weeks. ;-)

[jd777]

No, you're being very PC, and you're slipping in little compliments of Chief Moose which is "innapropriate". We got 11 victims of a sniper and they can't even alert the public to a basic description. Have all the witnesses been discredited? What classic profile are you talking about..? Why do you bring mcVeigh into this...?

[Hail Caesar]

I get your point, Dave. And I have no problem with any of the theories, conspiratorial or otherwise, that FReepers have been putting forth over the last couple of weeks. I guess I've just grown weary of some of the REAL racism and bigotry that some people here are so quick to express even when they don't know any of the relevant facts. But, hey, it's a free country and this IS Free Republic, after all, ehh? :-)

P.S. And you and I both know that the metro DC area is a PC town, whether we conservatives like it or not. That's just the way it is, but, at least we have the Constitution to defend our rights, too.

[xsrdx]

The killer has not fired more than one shot in each murder, which indicates a bolt action hunting rifle if ANYTHING.

My first thought when they id'd the .223 from ballistics was "bolt varmint gun".

The only other evidence they have - aside from projectile fragments- is the spent case, which may have extractor/ejector marks that skew it towards a semiauto, or they may simply be rationalizing that nobody would eject a spent case from a bolt gun if they only intended to fire one shot. Either way, the evidence for semi auto appears weak at best.

If the case is bogus, we're back to anything goes.

[Henchster]

A bolt varmint gun is more accurate than a semi-auto as well, which would make it a preferred "one-shot-one-kill" weapon to a semi-auto.

[DWPittelli]

There is NO indication the killer is using an "Assault-type weapon." MANY bolt action and hunting style repeaters are made in .223. The killer has not fired more than one shot in each murder, which indicates a bolt action hunting rifle if ANYTHING.

You are exactly right. I also understand that a shell has been found at only one site (next to the planted tarot card). So unless the shooter has a brass-catching net, or is firing from inside the truck, or is running after flying brass, he's not shooting a semi-automatic.

(If he is using an assault rifle, he's not taking advantage of its mechanism, since he's shooting only once. But of course, a lone sniper would find such a weapon more reassuring in case he faces armed counter-attack.)

[DWPittelli]

Come on Caesar, cut the "speculators" some slack.

It wasn't Freepers who said the guy looked "Hispanic or Middle Eastern" / dark-skinned caucasion, it was eye-witnesses. And speculating about al-Qaeda and allied jihadists isn't racist, it's based on: 1) We're at war with them; 2) They murder innocents; 3) They've launched a lot of attacks over the last 2 weeks or so.

And given the possibility (50/50?) of jihadist connection, it ain't racist to believe what we've heard about the shooter's (/shooters') appearance.

If the IRA blew up the WTC, and the witnesses said the sniper had red hair, would it be racist to believe them?

[Hail Caesar]

I get your point and somewhat agree with you. However, I also agree with Chief Moose's public pronouncements that we (the public) should not engage in "tunnel vision", especially if such is mainly based on eyewitness accounts that, as most involved in law enforcement know, are inherently unreliable and quite often culturally biased.

[jd777]

Moose has done great, he's already got one arrest!

[texson66]

Actually, the arrest still doesn't eliminate the real possibility of a moose-limb or al cracko type from the mid-east.

When those types attack the US in human waves, will you still be crying out "Racist!" to those point out the enemy IS arabic?

[The Red Zone]

Et tu brute

[Mudboy Slim]

"...if FR had an Olympic Jumping-to-Conclusions team, we'd sweep the medals every year."

Perhaps, my FRiend, but it's also amazing how often FReepers jump to the proper conclusion...MUD