Maryland Sniper Shootings Update Thread

The perpetrator of those killings was a Pakistani citizen, who was studying abroad for the year. This guy was a hothead who couldn't sharpshoot worth a dime. He was pissed off about US policy towards the Palestinians and basically walked right up to his victims and shot them.

701 posted on 10/08/2002 2:37:25 PM PDT by FreedominJesusChrist

Sources say detectives are increasingly convinced the cases are linked.

After the shooting spree we've seen the last few days, it seems odd though that the killers would wait to try it again after their isolated 9-14 attack. They don't strike me as the patient type. Also, that attack was on a Saturday, and there was no shooting over the weekend. Could it be disinformation in order to provoke the perps?

702 posted on 10/08/2002 2:38:22 PM PDT by Elenya

October 08, 2002

Beltway Sniper Update

NOON BRIEFING by Montgomery County Chief of Police Charles Moose:

US Atty Gen Ashcroft has pledged whatever support is needed to the regional task force investigating the sniper attacks.

No new incidents as of noon today, investigation moving forward.

195 local, state, district, and federal agents working on the case full time. Hundreds of others are contributing.

Q: "Was this a terrorist act?" Chief Moose demurred.

Hillandale Liquor Store incident September 14 may be related.

Investigators will not elaborate further on forensic evidence. It is rumored that a shell casing was recovered from the woods near Tasker School in Bowie, but authorities will not comment.

No suspects at this time.

"We have a lot of work to do."

Next briefing at 3:00 pm EDT.

UPDATE: Police now confirm that a shell casing was retrieved from the crime scene at Benjamin Tasker Middle School in Bowie, and is being analyzed by the ATF.

UPDATE 2: JJ Johnson of the Sierra Times says "None Dare Call it Terrorism."

[N]othing - absolutely nothing since September 11, 2001 will be called terrorism. Not the American Airlines flight over New York City a year ago, not the string of oil refinery explosions, unexplained train derailments, not the nutcases attacking Greyhound bus drivers, and heaven forbid - that Anthrax thing was an anomaly, just like the West Nile Virus and the new cases of malaria popping up in the same area of the shooting. Just individual crazed lunatics mind you, not terrorism.

I'm guessing they won't call this terrorism, either.

UPDATE 3: News conference with MC Chief of Police Charles Moose et al coming up, live via WTOP.

MC Executive Doug Duncan:

Visited several schools during the day, spoke with students. Attending fourth funeral in four days tomorrow. Victims' families are devastated.

Reward fund is up to over $237,000, mostly due to small donations:

Montgomery County Reward Fund
Executive Office Building
101 Monroe Street
Rockville, MD 20850

Chief Moose:

No new acts of violence, no new investigative breaks in the case.

UPDATE 4: Prince Georges County Police responded massively to a citizen report of a man with a gun in the vicinity of High Point High School in Beltsville, MD.

No arrests have been made.

UPDATE 5: PG County Police have called off the search at High Point, having found nothing of interest. The students have been allowed to go home.

UPDATE 6: The Fredericksburg shooting victim has been released from the hospital and sent home to recuperate.

The thirteen-year-old victim in Bowie remains in critical but stable condition.

UPDATE 7: Press conference with PG County Chief of Police Gerald Wilson.

Level of police presence in schools will continue until killer is "brought to justice."

Working with "Regional Coalition partners" to identify and apprehend shooter.

Images of rifle cases distributed to media.

No linkage yet between shell casing found at Tasker Middle School and shootings. ATF is analyzing shell casing.

All future press conferences will be done through Regional Coalition headquartered in Rockville, MD. Agencies will speak with one voice.

703 posted on 10/08/2002 2:39:26 PM PDT by mhking

I forgot to attribute that - This is the PM Update from Indepeundit (who lives in DC Metro)

704 posted on 10/08/2002 2:40:53 PM PDT by mhking

To: Chemist_Geek

These crimes smack of adult psychology, not that of a frustrated teen.

705 posted on 10/08/2002 2:41:39 PM PDT by FreedominJesusChrist

To: MrNeutron1962

Point taken regarding #489. In fact there was a case I heard about recently. Parents being blamed for their son's death. I didn't catch all the details, but what I did hear, I thought..what??? Bottom line was that the son was an adult, and that parent's would be liable for what their kids do, no matter what their age.

706 posted on 10/08/2002 2:42:35 PM PDT by ET(end tyranny)

To: GeorgeandtheDralgore

Maybe that shooting was a test run to see how it easy it would be to shoot someone in the open without being caught.

707 posted on 10/08/2002 2:43:16 PM PDT by caa26

To: AmericanInTokyo

I think you're right about post #674 but would love to know if any Maryland Freepers have a police scanners and what they are hearing.

708 posted on 10/08/2002 2:44:13 PM PDT by Peach

To: FreedominJesusChrist

Thank goodness he wasn't a sharpshooter or we'd have lost more that day.

709 posted on 10/08/2002 2:44:55 PM PDT by Peach

To: FreedominJesusChrist

These crimes smack of adult psychology, not that of a frustrated teen.

I'll agree with you on that one. Not many "yutes" have the self-control and/or discipline that this terrorist or terrorists have shown in their escape & evasion.

However, the pure shooting skill shown is not unknown or impossible to find amongst the young.

710 posted on 10/08/2002 2:45:26 PM PDT by Chemist_Geek

I understand the test run business, but it just doesn't feel right in this case. And what about the fact that it was on a Saturday?

711 posted on 10/08/2002 2:47:21 PM PDT by Elenya

To: antivenom; Catspaw

I think you misinterpreted the post about the laser. The poster was asking if a laser range finder would show up during misty conditions.
A laser range finder looks like a pair of binoculars and it uses a laser to measure the distance to an object. He asked if the laser would show up and since I only used one during the day, I don't have an answer to that. A laser range finder has nothing to do with sighting a target except to give an accurate distance.

There are lasers that are mounted on firarms but I have never seen one used in all the times I have been around firearms. They seem to be more of a Hollywood device than anything.

Red Dots are scopes with a red dot instead of crosshairs. I own a couple of those.

712 posted on 10/08/2002 2:48:18 PM PDT by Shooter 2.5

713 posted on 10/08/2002 2:48:33 PM PDT by antivenom

OK I was following the laser as the DOT on the victim...you are correct, I misunderstood the question...thanks!

714 posted on 10/08/2002 2:49:40 PM PDT by antivenom

...The man shot in DC was murdered at 9:20 p.m. on October 3rd, and he's confirmed to be a victim of the sniper.

That's right, he was shot at night and it's confirmed the sniper shot him.

From an earlier post -
On Friday, October 4, at 9:15 PM, Pascal Charlot, 72, was shot as he stood on a street corner, a few hundred yards from the Montgomery County line.

715 posted on 10/08/2002 2:50:21 PM PDT by relee

To: FreedominJesusChrist

Nope ... I don't think you have to be in the military or an awesome hunter... just a shooter would do it. I have a 30.06 with a muzzle break and beaded barrel that can drop 3 rounds in a quarter at 200 yards... Haven't deer hunted in 8 years... learned to shoot in 5th grade with my dad (former Marine). I think it's a "wanna be" sniper that thinks it's cool or some twisted POS that has left verbal cues of doing something like this.

Now if it's an Arab.... well all bets are off... cause they can just up and move this show to another city anytime they want to create havoc in another locale. IMHO of course. If it is a "pro"... good luck.. It makes me shudder what a "real" sniper could do in an urban environment with a helper to drive him around and help set up the "shoot". I think it'll be luck to find them. Either way... very scary.. I'm sure they're getting help from sniper schools on what to look for from the Marine, Army and FBI.

716 posted on 10/08/2002 2:52:30 PM PDT by Dick Vomer

"Thank goodness he wasn't a sharpshooter or we'd have lost more that day."

The only reason we hadn't lost more that day is because this guy has the sense to know when to temporarily stop.

717 posted on 10/08/2002 2:52:31 PM PDT by FreedominJesusChrist

To: FreedominJesusChrist

These crimes smack of adult psychology, not that of a frustrated teen.

"Not that of a frustrated teen", probably not. But I wouldn't be surprised if the perps were a couple of thrill-seeking narcissistic older teens or young adults bored with video games.

718 posted on 10/08/2002 2:53:14 PM PDT by Elenya

To: GeorgeandtheDralgore

Unfortunately at this point there is no way of knowing if the Sept 14th shooting is connected. There isn't even a good description of the perps yet. Someone has to know the sniper(s) even if they can't make the connection yet.

719 posted on 10/08/2002 2:53:33 PM PDT by caa26

To: ~Kim4VRWC's~

720 posted on 10/08/2002 2:57:01 PM PDT by ET(end tyranny)

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