Man shot to death at Virginia gas station; state trooper across street saw nothing

Associated Press

[areafiftyone]

On another thread they said they are looking for a white male with brown or black hair and wearing a grey sweatshirt. Maybe someone saw him and was able to give a pretty good discription.

[DoughtyOne]

It wasn't immediately clear if the shooting was linked to nine sniper attacks that have killed seven people and wounded two in the Washington area. As in two of those
attacks, witnesses Friday reporting seeing a white van leaving the scene.

Ah, the man was shot by a sniper.  How many of these do we have outside of the recent series of sniper attacks?  Can we safely say this was related?  I think so.  I think the two men shot with another gun were also victims of the same sniper(s).

I have a question.  Do we have an environmental whacko on the loose here?  Many of these people have been shot at gas stations.  All have been shot right next to their cars.  There are places where you can shoot folks in public that are not right next to their cars.  Just a thought.

[Dead Corpse]

It could be that it is just easier to sight along the door jam/fuel inlet/trunk, and squeeze when you get them coming into sight line. More predictable than trying to hit a target moving in a random pattern across a parking lot or walking down a street.

Limited skill, despite the carnage he has managed to create. Ought ta get a real squad of snipers set up to take him down. Not as insane as it sounds considering the area he seems to be staying in. 20-30 2-man teams rotating areas every couple of days. Cover populated areas that the rogue seems to be targeting.

Should be able to bring him down within a week or so.

[Coop]

All have been shot right next to their cars.

No. One was mowing the lawn, one was sitting on a bench, and the first victim (not counting the potential liquor store employee) was walking from the grocery store into the parking lot.

[FreeTally]

Man shot to death at Virginia gas station; state trooper across street saw nothing

This really shouldn't surprise anyone.

One time, I was just pulling into a parking space at an area at a local mall, when it had just opened, when I saw a man kind of running from the entrance. About ten seconds later, three Arab guys who owned a jewlry store came running out too. They ran across the parking lot, into a wooded area, right through the line of vision of a cop sitting in his car, facing them perpendicular. A small crowd then came out, as did a few employees who started walking about 100 yards to wherethe cop was. He finally drove up to the front of the mall and asked "what's wrong?". I Said, "You didn't see that guy run by, with three people chasing him?". He said "No. I saw these kids here"(who had just walked out to see what was happening, and the cop decided to harass them). He never saw it. I bet he was sleeping. No other way. If he was awake and looking in any direction, except behind him, he would have to had seen it.

I gave the cops a good description, left and drove around areas I though he may have run to. Didn't find him. I was wearing some slip-on deck shoes, and would have had no chance of catching the guy even if I had gottn out of my truck and chased him when I first saw him. I was afraid to pull out my gun and tell him to get down with a cop around(who I was sure must be seeing what was happening). Cops are not always aware of what is going on around them. It wouldn't have surprised me if there had been five cops nearby when the sniper shot.

[FreeTally]

Ought ta get a real squad of snipers set up to take him down. Not as insane as it sounds considering the area he seems to be staying in. 20-30 2-man teams rotating areas every couple of days. Cover populated areas that the rogue seems to be targeting.

This may already be happening, and of course, they wont say. There is probably a good chance that the killer(s) may have already pre-selected target locations. If so, the sniper may just be driving around, from place to place, seeing which one is safe at that time, and takes a shot. That seems more likely than someone completely randomly selecting locations at the spur of the moment.

[upcountryhorseman]

This has got to be a terrorist operation: it seems
too well planned!

[tracer]

And all of us silly gun nuts thought that the police couldn't protect us...........

[sparkomatic]

I think the two men shot with another gun were also victims of the same sniper(s).

It's not clear that there was another gun. The published reports only say the bullets were too fragmented to make any determination.

[spoiler2]

"This has got to be a terrorist operation"

I've been coming to this conclusion also. Think of his earlier message: He addresses a "Mr. policeman"...this sounds unlike the way an American citizen would speak, and when he states..."I am God", I think he means he is acting for God, as an Islamic terrorist would.

We already know that the operatives have been trained in exactly this task, yet we refuse to admit that the dots connect!

[DoughtyOne]

Thank you for pointing that out. I wasn't totally clear on that point.

[DoughtyOne]

Both of you had reasonable comments.  I would submit that this guy has mostly stricken people who were either fueling their cars or soon to be entering one to travel.  Perhaps this means nothing.  I will submit that he has also stricken people at seven different name brand gas stations.

Then consider this.  He stated that, "I am God."  Gotta tell ya, if you think like an ecco freak, that could mean that he is acting as God's hand, desiminating justice as if by His will.

Just think what these users of carbon emitting vehicles are doing to mother nature!  Have they been judged and found wanting?  If so, expect this guy to get the same treatment as the Uni-Bomber.  Oh he's a poor fellow who meant well.  We can't give him the McVeigh treatment...

Hey, it's a thought.

[Callahan]

Hannity was specualating that it might be an eco-nut on his show. I don't think so. He's picking gas stations because they offer stationary targets and access to a quick getaway route. Also does not explain the kid and the guy with the lawn mower.

[DoughtyOne]

Well, the lawnmower was another carbon emitting device. But I sure don't get the kid. Perhaps he'd just stepped out of a car. I have no idea. And of course this is simply hot air at this point.

[Quix]

IT SEEMS CLEAR TO ME

that the killer has been trying to spark gas explosions at the stations at the same time as he kills someone. Has anyone else thought of such or heard such from officials?

Am I off the wall?

[RWG]

And the 13 yr old plus the shot thru the window?

[DoughtyOne]

The thirteen year old may have just stepped out of a car. As for the shot through the window, I really don't know. My thoughts are nothing but hot air at this point. It will be interesting to see what the motivation was. Obviously the largest facilitating factor was mental illness.

[MHGinTN]

You are off the wall. It would be simple enough to purchase tracer rounds and just shoot gas pumps.

[Quix]

Oh, I undestand that.

But say the first priority was just killing individuals.

But that the individual wants to set up the POSSIBILITY of setting off a spark and starting a conflagration at the same time. It IS PLAUSIBLE isn't it? ??? Just asking.

I'm trying to imagine why so many gas stations other than the fact that individuals are out in the open and vulnerable. People are vulnerable in a lot of places. Street corners, strip malls etc.