Sniper Awareness in the DC Area: Tips on Surviva;

Forwarded Email | 11 Oct 02 | Unknown

[CobaltBlue]

The news have reported one shot was from 340 yards away.

[SamAdams76]

I'm not how sure the zig-zagging in the doorways will be that effective. Sooner or later, you are going to have to get to the door. The sniper can just focus in on the door and wait until you get there before pulling the trigger.

[John Jamieson]

Map Quest shows the route between St. Michaels, MD and the DC loop goes right by Bowie, MD. St. Michaels means something.

[CobaltBlue]

The Washington Post carried a list of possible weapons when the shootings started. Maybe 20 weapons on the list. M16/AR15 NOT on the list.

[SLB]

Getting ready to have our Friday night at the movies - "Ten Little Indians" should be interesting, it is the original from 1955.

[CobaltBlue]

I think he's from the Rockville/Silver Springs area, because all the other shootings have been very close to the interstate. So far he hasn't gone north of Rockville/Silver Springs, only south, west, and east.

If you can find a connection to Michaels in any of the VA shootings let me know. We do have Michaels in VA and I am staying away from them.

[habs4ever]

ping...stay safe

[lizma]

After 9-11 and reports of Arabs photographing areas, a freeper mentioned arming our selves with cameras. He was right then, and I think it's not a bad idea now. Right now it might be more effective than a gun.

[SteveH]

The Washington Post carried a list of possible weapons when the shootings started. Maybe 20 weapons on the list. M16/AR15 NOT on the list.

Do you have the exact link? Or the list itself? I looked at the WP and they had a lot of articles, but could not find anything that had a weapons list. (Thanks in advance.)

[CobaltBlue]

• Armalite AR-180
• Browning Model BRR
• Bushmaster "Shorty" Carbine
• Bushmaster "Dissipator" Carbine
• Bushmaster "Target" Model Rifle
• Bushmaster "V Match Commando" Carbine
• Bushmaster "V Match Competition" Rifle
• Bushmaster "DCM" Competition Rifle
• Bushmaster "A3 Type Shorty" Carbine
• Bushmaster "A3 Type Dissipator" Carbine
• Bushmaster "A3 Type Target" Rifle
• Bushmaster M17S "Bullpup" Rifle
• Colt AR-15
• IMI Galil
• Remington Model 788
• Remington Model 722
• Remington Model XP-100
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42216-2002Oct4.html

I see that Colt AR-15 is on the list so maybe it is an M-16. I don't really know much about weapons.

[stlnative]

This sniper knows it is a matter of time before he is discovered. He thinks he is superior to everyone, but knows eventually he will be caught. He is playing a very sick game that he feels he is winning. He will probably want to sensationalize his confrontations with the police and eventually stop running and have a standoff. The police may be his future targets.

I have to agree with at least this part of the email... Today... WHAT would have happened if they had him trapped in traffic and he decided to just start blowing away people that were trapped in traffic with him? Trying to corner this creep in traffic is a VERY BAD idea. This guy is probably expecting that he will get caught during the act or right after shooting someone and I would bet he is loaded with ammo and weapons on him everytime he leaves his vehicle to make a kill, just in case he is cornered. Not to mention how many weapons and how much ammo he may be carry inside his vehicle.

I also believe he has been leaving notes for the police after every kill. They found something today written on lined yellow paper. But I think the only notes the cops have found was the tarot card and then the note today.


I personally do not think he drives away from the killing right away after he does it... he may return to his car and then join in with others watching the cops show up and I bet he watches everyones actions. With every kill he is learning from what he sees and hears.

[mr.sarcastic]

Go one step further, and send up a high altitude reconnaissance aircraft with wide angle, high resolution camera's and have it orbit for a few days. When the next shooting occurs, look at the images....

I have no knowledge of this concept's general effectiveness, but I do know that it would not have worked in the DC area in the last 48 hours... we've had rain and total cloud cover.

[manfromlamancha]

I got to tell you Bohanan sucks, I mean he really sucks bad... he is such a pompous dismissive etc. So, at night, I listen to Phil Henry.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Yes, I know.....

[SteveH]

I see that Colt AR-15 is on the list so maybe it is an M-16. I don't really know much about weapons.

It would have been surprising not to see it on the list given other contemporary reports on the incidents.

I note that some AR-15 clones such as Olympic Arms are not on the list.

The generic M-16 is a fully automatic (machine gun and burst fire) extended variant of the generic AR-15. AR-15s can be converted to full auto with a few specially manufactured parts (including perhaps most prominently something called a "sear"). Those parts are strictly regulated by the fed. gov. and regarded legally as equivalent to machine guns. I believe the presence or absence of the machine gun related parts do not affect the ballistics.

Barrel twist for the AR-15 family are: 1/8 (modern AR-15 type); 1/9 (modern), and longer (1/10, 1/12, 1/14) (not modern and less common). 1/12 was the original twist but the bullets tumbled with the low twist rate so they upped the twist in subsequent models. 1/7 is another possibility but it is more of a specialty, for use with special bullets.

I don't know what the Thompson Contender barrel twist(s) are (anyone out there?).

Missing from the list are some non-AR-15 guns capable of firing the .223, such as the Thompson Contender.

I myself am not a weapons expert or a LEO, just an interested reader of current events news (so if someone corrects something in the above, it is very possible he or she has the better poop than I do on it).

I see the list is dated Oct. 4 (a week ago) so there could be some internal updates to it that we in the general public are not yet privy to.

It would be handy to have a single generic web site where all the known and publicly released facts are available. If this doesn't exist, perhaps it is to some degree telling about how much or how little law enforcement agencies trust and/or have confidence in the helpfulness of the general public.

[APBaer]

"2. Bring someone along"

Love, it.
This way 50/50 he'll shoot your buddy instead.

How about
"2. Bring someone along
( who is fat and wearing a Hawaiian shirt)?

[Kathleen]

Thanks. I'm trying, believe me.

[elfman2]

" Gas Station Fill Up: Wear black at night and cabelas camo during the day. Throw smoke before exiting the vehicle and use a bb-gun to shoot out overhead lights at night. Use credit card at pump and use lock handle while filling and stay in motion. Empty clip from CAR15 into air 180 degress opposite side of car before making egress to vehicle after tank is full"

LOL! I think the creators of South Park are going to have some fun with this.

[elfman2]

"BUT: Carry a camera or camcorder at all times. If someone near you is shot/you hear a shot/crack/whizz take a 360° pan of the surroundings even before you render aid. If possible do two full pans, you MIGHT capture an image of the sniper. The double images will help highlight anyone bugging out..."

I have my camcorder strapped across my shoulder as I type this. Haven't heard anything yet. Will keep everone posted…

[null and void]

"2. Bring someone along ( who is fat and wearing a Hawaiian shirt)?

YIKES!!! I'm staying in California...