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President's bodyguards join hunt for sniper
London Times ^ | October 09, 2002 | Tim Reid

Posted on 10/08/2002 10:58:46 PM PDT by Grampa Dave

President's bodyguards join hunt for sniper

From Tim Reid in Washington

THE hunt for a sniper whose killing spree has been terrifying Washington was stepped up yesterday, with members of the Secret Service who normally protect the President and foreign embassies sent to guard schools and highways. After the roving marksman switched his sights from adults to a 13-year-old boy, who became his eighth victim when he was shot outside his school on Monday, the Washington region awoke yesterday traumatised by fear, increasing the pressure on the police and FBI to make an arrest.

Yesterday, a $160,000 (£102,000) reward was offered for information leading to a conviction, as President Bush described the killings as cowardly and senseless.

All school sports were cancelled, with tens of thousands of pupils locked inside school buildings, having been delivered by parents and escorted inside by security guards. Shops were largely empty and helicopter patrols were increased across the region.

Many people said that the random nature of the attacks had left the American capital more anxious than after last year’s September 11 strikes on the Pentagon and subsequent anthrax mail deaths.

“September 11 opened our eyes to let us know that we’re vulnerable to a terrorist attack, but this random shooting, you can’t describe it,” Donzell Cockrell, a Washington postman, said. “Here, we can’t say what this guy’s purpose is.”

Vast numbers of people in areas where the gunman has struck are now reluctant to leave their homes. Trips to petrol stations are being postponed, thousands are shopping for groceries after dark and teachers at some schools have masked ground-floor windows with paper.

The FBI confirmed last night that its federal agents had greatly increased their role in the manhunt. Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose, in whose area six of the attacks have taken place, said that police had received 1,250 credible leads from 6,025 calls and that a police officer had been stationed at every school in Montgomery and Prince George’s County. What is most unsettling for investigators, who have called on psychological profilers, is that the sniper, who uses a .223 calibre rifle, does not fit any of the usual categories of multiple killers. While many have a grudge to settle and pick a particular group, often leaving clues because they want to get caught, this killer appears to be cool and cautious. He is the rarest form of spree killer: one who does it for fun.

The murderous spree began last Wednesday evening, when a 55-year-old man was killed in Montgomery County. Four people, aged 25 to 54 and from diverse ethnic backgrounds, were killed on Thursday morning in Montgomery.That night, a 72-year-old man was shot closer to central Washington and a 43-year-old woman was wounded near Fredericksburg, 80 miles south in Virginia, on Friday afternoon.

The killer did leave one clue near Monday’s shooting. Police found a bullet casing in woodland about 300ft from the school, from where they believe the sniper fired. The boy, who had parts of his stomach, pancreas and spleen removed, was in a critical but stable condition last night.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Government; US: District of Columbia; US: Maryland; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: alfuqra; alqaeda; blackmuslims; secretservice; snipermarylanddc; sniperterrorism
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This is interesting that the Secret Service would be called in for this.

Has there been anything in our left wing fishwraps about this?

1 posted on 10/08/2002 10:58:46 PM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: Squantos; Travis McGee; harpseal
FYI

You guys ever remember the Secret Service guys getting called out on a so called community crime?
2 posted on 10/08/2002 11:00:23 PM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: Grampa Dave
This makes no sense...I don't like this at all. WHAT is the rationale?????
3 posted on 10/08/2002 11:05:01 PM PDT by lainde
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To: Grampa Dave
THE hunt for a sniper whose killing spree has been terrifying Washington was stepped up yesterday, with members of the Secret Service who normally protect the President and foreign embassies sent to guard schools and highways.

By the Presidents orders I"M SURE!!!

This President is decent and absolutely amazing.

God Bless him.. he is facing the hardest time in our Nations history. Yet he has love and compassion for our nations children who are being terrorized. President Bush is an amazing man. Wow..

4 posted on 10/08/2002 11:06:30 PM PDT by Vets_Husband_and_Wife
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To: Grampa Dave
I have three guesses on how and why the SS is involved...

One is that some of them live in this specific area and have kids and are concerned. Moonlighting, as it were.

The second is the more logical one - the SS has tremendous knowledge about the art of sniping - they have to protect POTUS and others. I think they are helping with the psych profile and the forensics and the observation.

Based on what's been said to date about the profiling , I would guess they have narrowed the sniper's home location to a 5 to 10 square mile area. The SS knows how to observe from high places, and may be deployed in the target area to try to see the vehicle before it reaches its destination.

Too many guesses...
5 posted on 10/08/2002 11:09:05 PM PDT by RandyRep
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife
bingo
6 posted on 10/08/2002 11:09:27 PM PDT by ALS
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To: lainde
"This makes no sense...I don't like this at all. WHAT is the rationale?"

The Secret Service receives very extensive training in anti-sniper tactics, as one might expect. Since they're experts in the subject, and are right there in the neighborhood, why shouldn't the President offer their help to local law enforcement?

7 posted on 10/08/2002 11:11:54 PM PDT by Fabozz
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To: lainde
I am afraid that the politically correct DC area police chiefs are better off running Divesity Quilting parties than handling this very bad situation.
8 posted on 10/08/2002 11:12:27 PM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: Grampa Dave
Ooops that should have been Diversity Quilting Parties. I have the remains of a summer cold and the old cns is proof reading very well.
9 posted on 10/08/2002 11:13:54 PM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: RandyRep
Your reply makes a lot of sense.
10 posted on 10/08/2002 11:14:48 PM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: lainde
Let's remember where this is taking place and realize that there are a good many VIPs and their family members in the area. All this person has to do is morph their tactics just a bit and we're going to be scooping up a Senator, Congressman or their family members out of the dirt.

This person is a top priority until he/she/they are apprehended.

11 posted on 10/08/2002 11:15:36 PM PDT by DoughtyOne
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To: Vets_Husband_and_Wife
If this president does something for the children, I believe him.
12 posted on 10/08/2002 11:16:41 PM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: Grampa Dave
The powers and amndate if the SS are pretty broad. In this case I'd say they are involved because an event of this magnitude can have an impact on their perceived view of the safety of the Prersident.
13 posted on 10/08/2002 11:17:07 PM PDT by FRMAG
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To: FRMAG
I had a friend who was Secret Service and their powers and mandates to protect the President were very broad as people found when the president visit their city/town!
14 posted on 10/08/2002 11:19:22 PM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: Grampa Dave
Perhaps there is a concern that this maniac is part of a terrorist cell, with plans on killing government officials. That would be a good reason to send the president's body guards to find him. A pre-emptive strike kind of approach.
15 posted on 10/08/2002 11:20:20 PM PDT by keepvotin
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To: JohnHuang2
Good evening John.

You might be interested in this story re the sniper in the DC area.
16 posted on 10/08/2002 11:21:27 PM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: FRMAG
I can just imagine clintoon or albore doing this /sarcasm off.

The sniper hid behind a tree,,,check out albore the wood for gunpowder marks

17 posted on 10/08/2002 11:21:31 PM PDT by spokeshave
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To: keepvotin
There are a lot of us with the concern you mentioned in your reply!

The Secret Service will act pre emptively to protect the president!
18 posted on 10/08/2002 11:22:52 PM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: Grampa Dave
Yep....BTW youngster !!! What in the heck are you doing up this late ?;o) Better be a cold beer involved in the answer.........

USSS Tech services solves a whole lot of crimes. This sniper is too close to their protectee to ignore. Beside it'll hopefully catch the turd before s/he can kill again. Free training for the counter sniper teams ect ect.

Stay Safe !

19 posted on 10/08/2002 11:23:33 PM PDT by Squantos
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To: Squantos
Thanks for the feedback.

I'm actually fighting a late summer cold, and My DayQuil has me wired.

Hopefully one of these Secret Service guys/gals will nail this creep tomorrow and bag his helper/s if he/she has any helpers.

The three of you have been great with your expertise on these threads about the sniper/s.
20 posted on 10/08/2002 11:28:42 PM PDT by Grampa Dave
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