Inside the Mind of a Sniper

ABC News ^

[hoosierskypilot]

The shooting Monday of the youngster as he was about to enter a middle school in Bowie, Md., was the latest in a series of attacks that have left six people dead and two hospitalized.

Like the others, this sniper attack did not fit any apparent pattern. It stunned residents still reeling from last week's shootings and left puzzled authorities wondering what is behind the attacks and who will be the next victim.

Experts suspect the person — or people — responsible for the shootings may be challenging police and could be willing to get into a confrontation. That makes the sniper extremely dangerous to himself, authorities and his potential victims.

"My surprise is that the person does not seem to have left the area, and gone state to state with his attacks," said Tod Burke, associate professor of criminal justice at Radford University in Virginia and a former Maryland police officer. "It almost seems to me like he's challenging police, saying, 'Try and catch me.' He's becoming more brazen."

[hoosierskypilot]

"It almost seems to me like he's challenging police, saying, 'Try and catch me.' He's becoming more brazen."

Or, like maybe the sniper(s) believe they're on a mission from God. (Now, what kind of religion.......?)

[porte des morts]

Repeat after me:This is NOT a sniper, it is an assasin/murderer. This is NOT a sniper, it is an assasin/murderer.

If it was a real sniper the Police would have even less clues than they do now.

[hoosierskypilot]

This may merely be semantics. Webster's defines "sniper" as one who "snipes." A "snipe" is a shot from a hidden position.

No offense to our military snipers. It's used generically.

[Textide]

I'm sure that long after this guy's been captured, lethally injected/killed by an armed citizen, and met his buddy with the red trident in the underworld, that most Americans won't associate his killing of innocents with the unenviable job that our Snipers in the Armed Forces perform. This guy's just a loser with a gun; our Snipers are professionals.

The term "sniper" is used generically as the previous poster pointed out.

[porte des morts]

Yeah, I know I am pickin' nits here. It only makes this guys terror more powerful by refrenceing him as a sniper. He is a murderer,pure and simple.

Also I am of the belief, he is not so much hidden as just not noticed.

[joesnuffy]

check out your websters on the word assassin...and its derivation...

[hoosierskypilot]

I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!! You knew this?

Webster on "assassin": "...a member of a secret terrorist sect of Muslims of the 11th-13th cent., who killed their political enemies as a religious duty, allegedly while under the influence of hashish.."

(You know, I always figured Johnny Taliban became Afghan for the drugs.)