[hattend]

From AP (via SierraTimes.com)

BALTIMORE (AP) - Men who spent their careers studying snipers are giving civilians in the Washington suburbs the kind of advice they once gave to people accustomed to living in the line of fire: Keep moving. Look for cover.

Dark, out-of-the-way spots may be the safest places for people to buy groceries or pump gas, said retired Maj. John Plaster, former Army Green Beret and author of ``The Ultimate Sniper,'' a police and military training manual. He offered the advice Thursday to people in counties surrounding Washington, where sniper attacks have terrorized people for nine days.

``If you look at where the night shootings have taken place, they were well illuminated,'' Plaster said. ``Think about how well lit a gas station is at night when you're pumping gas.''

People striking up conversations in line at the supermarket, with their neighbors, and on hotlines to crisis centers are talking about how to keep themselves and their families safe. Dean H. Meyers, 53, shot Wednesday after stopping for gas in Manassas, Va.,. was the seventh to die in the shootings.

Don Bassett, a former FBI instructor who trained agents to be snipers, said people should make themselves difficult targets. Anyone in an open area should keep moving - especially if the area is surrounded by woods or rolling terrain, he said. Anyone getting out of a car should avoid the most brightly lit areas of service stations or parking lots.

Bassett said quiet, country roads may be safer than busy streets for taking a walk or a jog. He calls schools and service stations ``target-rich areas'' because they see a constant flow of traffic.

``I think he's picking targets of opportunity that are more or less plums,'' Bassett said.

People walking quickly are harder to shoot, he said.

Plaster said people should also be aware when they're standing in an area where they're visible from more than 80 to 100 yards away. He said it's not difficult for a trained marksman to hit a target from that distance.

``I would try to be more alert, but at the same time you have to go on with your life,'' Plaster said.

Bassett said the sniper could be firing from up to 500 yards away.

``I don't think people should be paranoid as they go about their daily business, but I think they should be very aware of what's around them,'' he said.

[texson66]

Maybe this is a possible technology for the detection of the sniper... Anti-Sniper

[Maigrey]

Bassett said the sniper could be firing from up to 500 yards away.

As someone who did Olympic sport shooting in college, I find the assertion that hitting a man at 500 yards (a man being 2ft by 4ft in area) is easy. Horsepucky! (even with a scope.) When you throw in windage and the targets moving, you have a difficult task. there are a few who could achieve the results.

Mark my words, this guys had some kind of training...

-Maigrey-