Beltway Sniper Shootings-FR Commentary-Tuesday, Oct. 15

Fox News, CNN, Press Conferences | October 15, 2002 | Fox News, CNN, Press Conferences

[Peach]

To avoid multiple vanity threads regarding any news from press conferences, let's keep a live commentary thread going again today.

Note: This is the graphics-free thread. Graphics can be found under the thread titled "Beltway Sniper Shootings-Graphics Only"

[IFly4Him]

This doesn't have to be Abdul and Mohammed either in order for this to be ME terrorism

Or Cheychens perhaps...

[browardchad]

From today’s NY Times:

In the attack, two witnesses saw a suspicious driver and a vehicle moments later, according to a report on News Channel 8. Witnesses, the report added, talked of a possible second car suddenly backing up and racing from the scene. It was described as a dark, late-model Chevrolet or Chrysler.

It could be related, or it could be a panicked witness, trying to get the heck out of there...

[jacquej]

I agree that the "Michael's" speculations are silly. Michael's, like McDonald's is located near every commerical location of any size. To make so much of it is just part of the groupthink that is trying to get us all not to look at that man behind the curtain.

By the way, I have a son living nearby last night's location. He is providing security for a high-up in the Justice Dept. I worry about him, and his girlfriend, but remain calm.

To those posting who criticize us for not being "brave" about this, we are not being cowering fools by recognizing the probability of terrorsim, and the difficulty of dealing with it, just realists.

Our whole way of life, commercial and other-wise, is based on the assumption of relative safety in going about our daily rounds, and therefore will be negatively impacted by events such as this.

I would posit that our government is cowardly in refusing to inform us thqat this may be a new terrorist tactic, and in assuming that we are not capable of handling ourselves appropriately.

[TLBSHOW]

Today is my first day jumping into this story. Here.
The pattern I see is that a child is the islam terrorist religions next victim, and there must be some undergound tunnels he/she is using to escape. I think they are moving towards dc and are after the President using some tunnel.

Then again I could be wrong.

[GreyWolf]

Local news is reporting that the victom, Linda Franklin, 47, Arlington, Va., was a 20 year veteran FBI anaylst.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Detain him for what?

[angkor]

Not in any of the police briefings I've been following.

I heard on one Fox report last night that there was a witness to the shot being fired from inside a van.

But that was it, the witness reports were being very tightly held and extremely sketchy.

[areafiftyone]

Good Lord ... is all this not at least enough to detain this "gentleman"?

Exactly what I was thinking. Did they ever think about investigating his friends and associates?

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you for your service. :)

[Elenya]

I also continue to wonder why the tarot card has never been released to the public.

The "secrecy" behind this investigation is starting to look very suspicious. Apparently, last night they had several witnesses who gave a description of the man (/men).

So where is the composite photo of the "man-we'd-like-to-talk-to-who-might-have-some-valuable-information-but-who-isn't-a-suspect"? They had several hours to prepare it...

[AmericanInTokyo]

Breaking+++ Woman killed last night was FBI AGENT!!!

[American72]

In watching MSNBC news yesterday evening, I heard them say, "Wait..new information coming in. There WAS NO TAROT CARD found in the van." Then some rambling about how information was coming in so fast, etc. Just excuses as to why they reported the news before verifying its validity. Now that information is being spread around like wildfire and it's not even true. Irresponsible journalism.

From MSNBC right now: "But police said initial reports that a tarot card was found in the van were incorrect."
http://www.msnbc.com/news/816566.asp

[jacquej]

FINALLY!!! Just now, at about 10:13 AM

Foxnews reporter is considering the possibility of terrorism, adn asking expert to comment. Maybe they are monitoring our threads, or responding to email sent to them asking them to respond to the possibility of terrorism.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Correction+ FBI Analyst may have been working on the case. shot while shopping.

[harpseal]

We know that the weapon is the same.

We know that the weapon or weapons are the same caliber.

[wewillnotfail]

I honestly don't get your point. If my kid was killed by a sniper rather than in a car accident, I would be angrier and more vengeful, of course. But I cannot understand why the perceived danger is any greater because of this murderer.

Unless, it's the constant barage of news coverage????

Remember the antrax panic? More people died in the last 12 months of measles than antrax yet you had people who refused to open their mail for months out of, what I see as an unresonible level of fear. Now you have people in this thread saying we shouldn't go shopping because of fear. People are 'shuting down for awhile' out of fear. Fear of what? Of a risk that is less likely than that we all face everytime we get into a car?

This unjustified level of fear is painting a giant bullseye on the entire country by telling anyone who wants to tie us up in knots just how to do it. They don't need nukes or bio weapons. Just a dozen "snipers" planted around the country and the media will whip this nation into such a panic that we won't be able to think straight.

I take that "we" back.

I REFUSE TO LIVE IN FEAR

[Elenya]

Local news is reporting that the victom, Linda Franklin, 47, Arlington, Va., was a 20 year veteran FBI anaylst.

Now THIS ONE doesn't seem to be totally random now, does it? What are the odds???

[twigs]

I'm not convinced this is Islamic terrorism either. However, I would be willing to bet that this is one of our own crazies who has a significant degree of sympathy with AQ. And given the video tape discovered recently that indicates their desire to pursue individual, residential terrorism, I think this will help the terrorists plan how they want to begin their new reign of terror. That's going to put all of us in danger.

[md2576]

I used to discredit the theory that the sniper drove a van. I didn't think this true because it would be very hard for a sniper to line up a good shot in this kind of vehicle. Now that they mention a broken tail light it may add some clues as to how he is able to make this sniper shot. Perhaps he has made a hole in the van (taillight area) for him to be able to lay down in the back floor to take a sniper shot?

[GirlNextDoor]

Thanks, angkor.

I was following the story on MSNBC and FOX till late last night but must have missed that.

I'm headed out to the store now and can't help but be grateful that I'm not facing in my community what they are just south of here. Funny the things you take for granted....

God be with them all and keep them safe and let them find and destroy this monster !