Posted on 10/15/2002 4:52:49 AM PDT by twntaipan
Local psychologist believes sniper kills done by terrorists By J.J. Stambaugh, News-Sentinel staff writer October 15, 2002
The recent sniper shootings in the Washington, D.C., area are probably terrorist attacks rather than the work of a traditional "spree killer," according to a local psychologist who specializes in violent behavior.
Dr. Helen Smith, a forensic psychologist and author of the book "The Scarred Heart," earned her doctorate from the University of Tennessee in 1994. She often is called to testify as an expert witness in Juvenile Court proceedings; in "The Scarred Heart," she dedicated a chapter to the 1997 Lillelid murder case in Greene County, and she is currently making a documentary on the slayings.
"This is most likely a terrorist act, that's my take on it," Smith said of the D.C.-area shootings, which began Oct. 2 and have claimed the lives of eight people so far. "It's not typical, it just doesn't really meet any of the profiles we look at."
While law enforcement officials say they aren't releasing detailed information about the shootings because of concerns about tipping off possible suspects, Smith said the very nature of the attacks sets them apart from other instances of mass homicide.
"It looks to me like there's more than one person involved, and spree killers generally act alone," she said. "They will normally be in their thirties or forties, male, unemployed - a loner type. Usually, there's also a divorce or other relationship problem.
"But my guess is that there's more than person operating here, a driver and the person doing the shooting. There might even be different teams."
According to Smith, the apparently random nature of the shootings may provide clues as to the shooter's motivations. Serial killers, for instance, tend to single out people of a specific gender, age and ethnic group and often try to strike up a rapport with their prospective victims, Smith said.
"Serial killers are usually practiced and accomplished at what they do, they have normal and acceptable social behavior," she said. "They are usually sexually motivated. They'll get into a fantasy world where they fantasize about a certain kind of person: co-eds, (Playboy) Bunnies, or even homosexual boys, as in the case of Jeffrey Dahmer.
"But spree killers are obviously not getting to know their victims. It's a distance thing - they're disassociating themselves from their victims."
Smith mentioned the 1966 case of Charles Whitman, who shot and killed 14 people and injured dozens more from the top of the University of Texas Tower in Austin as an example of a traditional spree killer: someone who engages in a short, violent killing spree that generally ends with their own death or capture.
According to Smith, the real target of the sniper or snipers in the Washington area is the larger community rather than individuals.
"The anger's not toward the victims, it's toward the community," she said. "People use guns because you can step back, make it impersonal. They're probably not even seeing these people as actual people, but as things or objects used to further their goal, whatever their goal is."
Smith also said the degree of planning, skill and patience needed to sustain the attacks for an extended period of time also leads her to suspect terrorists.
"This is too calculated," she said. "It's cool, it's calm, and it's from a distance. It doesn't sound like the work of a maniac."
Smith also speculated that the investigating police agencies aren't publicly commenting on the possibility that terrorists are behind the shootings because they don't want to hurt the public's morale.
"They're not giving us much information," she said. "They don't want to tell us that because they don't want people to panic ."
No matter what the facts of the case ultimately turn out to be, Smith said one thing is obvious: The shooter or shooters enjoy the attention they're getting.
"This is a person who wants power over the population at large," she said. "They are watching the news . They do a hit and then go home and watch it on TV."
J.J. Stambaugh may be reached at 865-342-6307 or stambaugh@knews.com
Probably is a coincidence since the victims are being selected at random.
However I think that the point of these attacks is to affect the workings of the Federal government. If that is true the sniper hit the jackpot with this victim.
I think that may depend on whether she was working the sniper case. I wonder if we'll ever find out.
That's right. Citizens might actually take some action to protect themselves.
I know what you are thinking, but that's not what would happen.
First, people would organize the mall equivalent of neighborhood watches, carry video cameras, audio recorders. A simple four-track audio recording could pinpoint the exact location of any shot, and be coordinated with video. We're talking about a few hundred dollars per location.
Make that two.
My thought exactly. Then Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's shameless exploitation of these deaths would blow up in her ugly face.
Excellent point. Your mention of a cabbie also answers some questions.
Since there are probably two, its likely the driver is very knowledgeable about DC Metro roads, and not just the highways. He knows traffic patterns and methods of escape and how to plan a shooting for both impact and easy egress.
He knows how the traffic flows in different parts of the area, maybe even a few shortcuts around traffic "chokepoints." Obviously quite an experienced driver, not some newbie to the area (his whole pattern seems almost diabolically knowledgeable).
And it wouldn't be merely a local DC or Virginia cabbie, but someone who drives all around the metro area, for example an airport cabbie. If he serviced National DCA, he'd be in just about every suburban area so far targeted by the shooter: Manassas, Bowie, Falls Church, Kensington. The Fredericksburg shootings don't add up, but I suppose its possible someone might take an airport cab to/from there.
On the other hand the shooter is probably the al Qaeda import, probably not at all familiar with the roads, but experienced with killing.
I've been wondering from the outset how these guys knew so much about the roads and traffic. Airport cabbie make a great deal of sense.
I suppose its obvious, but most DC airport cabbies are not white male ex-Marine sharpshooters with NRA memberships.
I am inclined to agree. I have thought this for some time. I just hope that when they do eventually get cornered, it isn't planned and they don't go out in suicide bomber fashion taking more innocent people with them.
Exactly!
I would think that the fact she worked for the FBI is just coincidence as the victims are pretty clearly being selected at random and have nothing in common.
However I think there are two things that are pertinent here.
1. That the point of these attacks is not make all of the people in the metro DC are feel they are not secure. In addition, I think it is pertinent that this is happening in DC and have to ask the question as to how many people who live in this area work for the Federal government. I would assume quite a few. What happens if many of these people stop going to work out of fear.
2. I also find it interesting that giving the choice of targets in this instance, i.e., male or female, which were pretty clearly husband and wife, why did the shooter choose the female. Could it be to demonstrate that we cannot protect our wife's and families? The fact that this particular female worked for the government is just a bonus.
Do you think the cops are checking the place out?
If not, they should be fired. I dearly hope PC has not destroyed our ability to see our enemies.
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