Local psychologist believes sniper kills done by terrorists

Knoxnews.com ^ | Oct. 15, 2002 | J.J. Stambaugh

[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

[Kerberos]

is not to make all of the people in the metro DC

[sweetliberty]

", gas stations are one of few places where he will have multiple targets, all largely exposed for a length of time and all relatively stationary"

This may be way off, but given that a miss at a gas station could prove disastrous, there may be an element of not being able to miss, as it were. Miss the target, hit a gas pump. It would still all look very planned. Of course, that doesn't explain the "Michael's" connection.

[aristeides]

A lot of the cab drivers here in D.C. are Moslems. There's a halal kebab house right across the street from my office building, in downtown D.C., and there are always a bunch of cabs parked outside it.

[MHGinTN]

It is my opinion that the cell making these kills will turn out to be very simialr in age range to the Lackawana cell in upstate New York. The memebers probably have had training in Afghanistan and have had some recent practice in a rock quarry or other remote location. It would be useful therefore to interview a few of the hobby shooters in VA and MD who might have seen ME types out sharing the remote locales with the hobbiests.

[sweetliberty]

"Interning and/or deporting all those here on visas? Not likely. Controlling our borders? Not enough manpower. Facing the possibility that the "Muslim Faith" isn't really a religion of peace? How un-pc!"

I think you have hit on some very real points of contention. These are some points we had darned well better address before long because if we don't, we lose. It is very simple. Do you think for one minute that they are not using our perverse political correctness against us?

[sweetliberty]

There was a Michael's craft store in the shopping center where last night's victim was hit as well.

[aristeides]

I wonder if the guy in Baltimore (a former sniping instructor for the Marines) may have been involved in training the perps.

[aristeides]

I think that these shootings, like the anthrax, are a threat directed at our leaders, meant to deter them. Hence the limited scope of both. Hence the concentration on D.C.

[valkyrieanne]

If it is indeed the work of jihadis, I would fully expect the gov't to keep it under wraps. Were it to come out conclusively, you would have US Muslims *begging* for internment camps - that would be the *least* of their worries.

Can you imagine the reaction in Hawaii or CA in 1941, if a Japanese sniper were found to be picking off Americans in either of those areas?

[Kerberos]

"Hence the concentration on D.C."

I would concur and think it is not an accident that this is happening in the D.C. area.

[MHGinTN]

I don't think the Marine is connected in any way, willingly. What we are seeing is a single step in a terrorist methodology to ratchet up the fear in stages. The overall desired effect is to paralyze our economy by causing people to stop their usual routine due to fear. You will know that is the aim if other metro areas begin to have sniper incidents, then the killing will ratchet up further to bombings at malls, etc. This is terrorist activity and it follows a pattern designed to alter our daily routines in a way that paralyzes our economy, especially in the most 'consumerized' season. Look for the activity to increase as we move past the elections and on toward Christmas.

[aristeides]

I think this is a threat directed at our leaders, meant to deter the attack on Iraq, like the anthrax. Hence the limited scope. Hence the concentration on D.C. Notice how the Secret Service got involved the very day of the five shootings?

[DC native]

Sorry. I was talking about the guy in Baltimore. I didn't express myself very clearly.

[livius]

"... someone who drives all around the metro area, for example an airport cabbie."

Airport cab drivers are also particularly knowledgeable about avoiding lights and stop signs, saving time, etc.

I hae never lived in DC, but I know that in NY, a great number of the cabbies and particularly airport limo drivers were from Middle Eastern countries. They weren't natives, but they sure knew the roads. Aristeides mentioned that many of the DC area drives are from the ME.

[Man of the Right]

Authorities will always attempt to call a terrorist incident anything else to minimize criticism.

God granted us the capacity to think. While bad things besides terrorism continue to happen in the world, I no longer believe in coincidences. If a new, just-inspected airliner falls apart in the sky over New York a month after 9-11, I don't call that a coincidence. If a mosquito-borne epidemic called West Nile virus kills hundreds, I note who lives on the West Nile. If a sniper kills with impunity in the nation's capital, I don't automatically assume Mr. Rogers is the culprit.

[MatthewViti]

2) All but 3 of the shootings occured at gas stations. These are owned by oil companies who are the dominant US presence in the Middle East and at the core of the US economy. This is no coincidence. (consider the overwhelming number of alternate public venues). This is an indirect attack on the oil industry. I believe the two of the attacks were at Sunoco stations, and Sunoco doesn't get any of their oil from the mid-east. I believe they get all their oil off of the UK.

[Trident/Delta]

Someone, on another thread, thought that these shootings might be a test run for the Christmas shopping season. If the economy isn't tanking already, that would do the job.

Actually, I think that Halloween is a potential. Multitudes of kids, wandering the streets et.al.

Semper Studious

[Jake0001]

"a few hundred dollars per location" x thousands of potential locations.

My wife takes comfort in that this is occurring hundreds of miles away but fears the prospect of "copy-cats" in the near future.

I think we give the killers too much credit though. I have not been informed as to the range the sniper is firing but if he is firing at a modest range between 100 to 200 yards that gives him a ring of 847,000 sq.ft (18 acres) of uneven and obstructed terrain to conceal himself. (If he is an actual experienced sniper it could be more than 500 yards making the area a minimum of 146 acres).

I think using military surveilence satellites or drones that take detailed snapshots of the region the moment an attack is reported could be helpful. Then take follow-up shots 2 & 5 minutes later and see what's different.


There is no defense from these people, unless one is willing to lock themselves in their houses or wear a bullet-proof vest (which might work - but many of the victims were shot in the head apparently).

[A Navy Vet]

I am definitely not a conspriracy type, but it is my firm belief that the Federal and possibly local authorities will do everything possible to perpetuate a cover up if this terrorism is Muslim connected. The Muslims have already made the mistake of waking up our military giant...wait till they manage to enrage our "militia"!

The leftists, peaceniks, and PC crowd can wail all they want. There are still countless good decent MEN who will be willing to protect their families and liberty, even at the risk of incarceration. Let's hope it never gets to that point.

[vaudine]

My take is this is the latest terrorism ploy. This Dr. of Psy. makes sense. Then there are the varied reports of the white vehicle. It was a van, a cargo van, then a white box truck. I think teams of two using different vehicles.

It has been reported that this type of sniper terrorism was in the terrorist training. If this is so, then the Wash.DC area is the typical place to start--but it will be just a start and will spread to other places. Horrible thought!

And doesn't it get you that all the Dems can think about is the next election, their power, and stopping anything that might be construed as conservative? No Homeland Security, and already demagoging SS.

Vaudine