Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Local psychologist believes sniper kills done by terrorists
Knoxnews.com ^ | Oct. 15, 2002 | J.J. Stambaugh

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


TOPICS: Extended News; Front Page News; US: District of Columbia; US: Maryland; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: profile; psychiatrist; shooting; terrorism; terrorist; washington
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 161-164 next last
To: GOPJ
If shootings start in several cities at once I think we have our answer.
81 posted on 10/15/2002 7:08:38 AM PDT by willyone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: twntaipan
By definition, this guy is a terrorist.

The only question in my mind is "what's his goal?" Is he Al Queda? Some ultra-right nutjob? A radical leftist (it's possible...)? Someone who just didnt like what was on TV?

I think we'll find out soon; looks like the police down there arent telling us everything. (Thank God.)

82 posted on 10/15/2002 7:09:02 AM PDT by jude24
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DC native
"I wonder if this guy was on a Reverse-Jihad mission, intending to pop a few Muslims and leave Tarot cards at the scene."

Why would you wonder that?

83 posted on 10/15/2002 7:10:26 AM PDT by Kerberos
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 80 | View Replies]

To: Mamzelle
This ain't nothing. Wait until the Aztlan liberation movement starts. That will be something. I believe we may have immigrated ourselves to death in this here US of A. That cheap lawn care ain't so cheap is it,bucko!
84 posted on 10/15/2002 7:11:17 AM PDT by willyone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: Kerberos
And, remember the middle-eastern guy who walked into the El-Al section of LAX and started shooting. US authorities called it a case of a seemingly normal man gone mad. Israel immediately called it terrorism.

We certainly operate under a different paradigm.
85 posted on 10/15/2002 7:15:41 AM PDT by HoosierFather
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: willyone
Illegal immigration is a democratic party plan to maintain their power. They need a steady inflow of people they can bribe, cajole or intimidate to vote for them.
86 posted on 10/15/2002 7:16:43 AM PDT by twntaipan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: Sender
Maybe the white van is being used as a rabbit to draw off the dogs while the fox gets away.
87 posted on 10/15/2002 7:17:06 AM PDT by willyone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: twntaipan
Last night the police rep was questioned about reports that the sniper was an "olive-skinned" male. His words downplayed the report but his nonverbal cues led me to believe that he believed this to be the case.
88 posted on 10/15/2002 7:17:43 AM PDT by Kryptonite
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: casinva
Reaffic is too light on the weekends. This might change when the holiday shoping season gets here if this is still going on. Either that or these guys are using the company truck for tranport and do not work on the weekend.
89 posted on 10/15/2002 7:20:05 AM PDT by willyone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]

To: willyone
By bike or motorcycle. I think this could be the method of getaway--distraction.
90 posted on 10/15/2002 7:20:11 AM PDT by twntaipan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 87 | View Replies]

To: HoosierFather
"We certainly operate under a different paradigm"

Well we seem to develop certain constructs in our mind and cannot seem to assimilate anything that happens outside of that realm.

As an example GWB immediately attributed the bombings in Bali to terrorism although no terrorist group has claimed reasonability for that. Why, because they used a bomb? So the construct is that for something to be terrorism, a bomb must be involved.

I think the world we are living in is much more fluid than that. We need to quickly learn how to be fluid with it.

91 posted on 10/15/2002 7:22:01 AM PDT by Kerberos
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: All
Over the weekend I heard a news report where they were saying it appeared that this terrorist was doing things that he has heard said in the media reports.

It was said that school children were safe, so next was a school child.

It was said something like this person is acting like he is God in taking lives. Tarot card with Mister policeman, "I am God."

Now I don't remember if I heard this on the news or read it on FR, but it was said people should be sure to go to stores where there are parking garages because it would be to hard to get a long distance shot. HE/THEY ARE LISTENING AND PROVING THEY CAN DO ANYTHING PEOPLE SUGGEST.

92 posted on 10/15/2002 7:22:49 AM PDT by Spunky
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 80 | View Replies]

To: twntaipan
Illegal immigration is a democratic party plan to maintain their power. They need a steady inflow of people they can bribe, cajole or intimidate to vote for them.

They may just have found a way to convince their other voters that that is a dangerous policy. The Dems may end up having to choose between immigrants and their homegrown voters.

93 posted on 10/15/2002 7:23:14 AM PDT by aristeides
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: Spunky
Now I don't remember if I heard this on the news or read it on FR, but it was said people should be sure to go to stores where there are parking garages because it would be to hard to get a long distance shot.

I remember reading that here on FR. I don't remember hearing that on the radio.

94 posted on 10/15/2002 7:24:22 AM PDT by aristeides
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: HoosierFather
US authorities called it a case of a seemingly normal man gone mad. Israel immediately called it terrorism.

And the perp's wife later admitted the guy had been associated with Gamaa al-Islamiyah, one of the Egyptian extremist groups that have now joined al Qaeda.

95 posted on 10/15/2002 7:25:39 AM PDT by aristeides
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: DC native
I wonder if this guy was on a Reverse-Jihad mission, intending to pop a few Muslims and leave Tarot cards at the scene.

I think that's now ruled out by the ballistic match with the earlier sniper shootings. In fact, the fact that, even when he went into a neighborhood with a lot of Moslems, he still ended up killing a non-Moslem victim weighs in the other direction, that we're dealing with jihadis.

96 posted on 10/15/2002 7:28:12 AM PDT by aristeides
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 80 | View Replies]

To: Kerberos
Or conversely this could be used as a great example as to why we desperately need our second amendment rights. Just depends on who wants to put up the best fight.

Especially if a citizen in CCW Virginia ends up popping the guy.

97 posted on 10/15/2002 7:29:33 AM PDT by aristeides
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 79 | View Replies]

To: Northpaw
I may be the lone voice of dissent here, but I don't think this is terrorist related. If it were, these 'hits' wouldn't be confined to Virginia, given the reported widespread distribution of Islamic terrorist cells. Given their penchant for maximum effect, this just doesn't fit the M.O. of typical Islamic terror.

I don't either. If the tarot card had read "I am Allah", I might have a different take on it, but I just can't see al-Qaida taking affirmative steps to blame someone else for this.

98 posted on 10/15/2002 7:29:40 AM PDT by Dog Gone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

Comment #99 Removed by Moderator

To: All
Fire now reported at Union Station Metro station in D.C. Red line shut down.
100 posted on 10/15/2002 7:30:39 AM PDT by aristeides
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 97 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 161-164 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson