Maybe.
With most semi-auto weapons, the gun 'likes' some ammo and does not 'like' other ammo. What that means is that if you are firing 5-round strings at a target (say 25 yards,) the 'likeable' ammo will group more tightly than the 'not-likeable' ammo. So you practice with various brands, weights, etc., of ammo until you find the one which is 'likeable' for your weapon.
Another thing: 9mm ammo comes in all different weights (measured by grains of lead in the bullet,) from 90 grains up to 147.
The heavier rounds tend to fire higher on the target. So if your ammo is firing low, go up a weight class until you find the weight which fires dead-on point of aim.
Does it take practice to shoot someone at close range? Not really, depending on the meaning of 'close.'
Out to 10 yards or so, you have to really be a bozo to miss a human being. At 25 yards, you may miss point of aim by up to 6" (on the target,) depending on the typical factors: hurry, adrenaline, etc.
If the victims were 5 to 10 feet away (1.5 to 3.0 meters) killing them is not difficult.
This does presume that one has practiced--say a thousand rounds a year (not too much practice, BTW; Olympians and the professionals do around 2,000 rounds/week.)
Regarding posts #10 and the info from the start about witnesses saying they saw "militant types" in the area before Fortuyn was shot: I was thinking others may have known of his plan and helped him with target surveillance on the day of the hit and possibly at other times. I realize all of these greenie types wouldn't want to physically kill themselves, but I hear a lot of them wish death on their "enemies" and the enemies of animals and it is documented that they work in a loosely associated network- particularly ALF and ELF and openly advocate criminal activity.
I figure the shooter probably realized he needed help (lookouts etc) and had a few of the ones who agreed with the shooting posted around the site of the Fortuyn assassination in this lookout capacity. They could have helped tail him to that location as well. It would be so easy if they all had cell phones. Just before the shooting the shooter could have given them a heads up, they could have used these extra moments to flee- lessening the chances of their own detection- the shooter does his deed and then tries to get away on his own.
It also wouldn't surprise me at all that via this ELF/ALF system the arsonists and monkeywrenchers (and lately assassins) have some method of anonymously reporting their deeds so ELF/ALF knows that someone from the "revolution" is the one that has done the deed. They like to post these little victories on their website- it's good for morale. The USA is a big place as is Europe- hard to keep up with every little chicken house fire. Surely, someone is telling someone else- somehow.