Breaking on Fox :5 people shot to death in Montgomery Co, MD.

[Dallas]

It's at a School, is all I know.

[spunkets]

"Said one woman was shot in the head at long range while sitting on a park bench."

The perp's on a CO mountaintop with one of those fearsome .50 BMG target rifles. Who knows what part of the country he'll aim at next.

[Free Trapper]

Read it.

Liked it. :)

A scoped Contender type was my first thought but if they're not too far off and the shooter is good even iron sights could work.

[tomkat]

... the mechanics said they heard two shots

could be, but i'll be surprised if that turns out to be the case.

btw, does MD still enforce the death penalty ?
i should know that, but can't recall offhand ...

[70times7]

I would think that if someone shot off a round with a high caliber rifle, even two blocks aways, people are going to look towards the direction of the noise and see a vehicle drive away

not necessarily. If we take it beyond the two in a car w/ a conventional rifle to, let's say, one in a car, one w/ a colapsable sniper rifle the shot could come from anywhere. In an environment like Silver springs the sound, even if unmuffled, would bounce around on buildings to the point that one may not be able to tell where it came from. As long as the sniper keeps a low profile he can mix into crowds, traffic, whatever. This sniper is not speeding from the scene or running down streets to get away; their actions seem to be carefully calculated. And yes, with the right equipment properly concealed it could be done on foot. I'm guessin', but would be willing to bet that there are mags out there with foldable rifles that would fit a briefcase (necktie w/ powder residue?).

[AmericanInTokyo]

"Posted: (Worldnet) September 4, 2002 1:00 a.m. Eastern By Joseph Farah Copyright 2002 WorldNetDaily.com An al-Qaida training videotape, captured in Afghanistan, shows Osama bin Laden's terrorists are not only planning attacks with weapons of mass destruction but are preparing to kill Americans with drive by shootings and home break-ins, through ambushes of law-enforcement officers targeted on golf courses, WorldNetDaily has learned. The videotape was produced, U.S. analysis believe, for al-Qaida's internal use and did not appear to be an external propaganda device. U.S. intelligence considers the tape much more significant in what it reveals about al-Qaida's modus operandi than the highly publicized video purchased and broadcast last month by CNN. U.S. forces found a cache of 64 al-Qaida tapes while combing caves and hideouts in Afghanistan. Analysists were surprised by some of what they saw in the latest video and believe they employ terrorist tactics and techniques meant for export to America and other nations. "None of these training scenarios depicts the type of fighting that al-Qaida engages in within Afghanistan," noted John Holschen of Insights Training Center, who produced a report on the tape for military and law enforcement officials. The training video shows al-Qaida operatives practicing the following kinds of assaults: *Using pickup trucks with shooters concealed in the bed of the trucks; *using motorcycles as a shooting platform for drive-bys and assassinations; *execution of prisoners; *ambushes of law-enforcement officers; *residential assassinations; *assassination on a golf course using a RPG and rifle fire; *drive-up kidnapping of target walking on a street; *use of tunnels, storm drains and sewers for infiltration during urban raids; *rapelling from rooftops of buildings to make entry on upper floors; Analysists point out that all scenarios involving prisoners and hostages ended in execution. None included plans for negotiated settlements for escape by terrorists. "They plan to kill the prisoners and die in place" wrote Holschen. The "perfect day" as seen by al-Qaida would combine attacks designed to produce a maximum number of casualties with attacks that would give them the opportunity to get "face time" on the news channels to deliver their rhetoric, explained Holschen. "The major take-home leson here is that although the enemy is known to be seeking the ability and opportunity to use weapons of mass destruction and of an unconventional nature, such as hijacked airliners, they are also spending a lot of time training to carry out attacks the old-fashioned way - attacks executed by small groups of dedicated personnel equipped with little more than small arms," explained Holschen.. When asked if these techniques are intended for use in the U.S., one military intelligence operative said without hesitation, "yes".

[Hatteras]

I saw a clip of the chief's news conference. He said they reviewed a security tape of the first victim last night. It showed him walking out of the store alone and dropping to the pavement. No passing vehicles, no run-ins with any muggers, nothing. He simply collapsed when struck by the bullett.

[aristeides]

Does that mean that the shooter and/or vehicle must have been a considerable distance away, so as not to show up on the tape?

[Hatteras]

I don't know if they enforce the death penalty or not. I tend to think that they have not executed anyone in years, though I am not close enough to follow their news. Perhaps they have, but I don't think so.

[Ryzaroo]

Spendening imposed a moratorium on Maryland executions earlier this yr.

[aristeides]

If you shoot concealed in the bed of a truck, I wonder what weapon you use. Would a truck in which you can do this have to be equipped with a special communication system between shooter and driver?

[two23]

I switched to MSNBC and "Lester" says they may have a press conference in 20 minutes...not sure if FNC will carry it.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Sure, they could do that. Or maybe these people are not concealed. Or maybe from a considerable distance with good optics and trained assassins, that way few witnesses. This is very odd.

[tomkat]

thought that was the case, thanks.

[RS_Rider]

Perp could be in the bed of a capped pickup, communicating
with the driver via. the sliding rear window.

[Free Trapper]

A while back,I thought about what I would do if I was a terrorist.

The realization of the damage I could cause by myself or with help from even one of my kids was frightening.

We might be in for a mighty rough ride.

[Route66]

Yes - 6 shootings within a fairly confined urban area and no witnesses. This guy(s) is either unbelievably lucky or very, very good.

[tomkat]

This is very odd

now there's the understatement of the day !

this has smelled like Salamis from the git,
and if these assholes slither away, look for at least one more of these in a city near you before the weekend ...

[AmericanInTokyo]

From the CNN site right now on what Taliban Lindh has revealed in custody:

"The (al Qaida) shooting course includes practicing assassinations with pistols and rifles and shooting from motorcycles and cars. Civilian warfare courses include terrorism, forgery of passports and documents, poisons, mini-explosions, and an intelligence course which teaches trainees how to avoid detection by police. -- U.S. Special Forces interrogation report, December 1, 2001 "

Well, these certainly all apply as of this posting.

[Hatteras]

"Does that mean that the shooter and/or vehicle must have been a considerable distance away, so as not to show up on the tape?"

That's my understanding. The camera only picks up the doors and maybe the first couple of parking spaces if it picks up any spaces at all, so the shooter would have had to been farther back in the parking lot. They said it was around 6pm so I believe it was still light enough for clear viewing.

On a side note, my son was out riding his bike one day and stopped off at the local Kroger to grab a snack. There were two teenagers outside the store when he went in and unfortunately, he didn't lock up his bike. When he came out 2 minutes later the bike and the teenagers were gone. An hour later, I drove my son back up to the store and we looked around the woods and the lake nearby. We went back into the store and I asked the manager if she could review the tape from the camera trained on the door nearest the bike rack. She said that was impossible as the camera hasn't worked in over 2 years. I told her that I was pretty sure Wells Fargo would be delighted to hear that.

[js1138]

Anyone recall "The Last Action Hero"???