Another DC-area sniper-style shooting

Wife (FReeper nina0113) | October 4, 2002 | Steve0113

[blau993]

Now why would he have one .223 case and 703 rounds of .22 rimfire, hmmmm?

OK. I'll bite. Why?

[null and void]

To plant near the sniper's stand to misdirect the LEO's to search for a .223 cal weapon. Might allow someone with a perfectly legal .22 rimfire to slip past a dragnet...

[ninenot]

but that's NOT why the FBI was brought in immediately, it was for their expertise in ballistics and snipers. . .

Frankly, I don't think you or I KNOW why the FBI is in there. We DO know that they have a very nice ballistics lab.

Put it this way: if you were GWB and KNEW that this was the "T" word, would you: 1) alarm the whole Republic and every citizen therein with a broadcast of the "T" word (knowing full well as observed on this thread that there's damned little ANYONE can do to defend against these creeps) or: 2) get FBI, CIA, Secret Service, BATF, and every other alphabet agency including EEOC busy on the "T" possibility while KEEPING YOUR MOUTH SHUT???

Methinks GWB has told them to look hard at the Muslims and be quiet about it.

[18wheeler]

In 1966, I was in basic training at Lackland AFB where we were trained to use the M-16. We were told that the .223 was intended to kill with almost any body hit. Supposedly the velocity is such that force radiates enough to cause systemic damage.

[OldBlondBabe]

YVW, love your name.

[blau993]

To plant near the sniper's stand to misdirect the LEO's to search for a .223 cal weapon. Might allow someone with a perfectly legal .22 rimfire to slip past a dragnet...

Interesting theory, but haven't all the bullets they can identify (I have read that two are sufficiently deformed that they may never be able to type them) been .223 caliber?

[Joe Hadenuf]

Hey, thanks Babe. Like yours too.....

[null and void]

The actual projectile *could* be the same, the case determines how much powder/power is behind the bullet, and the type of weapon used to send the bullet down range.

[Dead Dog]

Problem is the media uses caliber to be both diameter and specific cartridge. The dumb@sses don't care if it is .22LR, .22-250, .222, or .223. Either they don't care, or they use it in anyway that will suit their anti-gun agenda.

[blau993]

The actual projectile *could* be the same, the case determines how much powder/power is behind the bullet, and the type of weapon used to send the bullet down range.

Yes, that is what has me confused. I hear the cops say they have determined that at least five of the shootings were related, but I don't know what that means. I have not heard anyone say: "To a reasonable degree of scientific certainty, the ballistic evidence establishes that rounds recovered from five of the victims were fired from the same weapon." That I could understand. What they mean by "related" I do not understand.

[RISU]

Probably was a sand bag while he was tooling around in the truck.

This is getting pretty interesting. (It's brutal and terrible, but it is also quite an intriguing case.) You can tell from the last two shots, that were not kills, that he is coming unglued. It may reflect that he has lengthened the distance of his shot, accepting the center mass in exchange for the extra security of longer distance to provide more time to get away.

Also, the fact that he didn't police up his brass on the last shot from the stance in the woods indicates he is harried.

I think we are all going to be surprised when this guy is caught if he turns out to be a nice looking kid you would never suspect by looking at him. I think he is young, and inexperienced and probably praying for salvation by now.

Not so easy now to shoot five in a day any more. About now the impact of what he has been doing is creeeping up on him. We might see a pause here for a while. I certainly hope so.

I can't imagine how difficult the counter sniper operation must be given the urban setting, his mobility, and the fact that he has so many potential targets since all he needs is a human, any human, to fit the bill.

This is a very sad case. I feel sorry for the families losing their loved ones in such a sensless drama.

[sissyjane]

My thoughts exactly. The public is frightened enough without saying the "T" word.For right now there isn't a difference.The difference will come if and when the perp is arrested.The charges will be based on wether or not terrorism is involved.