To: El Gato; Squantos; Shooter 2.5
The diagrams for the two more common military versions of the 5.56 round might be more on point. Indeed, if it was a certainty that a 5,56mm weapon had been used in all the cases; I understand that's not yet at all certain. And I might agree if the first five shootings had resulted in a ratio of about 1 victim killed out of every 3 hit, the usual ratio for 55-grain M193 ball at distances under 150 meters, as experienced by US combat troops in Vietnam at such ranges. Reports from the recent efforts in Afghanistan indicate that the M855 ball ammunition, particularly when used in the shorter-barrelled M4 carbine, is even less effective in terms of stopping effect, if not accuracy. Accordingly, I'd bet that those first several shots were using softpoint or hollowpoint bullets, which though conjecture makes for a pretty fair working assumption.
Pieces of recovered bullet jacket material can be identified and linked to others from the same lot, fired or unfired, by neutron analysis examination, as well as other mettalurgical testing, whether enough of the deformed bullet is available for comparison testing or not. That'll take a little longer than just sticking a recovered bullet and an exemplar under a comparison mike, but happily, the FBI lab is quite nearby, and the recovered evidence will have high priority for processing, I'm sure.
-archy-/-
2,037 posted on
10/09/2002 10:09:49 AM PDT by
archy
To: archy; El Gato; Squantos; Travis McGee
The Tarot card is probably a device that he learned from reading sniper stories. CIA in Viet Nam used the Ace of Spades.
I'm going with someone who's slight in stature if he's using a rifle. The Gates of Heaven Cemetary may have some significance. Loved one buried there in the last year? He hates Michael's because of a bad work history or someone he cared about worked there? Does it mean St. Michael and he's Catholic? He said he's God and in the movie, Navy Seals, the sniper was called God. If he's slight in stature, does he admit that he couldn't join the Navy Seals? If he's using a Thompson Contender or another single shot pistol that would mean that he isn't necessarily small. Did he try to join the Seals and/or wash out?
The authorites should check burial records of the Cemetary for the last year, check online sniper games for someone using the handle, "God", check to see if a wannabe bugged military recruiters in the last six months and check work records at Michael's.
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