Evidence Links Monday's Shooting to Spree

Foxnews.com ^ | 10/7/2002 | Foxnews.com, AP

[caa26]

BOWIE, Md. — Police say ballistic evidence they have recovered from a 13-year-old boy shot in front of his school in Bowie, Md., Monday links the shooting to several in the Washington area.

Evidence recovered from the teen has been linked to the other shootings in the Washington area, Prince George's County Police Chief Gerald Wilson said today.

The boy, who sustained a single gunshot wound to the chest, was in critical but stable condition following almost three hours of surgery at Children's Hospital in Washington, D.C., and doctors said they were "satisfied" with how he got through the operation.

The victims in last week's shootings -- six people killed and one wounded -- also were felled by a single shot.

Dr. Martin Eichelberger said the boy had a gunshot wound to the abdomen, which went through his chest, then into his spleen, stomach, pancreas and lung.

He said the boy's spleen was removed along with part of his stomach and pancreas, but he says those are organs a person can "live without."

Eichelberger said the major concerns now for doctors are whether the boy continues to bleed, and whether he has problems breathing. He said the next eight hours are crucial to determine the boy's recovery.

The doctor said the surgery team made a special effort to find a portion of the bullet, which they gave to police.

FNC Monday's shooting happened well before classes were scheduled to begin, so there were not a lot of witnesses, Wilson said. A gunshot was heard, and the boy slumped over and told his aunt, who had brought him to school, that he thought he had been shot, Wilson said.

His aunt took him to a small hospital in this suburb northeast of Washington, and then he was transferred by helicopter to Children's Hospital.

Police cars surrounded the school and officers put up crime scene tape and searched the campus.

Sharon Healy had just sent her 12-year-old son, Brandon, to school on his bicycle when she heard of the shooting shortly after 8 a.m. outside Benjamin Tasker Middle School. She said she ran there and pulled him out of class.

"You think you're safe, but you're only as safe as your next step," Healy said.

Said her son: "I was scared."

Othar Haskins, 13, standing outside the school with his mother, said he was a friend of the wounded boy.

"He's funny, he's always around friends," Othar said. "He helps you out when you need it. He's a good friend." Othar cried and put his head on his mother's shoulder as he spoke.

AP Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose Last Wednesday and Thursday, five people were shot to death by a sniper in a 16-hour span in Montgomery County. A sixth victim was killed Thursday in Washington, D.C. On Friday, a woman was shot and wounded in Virginia.

"All of our victims have been innocent and defenseless, but now we're stepping over the line," Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose said. "Shooting a kid -- it's getting to be really, really personal now." At one point, tears streamed down his face.

In an afternoon briefing, Moose said police were investigating yet another shooting in Washington.

But Washington police spokesman Kenny Bryson said the shooting occurred in an apparent robbery and there's "no link whatsoever" to the sniper attacks.

White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said federal authorities -- the attorney general, Treasury Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms -- have been "very involved on the ground and have lent support and equipment."

Asked if there was any evidence of terrorism, Fleischer replied: "I've not heard anything like that, but the fact of the matter is that people are trying to determine who the shooter is, or shooters are, and we continue to help local officials in that endeavor."

Montgomery schools had planned a normal schedule with extra security, but after the Prince George's shooting, officials initiated a "code blue" alert, keeping students inside during recess and lunchtime, Moose said. Prince George's schools and some other schools in the region took similar steps.

The five Montgomery County victims were all gunned down in public places: two at gas stations, one outside a grocery, another outside a post office, another as he mowed the grass at an auto dealership, and the sixth, a 72-year-old man, killed on a Washington street corner. Each victim was shot once from a distance. There were no known witnesses.

Tests confirmed that the same weapon was used to kill four victims.

Ballistics evidence also linked the Maryland slayings with the wounding of a 43-year-old woman on Friday. She was shot in the back in a parking lot at a Michaels craft store in Fredericksburg, Va., and was in fair condition Monday at INOVA Fairfax Hospital.

[BigBobber]

You have connected some very profound dots. I hope the FBI profilers are as good as you.

I have often wondered why terrorists have not used this tactic before --- bump off a few people at a time using a sniper rifle, rather than blowing oneself and others up with a bomb. Terrorism may be entering a new era. And in our country.

[bonfire]

anyone else hesitant to turn on the news tomorrow morning? Feels like we are all holding our collective breaths. It's exhausting.

[Shooter 2.5]

OK, thanks.

[seeker41]

Thanks. They are all the same bullet hole, just wanted to hear opinions.

[WRhine]

9/11 was a huge set back for the extreme Marxists. I wonder if they'd go this far to pursue their disarmament propaganda.

Your theory is as good as any. I do find it interesting that these killings are taking place near the nation's capitol.

[WashingtonCollegeofLaw]

uh...alexandria is not that far away from the shootings, and if they keep a circular path as they appear to, alexandria is right in the path. Im in Bethesda, MD which doesnt sound that great right now.

[Jonathan]

I have a foolproof solution: arrest, interogate, and then deporte all muslims, arabs, and illegal aliens.

[mississippi red-neck]

I wonder if the police have checked the area within say a two hundred yard circle of where each person was shot to see if there might be any outside security cameras that might have picked up something? A long shot maybe but they seem to be evrywhere these days.

[EricT.]

I was hoping someone would couch this silencer talk quickly. (Us gun nuts know that you can't silence supersonic rounds or revolvers.) This is the work of a sniper that has either done his homework or has been trained in the "art" of sniping and evasion.

Most of the time you cannot determine the direction of origin of a single shot. The sonic boom of the supersonic projectile will echo off of buildings or trees along the way, causing even more confusion as to direction of the shooter.

I also find the choice of cartridge interesting. There are many hunting rifles in various calibers available that would do the job. Yet, just about the smallest size practical is being used. The .223 is light, small, and gives a mild report and little muzzle flash. I haven't seen anything about exactly what weapon is being used, but I would suspect a T/C Contender with a scope mounted. This is a single shot pistol with interchangeable barrels available in more calibers than I've heard of. Overall length would be under 18" and with a quickly detachable bipod would be capable of this kind of accuracy. One could take a shot then toss it under a vehicle's seat.

I would also guess there is an accomplice serving as lookout and wheel-man. Since there seems to be no specific targets, all the shooter needs is nobody nearby to witness him and anybody in open view several hundred yards away.

Just my two or three cents, anyway.

[mississippi red-neck]

You're right, you can't silence and ammo rounds that travels faster than the speed of sound [app.1200 fps]. You can suppress.

[cherry]

well, I don't know about disarmament, but some joker on Greta was suggesting that all guns be fired by the cops, and records kept of the ballistics for future investigations

[coloradan]

but some joker on Greta was suggesting that all guns be fired by the cops, and records kept of the ballistics for future investigations

LOL! As if an Al Qaeda member couldn't get a rifle that hadn't gone through the system!

[mississippi red-neck]

Very good point. Somewhat easier to conceal. I thought of that possiblity also. With a scope and a rest they are very accurate though you would get a good bit more muzzle blast than with a rifle firing the same round.

[mississippi red-neck]

Your right. The 22mag rimfire also uses a .224 diameter bullet, unlike the standard .22 rimfire which uses a .223 dia.

[vikingchick]

I'm a total amateur, but this is my take.

All these attacks have been in area around D.C., right? Let's say it's Muslim terrorists sniping at people to get the feds out of D.C., busy investigating these attacks, as a distraction.

Then, they think the cat's away.........

Just one of many possibilities.

[mississippi red-neck]

.Most of the time you cannot determine the direction of origin of a single shot.

Good point. Since the first shot is unexpected, the brain is not in the direction finding mode. If it is not right on top of you, it is very difficult to determine direction. Most hunters, poachers, game wardens and I'm sure trained snipers know this and sometimes use it to their advantage.

[sheik yerbouty]

If he is white, he's probably Chechen.

[Sacajaweau]

A government official "hit" has been discussed as the end game on another thread.

The guard is up not down within the area of DC.

Sac