Posted on 10/08/2002 5:32:09 AM PDT by Pharmboy
Experts in mass murder and the profiling of killers say the sniper who has killed six people in the Washington metropolitan area does not fit the usual categories, and that may make the case much harder to solve.
Most mass murderers, for example kill to settle a grudge or avenge a perceived wrong, targeting victims who are relatives, colleagues or members of an ethnic group they hate, the experts said.
The majority of gunmen committing multiple murders in recent years also used semiautomatic weapons, fired several times, and ended up either killing themselves or remaining at the scene to be captured.
But the sniper in the Washington area has picked his victims seemingly at random, firing a single round from a considerable distance and escaping while leaving behind no obvious clues. He has used a hunting or military-style rifle, leaving no shell casings for the police to investigate as evidence until one was found today.
The profilers know that this killer is cool and cautious. They do not know much more than that.
"Since there is no evidence of a motive, or evidence that this person is trying to get even with society, what is left is killing for sport," said James Alan Fox, the Lipman family professor of criminal justice at Northeastern University, who has written several books on mass murderers.
The sniper's use of a single shot also suggests less anger than mass killers normally have, Professor Fox said. "If he was expressing his anger or frustration, he would continue to fire, creating a blood bath. But this guy is coolly and calmly finding victims, taking a very accurate shot, and then escaping."
"I think he is hunting or target shooting with humans," Professor Fox said.
Raymond Pierce, a retired New York City police detective and criminal profiler, said he could think of only one similar case. In 1994, a lone gunman set up a hunting rifle equipped with a sniper scope on a tripod outside a diner, a gas station and a Burger King restaurant in small towns in Suffolk County, N.Y., firing a single bullet each time at individuals inside.
One man was killed, a woman was badly injured and a third intended target escaped harm when bulletproof glass deflected the bullet.
The shooter turned out to be a gun enthusiast, who targeted his victims "for the thrill of it," said Lieutenant Jack Fitzpatrick of the Suffolk County police homicide department. The gunman, Peter Sylvester, was eventually tracked down, convicted and is now serving a life prison sentence, Lieutenant Fitzpatrick said.
Mr. Sylvester also carried out his shootings by firing only one round each time, Lieutenant Fitzpatrick said. He carefully placed a blanket beneath his rifle, and left no shell casings at the scene.
As with the Washington-area shootings of the past week, the Suffolk County shootings in 1994 created great public unease. More than 100 Suffolk County police and detectives were assigned to hunt for the sniper. The case was solved when the police received information that a Remington .35 caliber rifle had been stolen from a gun store in a burglary and that the weapon was sold to Mr. Sylvester.
A bullet recovered from the body of a man killed in the diner matched the markings of a bullet fired from the Remington, Lieutenant Fitzpatrick said.
Professor Fox said that it was unusual that the shootings were continuing. Mass killers usually end up dead or captured at the scene of their shooting, he said, or if they are not seriously emotionally disturbed and able to plan carefully, will stop their killings when the number of police in the area increases.
"But this guy may be getting an added thrill out of continuing to outwit the police even while they are looking for him," Professor Fox said, noting that there was another victim today, a 13-year-old boy shot outside a middle school in Bowie, Md.
A number of studies of mass killers have found that they usually give warning signs to friends, relatives or co-workers, talking about their grievances and threatening to take some violent act of vengeance. These studies have shown that mass killers, contrary to popular belief, do not just snap. Unfortunately, these warning signs are usually ignored until too late.
One of the most widely publicized rampage killing involved Colin Ferguson, a black man frustrated by his failed life who blamed white racism for his troubles. In December 1993, he killed 6 people and wounded 19 on the Long Island Rail Road before being subdued by other passengers.
The bloodiest rampage killing took place at a Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen, Tex., in October 1991. George Hennard, a delusional man who had told an F.B.I. agent that a secret national conspiracy of white women was plotting against him, crashed his pickup truck into the restaurant and opened fire. He killed 22 people and wounded 23 more before killing himself.
The difficulty of tracking the Washington sniper reminded Joseph Borrelli, a retired New York City chief of detectives, of a year-long wave of killings by David Berkowitz, known as Son of Sam, who shot and killed six people and wounded seven others in 1977 as they sat in their cars.
"The complete absence of a motive is very similar to Berkowitz," Mr. Borrelli said.
"We never did establish a motive," Mr. Borrelli said. "When we caught him, he claimed it was the devil talking to him through the dog; that was his story."
Mr. Pierce, the retired profiler, said the Washington sniper seemed different from the angry, emotionally unstable type of killer. "He is a very calculating person, preoccupied with escape," Mr. Pierce said. "He is not out of touch with reality."
"He may have an antisocial personality disorder, and thrive on power and control," Mr. Pierce said. "But he is not psychotic."
I bet money it is a middle eastern male or males.
Personally, I am leaning away from this scenario for several reasons.
First, he chose a school for his latest hit. That is out of character of the other more random sites. That says to me he has an agenda beyond just killing.
Second, the last two shots were body shots while the first five were head shots. He must have known there was a good chance the body shots weren't kill shots, especially after the first one.
Third, he/they seem committed to escaping. They also appear to be reacting to the situation by moving and slowing down the attacks based on police activity.
Bottom line is, like everyone else, I really don't know and I am just speculating.
no reason to, millions of bolt action rifles were sold without transfer papers
can the bold actions from the turn of the century do the same job?
Yes, they could. My Swedish Mauser was made in 1900 and I use it in competition out to 600 meters. I doubt that this shooter is using a 100 year old gun because most of the cartridges that shoot the recovered bullet have a much smaller head, meaning a smaller bolt face. The action length of the old rifles is also much longer than needed for most .224 bullet rounds. A exception would be the .22-250, which uses the standard Mauser case head of .473 inches. This is a very high speed round mainly used for hunting varmints as large as coyotes out to about 400 yds.
I just find it journalistically unfathomable that the media does not ask serious questions. What are they even teaching information / question gathering in journalism school?
I thought J-School today was all about feelings of self worth and getting along with folks who want more money for their programs.
"Most mass murderers, for example kill to settle a grudge (like Islam does), or avenge a perceived wrong (like Islam does), targeting victims who are relatives (like Saddam does), colleagues or members of an ethnic group they hate (like Islam does), the experts (who avoid anything that appears like profiling Islam, like cowards do) said."
He is hunting, that seems to be the pattern. Clear and easy shots. Goes on about his business after that. Probably lives alone and has a job that requires he drives a Utility van. Doesn't work on weekends.
He's crazy, and we can't rationalize crazy.
sw
I have been thinking about this as well. Keep in mind that after the Thursday spree and all the police activity, he/they went South into Virginia on Friday. The shooting there wasn't until 2:15pm, which may indicate he/they drove down on Friday morning. I have a pit in my stomach as we enter the afternoon. With all the activity since yesterday, it may be he/they are out of town this morning. If he/they are looking for a new direction, Route 66 to the West is a possibility. I really hope I am wrong.
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