Report: Sniper Left Tarot Card, Message for Police at Last Shooting

WUSA-TV | Tuesday, October 8, 2002 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

WUSA-TV 9 News in Washington, D.C. reported in its 11 p.m. broadcast that police found a tarot card and a note to police at the scene of yesterday's sniper shooting of a 13 year old boy at Tasker Middle School in Bowie, Md.

The tarot card was the 'Death' card. The message said, 'Dear policemen, I am God."

[Route66]

Drudge is now linking to the Washington Post article about the tarot card.

[the-gooroo]

Very interesting--hmmmmmm?? You posted the relevent info on this thread a couple of hours
ago...does that help?

[Route66]

Yes - and I noticed another thread that posted the whole WUSA article as it existed before. It's probably nothing, but it's a little strange that they pulled that part out.

[the-gooroo]

I noticed the WP article mentioned the search warrant and the fact that LE said "No connection" and that was about it. It's all very strange indeed. We'll have to see what happens at the next press conference I guess. G'nite.

[MeekOneGOP]

Message may be from sniper: 'Dear policeman, I am God'

10/09/2002

The sniper linked to eight area shootings left a taunting message for authorities outside the Bowie, Md., school where a 13-year-old boy was shot Monday morning, police sources confirmed Tuesday night.

"Dear policeman, I am God," the message said. Police said it was found on a Tarot card, part of a deck used in fortune telling. It was spotted in a wooded area about 150 yards from the school entrance, where police have also found a spent shell casing and a matted area of grass that suggested the gunman had lain in wait.

The message, first reported Tuesday night by a Washington television station, was the first known communication from the sniper, police sources said.

Authorities have linked the gun to several of the shootings, which have left six people dead and two wounded. However, despite devoting an increasing level of resources to the investigation, authorities have reported few clues.

Contacted after the television report aired, Prince George's County Police Chief Gerald Wilson declined to comment.

An officer close to the case told a reporter that the television account had severely impaired the police investigation.

Earlier Tuesday, it was reported that bullet fragments recovered from a liquor store clerk who was wounded at a shopping center in Silver Spring, Md., on Sept. 14 have been examined. But the analysis has proved inconclusive, authorities announced Tuesday night, meaning a connection cannot be made or rejected.

---

Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/100902dnnatshootsider.1e0c9.html

[Alouette]

Time to call Alex Cross.

He can team up with Lincoln Rhyme.

[stuartcr]

Unless he scanned it, and printed it out.

[JackOfVA]

Michael's craft store-- On Friday afternoon, a 43-year-old woman (race unknown?)

As per Washington Post yesterday, white

Tasker Middle school At 8:09 a.m. Monday, a 13-year-old boy (race unknown)

As per Washington Post yesterday, black

Jack

[dalebert]

Very possible a lot is being overlooked. Or maybe they just don't want the public to panic.

[bangor505]

That's what I was going to say...the Death card represents transition, I believe. There are other cards that represent tragedy, such as the Tower. No, I'm not some swami reading cards, I just happen to know a little about the Tarot.

My guess is that some copycat type of person (or perhaps someone setting up their patsy) may have left it, or perhaps it was left by the perp to confuse his profile.

[AnAmericanMother]

The " Death " card, in the major Arcana, of the Tarot deck, doesn't mean " death " at all. Ergo, whomever left the card, with the " I AM GOD " message, doesn't know the meaning of the card, isn't familiar with Tarot decks, and this may be a total red herring.

Exactly. I had mentioned this on another thread. There are 3-4 other Majors (and a couple of minors) that would have been left in preference to this one by a knowledgeable person.

On the other hand, I don't think this is necessarily a red herring. A disaffected teenager or young man who flirts around with the Goth set and has a passing acquaintance with occult stuff might well think this was highly significant and effective. (turn aside, spit).

Too many people know just enough about the occult to get themselves in trouble . . . I hope his karma comes and gets him soon, it's past time . . .

[aristeides]

At his press conference a little less than an hour ago, Chief Moose was absolutely furious that the information about the tarot card had been released and reported. Either he's an extremely good actor, or the information is true and the cops did not want it out.

He was also very critical of idiot Gov. Glenspending.

[Poohbah]

If I were a terrorist who had read up on criminal investigations, I would leave misleading clues--tarot cards, spent cartridges NOT from the weapon I shoot, et cetera.

[AnAmericanMother]

I can see why he was angry. This would have been a perfect card to play close to the vest, so to speak. Nobody at all was thinking about an occult connection, so they could have used it to eliminate suspects.

Having dealt with the media during an investigation, I can confidently say they do more harm than good. The "spreading the word" aspect is more than nullified by their spreading the word to the suspect and second-guessing everybody.

[Domestic Church]

"...they believe their "god" is directing them to do these things - so, the mention of God - to me it says this could absolutely be terrorists. "

If this is a US born muslim terrorist (20's?) then the tarot mixed in fits the suburban/city geoprofile. This could even be someone in a terrorist cell who converted like Johnny boy.

[myrabach]

Do yotice in the bottom corner of the card there is the number "13"? The child was 13... I don't think that is a coincidence.

[Dog Gone]

Terrorists don't generally try to shift responsibility to someone else. If anything, the normal pattern is for them to claim responsibility, or for more than one terrorist organization to claim responsibility.

Since terrorist organizations have goals and political objectives, it doesn't accomplish much to conduct a terrorist attack without it being linked to the organization. And, in this case, the "calling card" clearly seems to point away from any Islamic connection.

Of course, we can't rule anything out until a suspect is apprehended, preferably in possession of the rifle, and linked to the shootings.

I do hope that our killer isn't too much into Tarot cards. Otherwise, he might seek out a priest as one of his next targets.

Leaving the card was a big mistake. It's a huge piece of evidence that can be linked in several ways back to the shooter. That means our killer is less intelligent than I first believed. Or his judgment is getting impaired.

This is definitely the first break in this case.

[tutstar]

How about that his first shot was at a "Michaels" store in Maryland - a miss, only hit a window.

I missed that info, hard to believe I didn't hear it since I'm hooked on FoxNews. It is strange he went to same store.

[twigs]

interview David Berkowitz

Interesting. Do you remember any observations she made?

[Doctor Stochastic]

Could be worse. Could go for the whole 78.

I hope the guy doesn't also play Canasta, Samba, or Bolivia.