Maryland Sniper Shootings-FR Commentary

Fox News, CNN | October 10, 2002 | Fox News, CNN, Press Releases

[Peach]

To avoid multiple vanity threads regarding any news that comes from press conferences, let's keep a live commentary thread going again today.

[stuartcr]

Those inhuman bastards, trying to kill sandwiches!!! How rotten can you get? Although, there was NO mention of pork products!!!

[Frapster]

Since then, there has never been more than one in a day.

It's a matter of logistics. On the first day it was not conceivable that someone would randomly kill 5 people all seperated by 20 minutes of time. If he were to try to do that again he would be tagged by a helicopter almost immediately.

[aristeides]

I wonder if it would have been possible to use a helicopter last Thursday morning.

[Shooter 2.5]

The intact bullets all point to one firearm. Until they found the empty case, they didn't know what round it was. At the beginning, all they had was a .224 bullet that fits eleven different cartridges. When they found the piece of brass, they started to report that it was a military round. The only military round that takes a .224 bullet is a military 5.56/civilian .223 Remington. They have not reported if there were any markings on the case that narrow down the type of firearm and whether it's a pistol, bolt action or semi-auto rifle.

[Iscool]

I'd like to be on your list...Thanks...

[Peach]

I'll put you on. BTW - anyone watching CNN minutes ago - 11:35 - just got home and turned it on - not sure what's going on but think cops have a van surrounded and CNN reporter said something about people in a local hotel and restaurant told to leave.

[Woodman]

So why the gas station, Slim Jim's?

[Dog]

I don't care if people flame me ...I have an opinion and it upsets people so be it..

[valleygal]

Listening to local talk radio, Barry Young. He said the police are most likely mad about the release of the tarot card info because the police are trying to "build a relationship" with this guy much like the police tried to do with Son of Sam. Only Young said an investigator with Son of Sam case said it was a waste of time. You can't build a relationship with these people. Good old fashioned policework is what will get them...like looking at all the unpaid parking tickets in areas of S of S shootings which was how they got him.

[heavy12773]

fitzgerald's is the name

[relee]

"In that pic, there is another man approaching victim. Patches on shirt of man approaching victim looks like cop or gas station attendant, although when was the last time we saw a gas station attendant outside helping customers?"

That photo was taken from the TV news helicopter and shows 2 police in the gas station AFTER the shooting. The victim is between the gas pump and the dark sedan. He had just finished pumping gas and was putting the nozzle back when he was shot.

[livius]

Many Black Muslim groups are reconciled with "mainline" radical Islam and now no longer are merely anti-white, but are simply anti anyone who is not Muslim.

The thing that interested me in the "Death Angels" is that, aside from their name, they also managed to avoid capture for quite some time, even though the group was composed of several people. They also made a specialty of going after vulnerable people (people washing their cars, women walking to the grocery store, etc.), because this made it clear that they had no mercy and were truly dedicated killers.

They started by using small handguns and even, if I recall, once used a machete. But in general their MO coalesced into shooting a random (and usually isolated) victim from their car and simply blending into the traffic again.

They did not, to my knowledge, ever issue a statement or taunt police, however. The fact that they got away with it for years - and even had the black community up in arms when a traffic stop was attempted after one of the killings - was probably taunt enough.

That said, I do wonder if when we talk about home-grown terrorists, we should be looking more closely at folks like this. I find it particularly odd that they were due to be released from jail in 2002 (although I don't know if they actually were).

[stuartcr]

Just bear in mind that the only case they found, was the .223 at the school. No one is sure of any of the others, besides, that case could have been a plant. There are no witnesses that for sure pinpoint the location of the shooting that took place at the school. I mean, someone could have gone out there the nite before, and matted the ground and left the clues. The shot that actually got the kid, still could have come from somewhere else.

[valleygal]

I'm only up to post 52 but heard a bit ago that victim is 53 year old Dean Myers of Gaithersburg.

[antivenom]

He is doing "torso" shots...some will survive, most won't. He isn't aiming to maim...he is aiming to HIT. He wants the REACTION from the police and media...that is the part of the game that makes the "ritual" part of planning so much fun for him...the by product of a "hit" body is merely the "calling card"...the thing he is getting his "ya - yas" from is the RITUAL of planning...and the end result he is shooting for in this game is the "cat and mouse" game.

He is a serial sniper...it is a GAME...not a MISSION.

[xsrdx]

he wouldn't be using a "Varmit Rifle"

Yup, if this guy spent any time on any reputable gun forums he'd KNOW you can't kill anybody with a .223 /sarcasm.

Lots of folks posit that if this guy was "skilled", he'd be wingin' .308s - but 308s leave intact bullets, unlike softpoint 223 rounds. With proper shot placement - clearly within this killer's ability - 223 is obviously lethal.

Add the low recoil, reduced noise and flash, and this guy looks more like a trained perp every day.

223 is absolutely not - necessarily - the choice of the amateur.

[Elenya]

Check your mail.

[valleygal]

I just read your article which indicated Feds may take over. Local talk radio personality saying Chief Moose is in way over his head. I'm sure he's feeling vey overwhelmed.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Just fired up the computer Does anyone know anything more about the shooting last night? Anyone mention business video tape? Caliber of weapon? Ballistics? Have they mentioned the R word, as in related?? Or the so called shotgun that was mentioned so much last night.....

Trying to catch up....

[Cap'n Crunch]

It's interesting to me that our society is so surprised and aghast that someone would start shooting people.

Haven't we nurtured this type of thing? And glorified violence and killing?

I'm surprised there hasn't been more of this type of thing, maybe in a few more years when all these kids who've been weaned on "Grand Theft Auto 2" videos come of age.

The shooter left the perfect calling card in my opinion, the death card, matches our culture of death.

my two cents.