Washington Police Investigate Another Possible Sniper Attack

VOA ^ | 10/10/02

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Police in the Washington, D.C. area say it is too early to say whether a fatal shooting in a western suburb is related to a recent series of sniper attacks that has left six people dead and two others critically wounded. Authorities say a man was shot and killed late Wednesday as he filled his car at a gasoline station in Manassas, Virginia. Forensic evidence is still being analyzed. The sniper attacks have been linked by ballistics evidence.

Reports say certain elements of the Manassas shooting bear a resemblance to the sniper shootings, which began around the Washington area last Wednesday. Like the man killed in Manassas, all of the sniper victims were shot once, seemingly at random as they performed everyday tasks. Two of the people killed last week also were gunned down at gasoline stations.

Meanwhile, authorities say they are searching for a white van seen driving away from the location of the Manassas shooting. Police have been searching for a white vehicle in connection with the shootings last week. News reports early Wednesday said police discovered what may be the first known communication from the killer: a card used in fortunetelling, said to have written on it a message telling police, "I am God."

The card, known as a Tarot card, reportedly was found, along with a spent shell casing, near a school in a Maryland suburb where a sniper attack Monday left a 13-year-old boy critically wounded.

Police officials say they did not authorize information about the card to be released to the media and refused to comment further on the matter or other details of the investigation. Federal authorities are assisting in the investigation.

[MattinNJ]

Does he have to be ex US military though?

I would hate to think so. I really have a feeling that it's someone from the former Eastern Bloc who put his services on the market a long time ago when the cold war ended. He probably started out working for the Russian Mafia relatively cheaply and has steadily risen in reputation, capability, and ruthlesness.

The reason why I think he's not a Muslim is because a little while ago one sniper shot and killed a bunch of Israeli soldiers. I don't know if it's the same guy, but if the Muslims were capable of producing a hit man like that, then it stands to reason that there would be dozens of snipers pinning down Israelis every day.

Many military, SWAT team members, and even casual hunters have the capability to make the shot. The defining characteristic is in actually shooting a child. That is the biggest clue to me. Where is there a record of children being shot by a sniper? I can only think of two:Yugoslavia and Chechnya. That's where I would start to look because this man has definitely shot children through a sniper's scope before.

[MattinNJ]

Please see my post # 81 which I was typing when you replied. You are right about the IRA. I had forgotten about them. The Muslims just don't strike me as having the capacity to produce a guy like this. They would absolutely kill women, children etc... but they would either die in the attempt or get caught. This guy is just too good. In my post 81 I speculated on this guy having seen action in Yugoslavia or Chechnya where children were considered fair game. Do you know if there is any history of the IRA shooting children?

[WRhine]

You have a very Interesting Theory. Thanks.

[pepsionice]

If you look at the timeline...this guy doesn't have a job. His hits are across the entire spectrum of work hours. He is either unemployed or self-employed. He is picking peak hours to make most of the hits because he can escape right into traffic.

[areafiftyone]

TAROT-CARD READERS UP IN ARMS - HECK WHAT DO I KNOW ABOUT TAROT CARDS!! Didn't even know they had an organization.

[wonders]

Ahem. I suppose you are referring to Serb snipers during the "Siege of Sarajevo." Actually, at least several of the more "PR-worthy" child shootings in Sarajevo were traced by UN investigators and anti-sniper teams to Bosnian Muslim positions. Yep, Serbs were sniping and shelling, too. But the Bosnian Muslims did their share of sniping and shelling their own people when it suited them for PR purposes.

[areafiftyone]

Could be someone on Medical disability who can't hold a job down because he has psychological problems. Could be an ex-vietnam vet who just went off the deep end and maybe something he saw just set off a spark to start him on a killing spree. BUT then again it can be two young guys competing with one another on who can shoot and kill fartheset. There are so many scenarios it can drive you crazy.

[Mixer]

The reason why I think he's not a Muslim

I happen to agree with that. I doubt they would be doing things like this when their style is usually to strap on a bomb and go on a bus. It still is possible that it is a muslim organization that hired this guy, but more then likely just some lone gunman like you suspect.

[aboutojump]

I think the sniper wanted to keep it secret so if a copy-cat moved in, he could let them know. OR, maybe there's a new shooter who left the Tarot card (SP?, the school shooting is the only one with the Tarot card?

[relee]

See

Do you know if there is any history of the IRA shooting children?

Looks to be male soldiers mostly.

[MattinNJ]

I might not have made myself clear. I absolutely agree with you that the Bosnian Muslims committed far more atrocities. I was merely saying that the biggest clue in this case is that this guy placed his scope on a child and pulled the trigger. He did not kill him in the heat of the moment during a robbery or during a domestic dispute which happens everyday. Despite the fact that the child lived (thank God) it still must be considered an accurrate shot. He did not spray the area with gunfire. I doubt the fact that the child lived can be attributed to the assassin flinching. I guarantee that he has done this before. The only places where I know of that this occurred is in the former Republic of Yugoslavia and Chechnya. Of those that did the sniping in those areas, how many were hired mercs?

My point being is that someone should compile a database of children who have been shot by a sniper during a conflict. Use that database to get a list of descriptions of known snipers who committed such acts and start to narrow that list. Maybe some where killed during the conflict, some are in jail, some are leading quiet lives in Oshkos, etc...When that list is narrowed down, I would check with private security firms who specialize in protecting businessmen overseas who must have a list of top notch assassins to narrow it down even further. Look to link that list with any of them who has done work for Muslims before LIKE THE BOSNIAN MUSLIMS and you may have something to go on.

[toddst]

That is awesome that you are still a good shot! Give Ollie some hell!

I'm a varmit hunter, rintense, have been since age 11 (back when there were many "farm kids" running around using high-powered rifles to dispatch various destructive animals who would prey on our valuable stock.) Basically, a well trained military sniper is a varmit hunter - you can quickly see the parallel.

I'm not as steady as I used to be, but woe unto a coyote who goes after a calf or sheep and is within about 400 yards, on a reasonably calm day.

This terrorist in Maryland isn't necessarily all that good, but he's disciplined and uses the basics of sniper rules, which are based on "one shot and change locations."

This guy may never be caught if he sticks to the rule of taking time to be sure he's not observed prior to the shot.

[Space Wrangler]

One of the things that I noticed while looking at the overhead shots of the shooting locales, was that most were in 'urban sprawl' type areas. Areas of new development where nothing had been just a year or two ago. I saw one of the posters on one of the earlier threads mention something about an enviro-whacko, and that came to mind. Of course the shooter may have chosen this area just because it was easier to find a line of fire, and then escape undetected. One thing that I am certain about, and that is that this shooter(s) has chosen his locales before hand, and now is merely going tot he areas he is familiar with.

[wonders]

Thanks for your reply.

Well, I don't know who committed the most atrocities -- didn't keep score. I do know all sides in the conflict committed plenty. (Serbs, Croats, "Bosnian Muslims" and "Kosovar Alabanians.") I've never been in Chechnya, but from what I understand, that conflict has been most grisly with atrocities committed on both sides and both sides using snipers.

If you're looking for a flipped-out former merc, well, all above-mentioned ethnic groups from the former Yugoslavia have gone on to be mercs in African countries (sometimes associated with the FFL, sometimes not) where children as young as, sometimes younger than, the boy shot on Monday are often armed combatants. There were also some German mercs working for the Croats (don't know they were snipers) and a few Dutch mercs on several sides. Also the occasional Russian "volunteer" on the Serb side. And we all know about mercs or "jihadders" from various Moslem countries operating in Bosnia. Some are still there.

It's also possible the shooter didn't consider a 13-year-old as a "child." After all, he's well, er, not like the rest of us.

[MattinNJ]

Fascinating. I did not know about the Dutch mercs. Thanks. German and Russians mercs don't surprise me. In fact, I'm willing to bet my lunch money this guy is a Russian getting paid by some Muslim group.

[wonders]

Well, could be. But all the Russians I've ever known absolutely despise Muslim terrorists. Still, some Russian soldiers have been known to traffic with the Chechens for $. The scum who do so, of course, don't seem the calibre to be recruited by some international Muslim terror organisation. Could happen, I guess, strange things do.

If you think a Muslim terrorist cell is behind this, then why can't the shooter be a Muslim? Muslims can shoot pretty good. I've known a number of Muslims from lots of different countries who can shoot just fine. They can also be disciplined and organised.

FWIW, I have no idea who the shooter(s) might be. I just hope and pray he/they are stopped quickly.

[wonders]

I did not know about the Dutch mercs.

You're welcome :) Yes, there were certainly some in former Yugoslavia. A couple were real nutty. I think there may be some articles posted on FR about a couple of them. Also ran into more Dutch than I would have guessed in SE Asia who were serving in the FFL.

And no, I'm saying this sniper is a Dutch merc!

[MattinNJ]

Wow. You certainly met a lot of interesting characters in your travels. You made a great point about the Russians hating the Muslims. I was guessing Russian because Russian assassins get a lot of coverage in the NY/NY area. Now I'm going to have to rethink my theory. I'm still shaking my head about the Dutch thing.

I tend to rule out the chance of it being a Muslim shooter because the Israeli's don't seem to have a lot of sniper trouble. Other than that ambush a few months ago and an occassional sniper attack now and then it doesn't seem to be the Muslim m.o.I would think that if there were a cadre of competent Muslim Snipers that the Israeli's would be pinned down by sniper fire on a daily basis. It would be much more effective than throwing rocks or blowing up a bus.

[wonders]

It would be pretty difficult for a PLO/Hamas/whatever terrorist to smuggle a big 'ol sniper rifle out of PLO territory into urban areas to shoot Israelis. Easier to slip through with a bomb. In addition, a sniper in Israel doesn't have the suburban sprawl and interstates to get lost on, etc. A sniper would wind up just as dead as a suicide bomber, so might as well have a splashy bomb and a "martyr." Also PLO/Hamas, etc., seem to operate differently from AQ. And the Bosnian Muslims had some crack-shot snipers (not that many Bosnian Muslims are what we think of as particularly devout Muslims). Maybe I'm wrong. Just thinking out loud.

Yes, the Russian Mafiya have a thing for assassinations, both here and in Russia itself. And their snipers are very good at what they do.

Again, I have no idea who the DC sniping murderer could be. Could be a local psycho, could be some sort of terrorist. I just don't know. All I know is hope he/they are stopped and soon.

[WarSlut]

it doesn't seem to be the Muslim m.o.

Remember, before 9/11, the Muslim M.O. was to just hijack the planes. They'd never crashed one into anything before that.