NEWSFLASH: Another shooting, approx. 9 AM, this time near Fredericksburg

The Free Lance-Star ^ | now | Jim Lakely

[seamus]

I work in a newsroom in Fredericksburg, and they heard on the police scanner that a person has been shot at a gas station at "Four Mile Fork" which is a neighborhood just south of the City of Fredericksburg.

No details yet, but I wanted to let y'all know -- and keep up the tradition of FReepers getting news first.

Pray for the victim, and pray that this is a random shooting, and that this monster's terror has not widened yet again.

[js1138]

Not these guys. They live for the sniper game. They practice daily with realistic sniper rifles costing up to $500. These are not your paintball fanatics.

You have any idea how much paintball guns cost???

[Shooter 2.5]

OOH, Puke!

Where's your sarcasm tag?

[Space Wrangler]

What was the Furhman comment??

[ZinGirl]

:)

we're down one soccer game tomorrow....already cancelled. waiting for the call on the other one (oh, please; oh, please).

what are you thinking, these days...white van/not a white van,etc....or are you too busy posing for those paper towel ads? ;)

[spunkets]

"I still don't know if the white van is the shooting platform or the getaway car or if it's unrelated to the crime."

Unrelated, see 1330. The person fled, because they though they were going to be next. Cops are satisfied with the story.

[relee]

WMAL AM 630 interview-

A man working in the gas station, was standing in the gas station across the street from the shooting, and he heard the shot. He saw a white chevy astro van sitting at a red light. Moments later the light turned green and the van took off.

This guy was 20 years in the military and he said the gunshot sounded familar. They asked him if it was a high power rifle noise and he said it sounded more like a pistol. He heard 1 single shot coming from the direction of the van

[cork]

$500 don't buy you much of a gun these days. My Benelli over and under 12 ga runs 1800

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I really don't know how many were dead on the scene. Obviously the one on the bench in front of the grocery store and the woman shot in the head at the post office...other than that, I don't know. It didn't take them long to announce this guy dead though.

[Dallas]

[js1138]

That's about the price of a good paintball gun.

[relee]

Thanks.

[Stat-boy]

Same thing I was thinking. The scope alone could cost $500.

[grania]

(I haven't been following this thread, but if this hasn't been brought up it might be useful)

A few years ago, there was a shooter along Route 3 in Plymouth, MA. I don't think he was ever caught. He hit quite a few moving cars, but who knows what percentage? After a few shots nearby, there have been no more reports of these activities around here.

Connected?

[Alberta's Child]

See #1335 -- I'm not the only one who thinks it will "take one to find one."

[Dallas]

Here ya go...#1349

[michigander]

SNIPER UPDATE: Details on shooting gathered by local Fredericksburg newspaper

[metesky]

No one knows that this isn't a terrorist.

It's terrorism, whether it's foreign or domestic is another question.

No one knows that this isn't an Islamist terrorist or if it is. But it's terrorism.

[valleygal]

Back from the dentist...lots of catching up to do. I left at post 700!

[Indiana Jones]

As far as the white truck/van goes, besides being
a decoy or distraction, it could be the 'verifier' vehicle...the sniper makes the
shot and the 'verifiers'(in the van) document the carnage
with pictures/video. Digital cameras have taken
vigilant film developers out of the loop and
give instant gratification to the perps (make that
EVIL DOERS).

Thoughts?

[mhking]

Are then any drainage systems/tunnels in the area that this man could be moving around in? Or just moving slowly in the woodlands, if the police think he will always try to be running, they will not really search a large area after a shooting.

No to the tunnels; the location is not far from the Interstate, nor from any other well-traveled highways. Of course, it's on US 1, but if he went south, US 301 is not far away - 301 would be the first place south of DC where he could hop the Potomac (I'm thinking he might head up the opposite side of the river to stay away from the cordons, which are concentrated on 1 & 95).