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.

[freedom4ever]

Cnn has Alexandria, police LT. says a van stopped, mustering forces to begin taking people out of van. Unknown if this is the van or how many in, or what is in it.

[FreeTheHostages]

"Keep us cubicle-bound folk in the loop!"

Ditto. I'm hear in DC but have work and can't be running to watch the TV a lot. So thanks for telling us what you know.

[Freedom2specul8]

"The schools here have cancelled fieldtrips to the Nation's Capitol because of the terror. May God have mercy on America and bless this nation. "

Amen.. I think making that decision to cancel the field trips is good.

[John H K]

Just what do you think we should do with those images if they exist and can be helpful? Get a life, buddy.

They don't exist, and nothing what you fantasize about existing, exists.

There's no continuous satellite-movie record with detail showing individual vehicles of the entire DC Metro area that some tech can go in and click and zoom on each shooting scene and watch a little movie of each shooting. That's from Hollywood, not reality.

In reality, there are a very limited number of satellites, and they're in low polar orbits, such that over any given point there's only one overhead for a few minutes a couple times a day. And there's a tradeoff between detail and area coverage; for EACH of those passes, the satellite techs, BEFOREHAND, have to decide what small area to image (not a movie, a still image.)

For what you want you'd need several million spy satellites.

[joyful1]

Last week, didn't Bin Laden command militant Muslims to renew attacks on America? Are known sleeper cells being check out?

[Merovingian]

"Total Recall" van has nothing to do with shooting...someone had given info on a similar van with this writing on it...bogus..

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

Has anyone conjectured that this person may have an accomplice in a white van that throws people off while the sniper gets away in a less conspicuous car? I haven't read this whole thread nor many others on this subject, so forgive me if I'm saying something that's been said before.

[SunnyUsa]

"If so, they'll be able to piece together the tag number."

Exactly! I hope this is the case, if someone hits your vehicle....and tries to get away YOU know you'll do your best to ID it, and the driver!

[pattycake]

Thanks finnman69, we are all scurrying around trying to find any live feeds. My kids were close to the gas station in Manassas, they were at the PetCo store and when they came out police and ambulances were everywhere. I shudder to think what else could have happened.

[MP5]

WMAL just mentioned a white van that was bumping traffic trying to get out of road block. Let's pray this is the perp(s).

[brianl703]

17 from Fredericksburg isn't a direct route to either 66 or 29...it involves several turns, which someone who is being chased by the police might not have the presence of mind to take.

[aristeides]

Vehicles now being stopped on Capital Beltway and Wilson Bridge.

[isthisnickcool]

Prayer times in that time zone for today:

Fajr--------Sunrise-----Dhuhr------Asr---Maghrib-----Isha

6:00AM--7:12AM--12:54PM--4:04PM--6:34PM--7:47PM

[mhking]

I bet Charles County, MD. sheriffs are checking every vehicle crossing the Route 301 bridge from Va. to Md.

I'm skeptical - if this guy is as smart as everyone makes him out to be, I'm sure he's thought of the road blocks and all; the Prince William and Fairfax Parkways are between him and Springfield; it's an easy matter for him to get off the highway if he's ahead of folks. I can't believe that it'd be this easy to catch him.

[YaYa123]

Governor saying someone "seriously wounded", CNN just reported.

It's interesting how intensively the news channels are covering this by showing local coverage.
WRC tv on MSNBC.
WTTG on FOX
WUSA on CNN

[Mo1]

Someone mentioned that the van could be a decoy

Wasn't it reported that two people might be involved??

[dasher]

***And I hope the description of the white chevy astro van is accurate***

You and me both. The real killers could have slipped away in any vehicle. The white van could just be one of the things they wait for before taking the shot. Then they have a decoy using a person they don't even know.

[FreeTheHostages]

Anyone know in which direction the chase is proceeding?

[Freedom2specul8]

I pray the creeps don't latch on to that idea..!

I bet the gas station attendants are on their last bit of nerves too.

[texasbluebell]

In pursuit of a white Astrovan.

Bo Dietl on msnbc saying that he's disappointed that all vehicles aren't being stopped and searched. He's right that they can't be certain that the white van is an accurate description.