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.

[El Gato]

Your computer tends to play hell with AM reception too. Although with the clock speeds as high as they are now, it probably suppresses some weaker FM stations too.

[Dog Gone]

Did anyone else see Jack Thompson on TV this morning saying that the sniper is a kid who plays online computer games, like Counter-Strike?

His theory was that this is all the training you need to become an accomplished sniper.

[mystery-ak]

Who said crazed VN vet?

[relee]

This one is a dark sedan - maybe a ford taurus.

[Crowcreek]

" This is the website for a picture. Looks military"

I can get a good look by going upstairs and opening my safe. There are many different manufacturers -- I think Armalite invented the origional. Many improvements over the years, it's very 'state of the art', but a little too 'whiz-bang' for our guy, IMO . . .

[aristeides]

He already was; that's why he got away today.

I wonder if he has a source on the inside that tipped him off.

[alpowolf]

The National Guard is not trained for law enforcement.

[Jack Black]

Additionally, semi-autos aren't as accurate as bolt action rifles. That's why many REAL snipers, both military and police, utilize a bolt action rifle.

In general yes, but I believe it is possible to build either to a very high standard of accuracy. Real sniper rifles are quite different from a typical bolt action hunting rifles. (I'm thinking of something like the Sako TRG series or Dakota Longbow). In a similar way a accurized semi-auto is very different from the typical service weapon of the same general design. For instance the Knight SR-25, a modified AR design, is considered among the most accurate semi-autos and probably could out shoot most bolt action rifles of any type. I believe the SEALs use them. Several military sniper units also use the semi-auto Barrett .50, including I believe the Canadian team that did so well recently in Afghanistan.

Bolts have some other advantages. The are available in many calibers, including ones that are best for long distance. Semi's tend to only be available in a few standard military cartrides, and are much more difficult to rechamber for different cartridges.

[mhking]

Don't do that!!!!

[SarahW]

What was the story? tell it! it might still be google cached - what was the link....

[jgrubbs]

I like America's Army:Operations better than Counter Strike.

[js1138]

At least as easy as buying a stolen gun

[FreedominJesusChrist]

"You can bet the Police are tensed up with all this and when tense a lot of them will be useing some pretty morbid humor. It can make an unacceptable situation bearable and helps many to laugh off terrible things and keep their sanity reasonably well intact. Some folks think mourning all situations is the only acceptable response to bad things in life."

I agree. People are often quick to criticize law enforcement in these types of situations. You can bet that law enforcement is trying their absolute hardest and using all their resources to catch the perpetrator of these crimes.

It is frustrating to see that this criminal will probably have to commit more crimes in order for the police to catch him. This goes beyond a morbid thrill now and the perp. will start getting sloppier with his work as time goes on and the number of victims pile up.

[El Gato]

These crimes are probably recorded on satellite images having advanced optics/cameras onboard. Just review the tapes for those days when the crimes were committed and there was no cloud cover.

Been watching "Enemy of the State" again. While the movie addresses some important questions, it's just bad science fiction as far as satellite surviellance technology goes.

[antivenom]

LOL! Not one damn gun law has ever detered these types of crimes...only the law abiders guns will be registered...the criminals have an underground network for "their" guns...GENERALLY stolen...so you have a honest gun buyer registering a spent bullet...gun is stolen and reported...OK so NOW the criminal uses the STOLEN registered gun in a crime...you do NOT get any closer to the criminal...only closer to the point of sale.

[dhfnc]

While everyone is concentrating on roads north, he/they could have slipped south

Why would they not have done the same thing on I-95 south as they did north? It seems, at the very least, they would have covered both directions of I-95. If the shooter listens to the radio, he would know where not to go.

[El Gato]

It seems that the perp should be recorded on film somewhere, but maybe I'm off base.

Not if he/they are 70-150 yards away. That would be way out the camera's field of view.

[ARCADIA]

Don't know anything about guns. Never even held one. I went to that Colt site and looked it up. Looks like a scary weapon to me.

[Shooter 2.5]

A tip like that wouldn't do any good unless the public was told to continue to look for all vehicles leaving the area.
The problem right now is we don't have competent eyewitnesses and I'm getting kind of frustrated with the people leaving the area at high speed who are witnesses.

That's very easy for me to write while I'm behind the safety of a computer half a country away.

[Fred Mertz]

A friend of mine just predicted that a church might be his next target; with the funerals, prayers and memorial services going on.