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.

[antivenom]

That has been speculated as well as "Homecoming Football" games, professional games and or a college campus.

He has successfully shut down public schools and gasoline stations (and Michaels) ...and causing mass panic on universities or at churches would be right up his alley.

[relee]

I heard it was behind a Best Western in Manassas.

[TheDon]

Gas stations do provide good access to targets and a quick escape, as there are many near highways. A ME terrorist would have political reasons for targeting gas stations as well.

[md2576]

The sniper story was posted on Friday, August 16, 2002
All airsoft players who read it could have gotten some whack ideas.

[COBOL2Java]

Have any witnesses been reported as having heard the gunshots?

Local news is reporting that a State Trooper heard the shot this morning. The shooting incident which occurred this AM took place across the street from a State Police barracks.

This nutjob is either getting sloppy or he's overly confident...

[JulieRNR21]

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.

None of us can predict how we would react in such a situation.

However it it possible that the sniper (under cover of nearby woods) waits for a (very common) white minivan type of vehicle that is ready to leave ....then he shoots his victim.

When the minivan speeds off; bystanders natually assume it was involved.

[MickMan51]

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.

Don't be skeered. A firearm is only a tool that is directed and used by its owner. Kinda like a car.

[Free Trapper]

I'm no expert but I'm thinking even running a brass brush in the barrel will change things enough that bullets won't match.

[spunkets]

"source on the inside"

Just his radios and contact with lookouts. Come to think of it, folks out there ought to monitor off the shelf radios for related traffic(includic non-Spanish foreign lang. conversations).

[antivenom]

They are WELL LIT from the TOP down...perfect for a sniper with a scope...

[md2576]

Makes you wonder about who the sniper might be doesn't it. I say the police should check out the area airsoft camps and see if any of them own a white van. Could be a waste of time but they do that anyway.

[Lion's Cub]

At this point, this investigation should be under the direction of the FBI, IMO....

I don't think they'd do any better. This is essentially a new situation beyond almost anyone's experience here. There's bound to be a learning curve for everyone. Maybe they need to have choppers on standby and up in the air the moment the first call comes in--preferably with a very good camera that could take quality pictures showing all the traffic, etc. for several miles. That might reveal one car/truck/van, etc. that shows up at multiple scenes. They could certainly get a fast look at the big picture that way.

[SunnyUsa]

no question is too dumb! :)

"Have any witnesses been reported as having heard the gunshots? "

the one witness I heard interviewed on TV worked at the MOBIL gas station directly across from the EXXON station, he said he heard only one shot and then saw an unmarked white van leaving

[freeperfromnj]

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

Al qaeda cells work in teams when they are on a jihad mission. There is usually a surveillance team and an operative team.

[mystery-ak]

Exactly....how many people would start a note *Dear Mr Policeman*...it sounds something like a child or foreigner would say.

[COBOL2Java]

When the minivan speeds off; bystanders natually assume it was involved.

Other local reports this morning indicated that the white van was bumping cars trying to get away...

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

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

Last night, my husband was musing over this as well. His concern is the increasingly brazen moves the sniper is showing; shooting in broad daylight, near busy traffic, etc. He predicted that soon this may include things like targeting a child-care facilities with young children, mothers with babies in stollers, etc, for the shock value and additional sheer horror a situation like that would create.

The thought of that sickens me, and I pray he is way off base...

[relee]

Just curious and may be a dumb question. Have any witnesses been reported as having heard the gunshots?

They interviewed a man who was eating at the Denny's? when a woman in the Denny's? saw the victim slump over. Then a man ran over from the gas station into the Denny's saying the man was shot - call the police.

[SarahW]

Here's a page for the airsoft players with profiles and pics.

The airsoft player, "tarot" is one member of the team , but there is no photo of him http://216.239.53.100/search?q=cache:A-9DYCwPSqUC:www.airsoftohio.com/phpBB/viewteam.php%3FTeamID%3D148+airsoft+tarot+&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

[Crowcreek]

"How easy is it to change the barrel on weapons like this thereby rendering ballistics records moot?

Very. And shooting an abrasive-coated bulet thru' the bore is an instant alteration of a 'ballistic fingerprint'.