I've been shooting high powered rifles for the last 25 years, and I can assure you that this mass murdering freak has some basic skills at what he is doing. He may not be a bonified military sniper, but he is better than the average joe.
Having worked at a local shooting range when I was younger, I can attest that a large percentage of folks can't shoot this well off of a bench, at a paper target. Much less at a human target.
Having worked at a local shooting range when I was younger, I can attest that a large percentage of folks can't shoot this well off of a bench, at a paper target. Much less at a human target.
As you well know, many people who visit a shooting range don't have a clue what they are doing. Clearly our shooter does.
Many thousands of shooters (varmit hunters, for example) are competent to manage the shots involved in these incidents.
This is the truth. I enjoy shooting, and I can make nice 1" groups with my .243 at 100 yards. Problem is, that's with a 12x scope, off a bench, with sandbags or a bipod with a sandbag under the stock, and plenty of time to think about it. At the same distance, I'd be lucky to hit the broad side of a barn offhand, or maybe a little better resting on a car door. If this creep is making these shots at 100 yds, he's got a good rest or he's just a dang good shot. And as far as bystanders being able to tell where it's coming from, that's nothing but confusion. They're going to hear that crrrrrack! of the bullet being supersonic, followed shortly by a boom! from the muzzle blast. But seeing a person go down seriously wounded and unexpected in their everyday life, it's no wonder they can't really tell where it came from for sure. Whoever is doing this is both slick and extremely sick. I also don't doubt LEO is appropriately armed to counter this, if they can get a bead on him. Or her.
That takes more skill than just picking up a rifle and screwing on a scope. He's spent some time sighting it in, he's put some range time in somewhere.