Washington sniper vanishes after signature hits

ABC NEWSONLINE ^ | 10/14/02

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

US police have said they do not want to the muddy waters of an investigation into a sniper who has killed eight people and wounded two by releasing an inaccurate sketch, amid reports the meticulous killer circling the nation's capital has been sighted.

Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose was asked to comment on reports that the sniper who has electrified the Washington area has been spotted, and police are working on a composite sketch.

Chief Moose, struggling for the right words, said he did not want to "muddy the waters" by releasing an image to the media too soon.

"Please rest assured that when we have something where we are sure that the media can help us we will use that," Moose said.

"The concern is that we pollute the whole thought process, we cause people to have tunnel vision, think they see what they heard on TV and mix that up with reality."

The power of the media has taken center stage in the hunt for the shooter - or shooters, who has used a high-velocity rifle to slam a single bullet into 10 victims since October 2, eluding the largest federal, state and local manhunt in the history of the Washington region.

Chief Moose released a composite image of an older model, mid-sized commercial truck, with light damage to its right rear bumper and black lettering -- a row of large black block letters above a row of smaller letters, on each side.

Chief Moose said the white truck, which has a roll-up door at the rear, was seen at more than one of the shootings by more than one witness and he asked the media to distribute it widely.

He declined to discuss any of the witnesses further.

"None of the witnesses have been able to give us the exact wording" on the truck or its license plate number, Chief Moose said at a news briefing.

The chief said the image is generating new leads.

"Maybe he has had this vehicle repaired," he said, calling on mechanics and body shop workers to think back.

Investigators are working on a sketch of a second vehicle, described as a white Chevrolet Astro van, seen near the latest shooting on Friday, Chief Moose said.

"We're working with a sense of urgency" to get that photo to the public, he said.

Physical evidence has been scant, with one taunting clue apparently left by the shooter near where a 13-year-old victim was shot - a tarot "death" card with the words "dear Mr Policeman, I am God" scrawled on the back.

The cold, methodical killer, who picks off random victims while concealed in a sniper's nest at a comfortable distance, claimed his 10th victim and eighth fatality on Friday.

Kenneth Bridges, 53, a businessman and father of six on the road from Philadelphia, was killed on Friday at an Exxon gasoline station near a busy interstate highway in Virginia.

[ApesForEvolution]

Similar to the unlikelihood of the al-qeerdas not only hijacking planes but creatively using them as cruise missiles that actually did take down huge targets and caused varied reverberating effects throughout the country, the world and the economy.

I'd say it's more than 50/50 this is the next crafty move to strategically use our 'force' against us by tying up large amounts of resources intended to create mass fear and hysteria - which is paralyzing and captivating a large region if not most of the nation.
br>The islamonuts are deranged, sick and worthy of total annihilation, even to wipe their entire lineage off the planet, but they are DEFINITELY not attacking us inneffectively.

This could very well be the 'probing' of a lot more to come.

Who knows what another 10, 20 or 50 single victims could lead to in the errosion of our privacy and constitutional freedoms/privacy.

Let's pray we start acting effectively son at the grass roots level to root as many of the cells that we know are here, trained abroad, and could care less about murdering innocents in their 'war'...

[MeekOneGOP]

Kenneth Bridges, 53, a businessman and father of six on the road from Philadelphia, was killed on Friday at an Exxon gasoline station near a busy interstate highway in Virginia.

Just fyi, folks. By FReeper Mafree.......

I Knew The Last Sniper Victim (Vanity)

[Sacajaweau]

Well, we know there was something more on the card.

We're not being told everything for good reason and I wish the news people would back off.

Approaching people pumping gas to ask them about their feelings shows the gross mentality of the media.

Sac

[ET(end tyranny)]

If this is a terrorist would it be more effective doing a single shot and fleeing...or opening fire on a group of people then fleeing....I would think they would go for the larger group instilling more terror....

You'd sure think so, wouldn't you?

[FITZ]

Egypt

Egypt is Islamic but they also have alot of Satanic stuff going on there ----Tarot cards could be something an Egyptian terrorist would use and also Egyptians can appear to look hispanic.

[ApesForEvolution]

I concur. This is extremely effective in our society, as evidenced. Don't think that islmokazi attacks won't come next, but the reason why I lean to islamonuts is because a)as weapons, they are a limited resource within America right now, maybe numbering hundreds or even thousands, but this fits the new 'terror against Americans in America' MO, and b)these islamonuts are capable of thinking outside of the 'box' better than we are right now, IMHO.

Of course, 50,000 concealed-armed/trained citizens prowling around would maybe change this situation. Nonetheless, 9-11 should have started the most serious profiling exercise in our nation's history, which would greatly dissuade a prolonged attack of this kind, again, IMHO.

[SamAdams76]

Wouldn't the media be trying to protect the terrorists?

[185JHP]

I've been thinking this thing was being carried out by some "domestic dregs", not terrorists. But there is one thing that has a distinct "ME dregs" tinge - the relentless attacks on unarmed and untrained civilians. The human filth in the ME tend to have low self-confidence - they don't want to risk attacking IDF soldiers or bases. If the sniper/s in this thing really wanted to test their warrior skills, there's a place in North Carolina they could visit. The carpet would be red - stained with their blood. BTW I don't think you're Amanpour...

[B4Ranch]

I believe they are not in a white van, but are likely taking care to wait on their shot until a white van goes by to use our own information against us.

Once again we are thinking alike.

[ET(end tyranny)]

Yep. There have been reports that they think he shot over the head of the cop, to get the victim, 50 yards from the cop.

[Letitring]

AMEN. I just finished reading __American Jihad by Steven Emerson. WOW. (sorry, I don't know how to underline the Title). RP2, I agree with every word you said.

[VOA]

from your cite from "RedsHunter":
Two things about it ... as I understand it, no self-respecting Mooselem would touch
or look at, or even write upon, a graven image of God, let alone write on it in manner
so to present himself as a God to others, even his infidel prey.

I don't think this applies to Islamists who consider themselves embarked on a Jihad.

I may stand corrected on this, but I think that in this case any sort of deception or
feint in the cause of killing infidels is justified.

Weren't there reports of some of the 9-11 terrorist crews frequenting strip joints
(in Las Vegas or Florida) and downing drinks with alcohol while they were
blending in with "us" and preparing to kill our fellow citizens?

I'm hazy on remembering this...but seem to remember that during a Jihad, we can forget
about Muslims obeying their usual religional injunctions.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

The safest places in Washington, DC and Maryland are rifle ranges.

During the day.

[VRWC For Truth]

Which would further the media's Socialistic goals and ratings? Protecting terrorists or building up terror and have people clammering for "gov't protection" at the cost of liberty. I suggest it's the latter.

[SamAdams76]

But the media is always telling us that Islam is a "religion of peace" and that we must never jump to any conclusions regarding those poor, misunderstood people with the diapers wrapped around their heads. Most likely, they will try to pin it on a right winger, like they did with OKC.

[VRWC For Truth]

This is more like Ted Kaczynski's M.O.

[river rat]

I'm afraid Moose doesn't know the coordinates (or the frequency) -- but he sure as hell is throwing enough smoke.... All yellow.

Semper Fi

[CharacterCounts]

This ain't Beavis and Butthead. It's a well-trained, extremely meticulous and well-planned group who've probably cased out each of these locations over the past year, determined their escape routes, and went about the business of purchasing/procuring large, white, nondescript vehicles that can blend into a crowd with relative ease.

If the killer(s) actually used a large, white truck, that would not appear to be well planned and meticulous. If fact it would appear as rather stupid.

[EverOnward]

repeat after me "Islamic death cults have NO first amendment rights..."

"Islamic death cults have NO first amendment rights..."