Posted on 10/13/2002 1:43:35 PM PDT by 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.
I think that the very first shot--through the Michael's window--was aimed at someone outside and was a miss.
If this is a terror team like it looks there's may be even 4 or 5 members using two vehicles.
I think they've stayed out of the Maryland area southeast of the District of Corruption since it is a peninsula and they might get bottled up there.
The murderer is firing single shots but is doing so with a semi-auto because they might end up in a shootout with the law.
The shots are pre-dominantly fired from a vehicle which maybe has a hidden compartment for the rifle if they intend to try to BS their way through a roadblock.
Possibly they are basing out of DC. In any event, traffic congestion there and multiple surveillance cameras would render it unattractive.
I wonder how fast the traffic lights in the region could all be turned red at the same time--or if it's even actually possible.
The News Cartel may have another reason for refusing to even mention the "T" word--it would provide an upsurge of public support for the plan to go to war in Iraq. I feel that they desperately want this to be a home grown crime series. Rockpile
Actually, yes. The Indian gentleman qualifes as "swarthy looking".
Had his picture been posted as a suspect, rather than a victim, I'm sure FR would have been ablaze with "Damn MØØse Limbs!" and "Why wasn't he deported after 9/11?" comments.
I did a double take when I first saw him on TV.
A sizeable contingent would refuse to believe that he was "the real bomber". "Oh, so the goobermint frames some middle=aged white guy, huh? We KNOW it's really mØØse limbs." Etc, etc.
So am I.
Very insightful. I think your analysis is sound on all points. Having spent a lot of time in DC, I did not think of your traffic entrapment point but it is certainly valid. Everything they have done is planned to give them the best chance to avoid getting caught and identified.
Would not surprise me if you catch them and they blow themselves up.
The shot through the Michael's window was just a miss.
Observe that depending on how high a priority you want to place on not taking casualties, there are a lot of things you could do--a second or third vehicle for example; a real nominal vehicle like a late model Toyota that blends anywhere; you could abandon your truck shooting platform with a timed charge on it and simply leave with the rest of your cell in your Toyo.
It smells like they made some mistake at the moment the shot was fired on Friday--because the authorities seem to have known where the shot came from or at least what the direction was, very shortly after the shot was fired; I assume they just did not see the cop--hard to understand why that would happen. I don't think there is any hidden message in not paying attention to the cop; they just overlooked him.
There are lots of choices for gun besides the M16 and the civilian version (AR15); the mini 14 is easier to shoot (for me) than either one; the scope mounting setup is better--further, depending on what your shooting platform offers, you could have an assult rifle with you but shoot with a different gun--a bolt action was posted yesterday that would seem to be a much better sniper rifle than any of the semi-autos.
About Tarot The Tarot deck has 78 cards in total. They are dealt in spreads. The positions of the cards, and their values, are all interpreted according to the skill and philosphy of the card reader. The basic theory rests on a fundamental assumption of magic: the entire universe is connected in a great design or pattern. Tarot beginnings are obscured in ancient history. Theories of origins include Moroccans designing cards and The Tarot interpretations perhaps around 1200 A.D. Fez, Morrocco was at the time a scientific and literary capital of the world. The Tarot represented a culmination of thoughts and ideas at the time how daily lives were influenced by primary forces and our own attitudes. Another theory holds ancient Egyptians invented The Tarot as a repository of occult lore. The translation of Tarot from ancient Egyptian means Royal Path of Life. Even earlier is the connection of The Tarot to the Cabala. This is a body of occult doctrine by various anonymous authours. The most important work in the Cabala is the Sepher Yetzirah (Book of Formation). This book was written in Hebrew, probably in Babylonia between the third and sixth centuries A.D. There are many links between the numeric symbolgies in the Cabala and the cards of The Tarot.
I posted this is another thread. It may be where you saw it. All 3 of these places are Islamic countries!!!!!!
Rockpile you hit the bullet right on the primer with this!! Propoganda of omission.
You know, I'm surprised we haven't had terrorist murderers using Galils and IMI ammo and pistols. Just as an added insult to us and the Israelis.
They likely have an indoor place to park when not on the road IMO.
I'd guess that a lot of cops are putting rifle inserts into there vests.
The "shooting over the highway patrolman's head" came from an FR poster on another thread I think. Have not seen it in any news accounts. I don't think they even saw the guy.
Apart from the rediculousness of linking the SAS and IRA, there is nothing special about Tarot Card Killer's marksmanship.
Anybody, with corrected eyesight and even the most rudimentary of motor skills, can reliably make accurate shots to 150 yards. Now, that is with iron sights. Add a scope, and 99.9% of the people could learn to shoot a .223 rifle that well in just few hours.
If this person were trained, or had a level of expertise in shooting, the shots would be at a minimum of 300 yards, and a lot closer to 500-600 yards.
Our local club has at least 15 people who can get 20 of 20 shots in an 8 inch group (or less) at 600 yards using iron sights. Those people are skilled, and many of them have only been shooting a few years. As far as I know, none of them are SAS, Rangers, Delta Force, Seals, Reconn, Airborne, and certainly not third world wannabe terrorists like the IRA.
As I have pointed out in other threads, it is far easier to get away after a single shot than standing on a hilltop spraying bullets. It is very difficult to determine the direction of a single shot since your brain is not in the "where is that coming from" mode. If your whereabouts are not detected immediately, nobody sees you quietly leaving. This technique has been used by poachers and snipers for a long time.
It is also notworthy that many of the hijackers did not know they were on a suicide mission. In spite of hype to the contrary, it really is difficult to find someone (especially in America) willing to martyr themselves.
Code for he doesn't fit the lone white guy ...gun nut theory....
Or, more simply, that they don't want to tip anyone off that they're a suspect so's maybe they can catch the sumbitch. From what we've seen thus far, it appears that the shooter is paying attention to the media coverage. No point in making it harder to find the bastard.
Of course, you'll see what you want to see and hear what you want to hear. I'm betting on this being a lone whack-job who finally snapped a while back. I'm sure, though, that if it turns out to be a single shooter, you'll be on FR howling that the suspect is a patsy.
Snidely
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.