That is the quality of journalism these days. Sad.
It happens daily. That's how liberals and their press create their illusions of "normal."
Without TV propaganda, Liberal nut cases would be in prison or the nut house.
The shooter is a trained military guy, maybe SAS or IRA, and will slip across the Canadian border and fly back to Europe from Toronto or Montreal.
The local team is expendable but has had almost two years to build escape routes and position cash and resources. My bet is that the truck is in a warehouse or garage in such a fahion that it won't draw attention for a least 5 or 10 days. The local team will easily move across both borders and be home in the Becca Valley or Saudi Arabia by next Monday. There are, of course, other teams in place trained and ready to use the weapons and material that comes so easily across the Mexican border.
We can all understand why getting a photo of a white Chevy Astro Van is so difficult: there are none known to exist, nor are there any recorded photos of such vehicles. But with Moose on the job, I'm sure in due time he'll come up with something...eventually.
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.
Now I will translate the Ebonics of Portland Diversity U into "Gooder English":
"The image we came up with ain't no White Cracker Racist Conservative. So we be holding that picture until our sketch artists can make him blue eyed, blonde, whiter than snow and with a Nazi tattoo on his forehead. He will shown listening to conservative talk radio while reply to a racist thread on Free Republic.!"
Or in plain English without any massaging. "The suspect we are are after is not a white guy. Therefore, we can't release a picture or description of him. We will have 3.5 million people living in fear until we can work this Diverse situation in a politically correct one!
It seems the killing ring seems to be getting bigger. Could there be an ulterior motive for that? And note, there is nothing going on right in D.C. itself. Maybe these killings are just the diversion.
This huge manhunt has tied up just about every available law enforement agent in the area, and they are no doubt getting tired and strung out. What if there were a few more successful hits and then ... a final shooting (or even two or three nearly simultaneously) - still way out in the suburbs and away from D.C., pulling the cops out even further and tying up the roads and promoting chaos.
Then, the primary attack takes place. Except this time it is against a major target in downtown D.C. - like the Capitol, White House or Supreme Court? The reaction of backup security would not be so good, would it, with most of the players and their backup out in the suburbs, an hour or two away. This would give time for the main assault by a large team of killers.
This large assault concept has been pulled before by terrorist groups in Latin American countries, IIRC. Remember, the last plan on 9/11 seemed to have some earmarks a political decapitation was planned.
Just speculating on another possible motive for 'what' and 'why'.
This guy's schedule of hits - almost all during morning or evening rush hours, and always near major thoroughfares so he's mixed into heavy traffic within a couple of minutes - indicate someone who may have a regular job, and possibly a job involving lots of local traveling. But not the usual commute - last week he traveled nearly an hour to get to Manassas, VA.
Columbus Day being a federal holiday, he might not shoot anyone tomorrow either ... because there won't be the usual rush hour traffic he could lose himself in.
It is very possible that this white truck is a police mistake. Just about every truck like this that comes off the assembly line - of any manufacturer - is plain white, so whatever business buys it can choose whatever paint and lettering they want. An enormous number of these trucks are never painted and stay plain white. My wife and I counted at least 20 in one hour this morning (Sunday) between DC and Rockville, MD. So it's a strong possibility that all these witnesses to the different shootings have each seen a different plain white truck in the vicinity - none of them connected to the sniper - just because there are so many plain white trucks.
The images are the first of any kind to be released in association with a killer who has been stalking suburban Washington areas and targeting victims apparently at random. More than a week after the shootings began, a massive task force of county, state and federal officers still won't say if they know who they're looking for, or even if the sniper is acting alone.
"We're putting information out, asking people to have their memories jogged," said police Chief Charles Moose of Montgomery County, where five people were killed.
The two images, produced by the FBI based on witnesses from more than one shooting, show a flat-front white truck with a roll-up door in the back, a weathered paint job, a small dent in the back bumper and unknown dark purple or black writing on the side.
The witnesses were unable to provide the exact wording on the truck or the license plate number. They did tell investigators it appeared to be an older model with a loud motor.
Moose said investigators are also working with witnesses to produce a similar composite sketch of a white Astro van with a ladder on the top that was reported seen leaving the scene of Friday's deadly shooting at a gas station near Fredericksburg, Va.
Asked if the separate sketches meant the sniper may be using more than one vehicle, he said it "is not our goal to make any suggestions at all. We're working with witnesses."
The images were released as the reward for information in the case reached $500,000.
The latest victim was Kenneth H. Bridges, 53, a Philadelphia businessman and father of six who was shot as he pumped gas Friday morning at an Exxon station just off Interstate 95 in Spotsylvania County, Va., about an hour south of Washington.
It was a brazen attack, carried out with a single shot as a state trooper stood just across the street. Bridges fell to the pavement as gasoline continued to pump into his silver Buick.
The trooper rushed to help the victim, and the killer disappeared.
The attacks, all carried out in public places as the victims went about their daily tasks, raised a specter for area residents already shaken by last fall's terrorist hijackings and anthrax attacks.
At least one high school homecoming and several Friday night football games were canceled by worried school officials in and around Washington, D.C.
Members of the Guardian Angels, the volunteer public safety organization, manned two gas stations in Alexandria, Va., to pump gas for travelers who were too scared to get out of their cars. "We're just trying to do our part to make people safe," said group member John Ayala.
Across the street from the scene of Friday's shooting in Virginia, Raja Abilnona parked three tow trucks alongside his filling station as a shield.
"Maybe my customers will think it's safer," he said. "It's harder to see in here ... at least it will make it more difficult for someone to shoot."
Despite jitters, motorists continued to gas up, looking over their shoulders now and then for whoever is terrorizing the community.
"There's what, about 4 1/2 million people living around here?" said John Sewell, 70, a retired schoolteacher who stopped at a RaceTrac station in Spotsylvania County. "I think my chances are pretty good that that guy isn't going to shoot me."
In each shooting, the sniper has fired a single round from a high-powered rifle and most have taken place within easy access of a major highway.
Clarence Shook, filling his truck just up the road, said he keeps a 9 mm Ruger pistol under the dashboard. "I'm not afraid," he said. "But I am cautious."
Tipsters have deluged toll-free hotlines, police stations and sheriff's stations, but their information has yet to lead to the person or people responsible. More than 1,900 calls were received in the 24 hours after the shooting in Spotsyvania County alone, sheriff's Maj. Howard Smith said Saturday.
Near the Exxon station where Bridges was killed, authorities knocked on motel room doors in their search for witnesses and possibly the killer.
One man who was questioned said investigators compared his face with a photo of a sandy-haired man.
"They thought I was the sniper," said Hobert Epps, 36, of Athens, Ga., who said he was staying at a nearby motel.
Epps said investigators told him the picture was from a video surveillance camera near the scene of one of the shootings.
Reporters asked Moose repeatedly Saturday about Epps' claim and about residents who may have seen the occupants of a white cargo van seen leaving the Exxon station. He said it has been his practice not to release such investigative details.
Moose, who planned to appear on four Sunday morning network talk shows, also warned members of the media not to follow investigators as they pursue tips in the case. He said such behavior could threaten the safety of witnesses.
"If you are engaged in that kind of activity, you not only stand the chance of jeopardizing the investigation, but the safety of our investigators and the safety of our witnesses."
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On the Net:
Montgomery County Police Department: http://www.co.mo.md.us
Federal Bureau of Investigation: http://www.fbi.gov
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms: http://www.atf.treas.gov
What the hell?? .. muddy the waters??? People are being used for target practice and he is worried about mudding the waters???
And as for that truck .. it took a WEEK to come up with a picture and yet still no reference to the white van
I'm sorry .. but I have lost confidence in Chief Moose .. BIG TIME
Just fyi, folks. By FReeper Mafree.......