Poll Question: Do you think the sniper has U.S. military experience?

WEAU TV 13 ^

[quietolong]

Do you think the sniper has U.S. military experience?

Link to Poll

[CCWoody]

I agree. 150 yards with a scope shouldn't be all that difficult for a reasonably good hunter--even a head shot.

The last time I sighted my .270 in for 200 yds at the range, I put the 3 shots of my last adjustment inside of a dime. 2 of 3 were in the same hole. That said, I'm not near the shot my dad is. If he can see a deer, he can bring it down with his .270. And we aren't near the hunters his dad was. I never saw him miss a shot at anything.

Of course, the other factor is what we call "buck fever" or "the shakes". Although, I can keep myself calm enough to bring down deer at 200yds, I can still see my pulse in the reticle. At 200yds, I think I still have about an inch or 2 of pulse up and down on the deer.

I think it takes either a trained sniper or someone insane to be able to stay steady on a human target. But, then, he did not have a "1 shot, 1 kill" on his long target. His gas station kills strike me as the 50yds variety, but I'm just speculating here.

I just took my next kid out 3 weeks ago to start teaching him how to shoot a .22. He was 4" accurate at 50yds from the 1st shot. If this guy was a "pro" he'd be bringing people down with 500yd shots.

(On the other hand, a lot of hunters probably aren't good enough riflemen to do it.)

A lot of hunters have the coke bottle mentality of powder charges. Their reasoning is that they just don't have enough energy transfer to kill their deer. I see them "sight" their rifles in every year the last week of October for the next week. I keep mine sighted in all year, making sure it is still good by putting 3 down range every few weeks. Though, I did notice that 2 weeks ago, all my shots were 1" left. I'll have to make sure it was just a high wind day when I go out to watch all the hunters sight their weapons for the first week of the season.

[Robert_Paulson2]

We had a islamakazi sign up for basic training then not show up for deployment here in oregon... and was arrested by the FBi as a terrorist al qaida member.

I suspect any "us experience" they may have had, is training they obtained under false pretenses, intended for use of killing americans.

It would not surprise me to hear the killer was a washout...
BUT, his use of equipment, indicates this guy is no "sniper" trained by the army or marines.

Could be one of the palestinians our CIA trained for special ops at langley when Tenet brought them over after camp david. These very ones, have been sniping jews for the last few years. One or two of them sneaking in here would be no surprise at all... and they would have been trained by our military at langley.

[Skooz]

I bet it was some teenager who played one too many games of Red Faction. Red Faction has two sniper rifles: A sniper rifle proper and an "assault rifle" which can also be used as a sniper rifle.

I think it's just some punk who is bored.

[upcountryhorseman]

Why bring up Lee Harvey Oswald? He didn't shoot the
President!

[EverOnward]

Accordng to WMAL's breaking news -- an ex-Marine in Baltimore is being looked at VERY carefully.

[EverOnward]

AR-15 rifle found in ex-marine's home + sniper manual + white boxed van with ladder rack

[the_doc]

Back in the timeframe of the Persian Gulf War, Saddam Hussein targets were popular. They were head photos considerably smaller than life-size. I ran one out a hundred yards. I fired one shot from my .243, made a single adjustment to my sights, and then put two slugs in Saddam's left eye.

Although I had done competitive shooting in high school, that was the first time I had done much shooting in twenty-five years. So, I am convinced that a good hunter would be able to do what the Maryland sniper has been doing. Marine training or Army sniper training just isn't necessary.

[quietolong]

The numbers :

yes 23%

No 77 %

[quietolong]

Why do we all think He ? It could be a Her.

[B4Ranch]

I have a neighbor who pops gallon milk jugs at 800 yards with his .308. I wonder if he qualifies as a sniper? LOL

[xm177e2]

He didn't go to sniper school, he just had regular marksmanship training.

[xm177e2]

Just being able to make target shots does not make someone a "sniper."

More important is being able to get into position and then escape after taking the shot(s). And to be able to pass the time without getting bored, while you wait for a target. And to know how not to leave evidence behind, like shell casings or candy wrappers or tarot cards...

[Jerry_M]

You really don't have to be an expert marksman to hit man-sized targets from 150 yds. or less with most rifles. Even without a scope, the average person could train to this level of proficiency on their own in short order.

With a scope, especially as how many of them come bore-sighted from the factory, it is possible that one could take down a person with the very first shot.

No need for an expert marksman, IMHO.

[B4Ranch]

100% CORRECT!

[Kenton]

50 yards with a scoped .223 is duck soup. He's a good shot but there's no sign he's an unusually good shot. Like a trained sniper. But there is something else that seems to be ignored...

All of his shootings have occurred within a block or two of a freeway entrance/exit. Besides the caliber, that's the one thing I can see that they all have in common.

What I'd like to see is some military snipers brought in to evaluate his escape and evasion techniques. Because in those, he has showed a great deal of skill, probably beyond that of your average weekend shooter.

Start with the simple obvious stuff. Two blocks from the freeway, probably has his vehicle pointed toward the freeway when he shoots. Things like that.

And let's not get tunnel vision on this "white truck" issue, I counted about 25 vehicles that met one of the various truck/van description when I was out at lunchtime. Chances are if somebody said, "hey, I just heard a shot, anybody see a white truck or van", somebody would see one. They're everywhere.

[archy]

Why do we all think He ? It could be a Her.

Very possible, especially if the job has been *farmed out* to one of the old hard-line terror groups for reasons of compartmentalization. When young men of Mid-eastern appearance became likely airplane hijacking suspects, the terror groups brought in their second-string groups that included female players, like the PFLP group led by Layla Khalid.

This time they may have gotten smart, and sent in a well-trained woman from the beginning of the project. And that's no reason to think that the attacks will be in any way less efficient or deadly.

<img src="http://

[johnb838]

Lee Harvey Oswald was a former US Marine with sniper training, too.

WooHoo!

[johnb838]

Besides -- what better use for a woman than a suicide mission. {/sarc}

[Pure Country]

Why do we all think He ? It could be a Her.

I think it is definitely more than one. How could one guy be so dead on for what, seven? and then miss two and then be right on again. Doesn't sound like one shooter to me.