CNN Headline News reporting shooting in Falls Church

CNN Headline News | 10/14/02 | CNN Headline News

[xjcsa]

CNN Headline News is reporting that a woman has been shot near a Home Depot in Falls Church, VA, and that authorities are investigating whether this is another sniper attack.

Breaking now....

[Darlin']

"As for the weapon itself, I'll go against the law-enforcement grain and guess that it's a scoped bolt-action rifle"

That is more along the lines of what a really good shooter would use, isn't it ? Didn't Charles Whitman use a 6mm Remington bolt-action rifle with a scope ?

[md2576]

middle dot, dot, opposite dot.
123, 456,789,101112
See it?

[aristeides]

I also heard the victim was on a parking deck.

If that's true, would there be videotape of the perp's vehicle?

[lizma]

I was on the phone and had just said I'm surprise the sniper hadn't attacked tonight just to show us we didn't get him today, when my son walked into the room to give me this horrible news.

Prays for the poor woman's family.

[Shermy]

I don't think so. Stores like that do too much business to have an employee take $$ to the bank. Armored normally picks up the cash, and everything else is done electronically.

Yep, you're right.

Doesn't sound like a sniper though, in an underground garage? We'll see.

[GummyIII]

Now, that's interesting.....Texas plates? Red Toyota Pick-up?

[steveegg]

True enough regarding the popularity of the AR-15. My major reason for suspecting a bolt-action is because I haven't heard of more than 2 shots ever being fired (and that many only once).

While using that kind of silencer would reduce the noise at least somewhat, I'd think that it would also reduce the range to where someone would have gotten a bead on the perp.

[deadlywithapen]

By the way, it is very interesting that such a high percentage of those shot are dying from their injuries. The .223 is of course very powerful, but it was always my understanding that you would rather be shot by a .223 than by a .45 handgun round. I wonder if the sniper is good enought that he is hitting the head or the heart every time.


From the photos Ive seen on the news, the bullet that was shown as the type used by the sniper appeared to be a 7.62mm russian round. Not a 5.56mm like that is used in an AR 15. It is very accurate and is a larger bullet that does not need to tumble to do damage as the AR 15 round does.

I could be wrong about this, but it struck me as kinda funny that the sniper would use a round and weapon that has been supplied in great abundance to various despots and terrorists world wide by our good friends the Russians.

Put your Richard Jewell filters on, an 8 year Marine Veteran, gun collector, if he lived with his mother it would finish the picture.

[aristeides]

No,I haven't heard the sex on WMAL.

[cinFLA]

Yeah, but you can't fire a .45 round through a handgun with any decent accuracy at long distance.

The .45 is a sissy compared to the .223.

[templar]

A hollow point would be quite deadly at the intermediate ranges the sniper is probably shooting from.

At 100 yards the standard 55 grain .223 will be travelling close to 2800 fps (faster if closer). FMJ or hollow point, either will be quite deadly at this velocity. The real advantage of the hollow point (reason I would be using them if I were the sniper) isn't lethality, it's destruction of the bullet. Nothing but tiny fragments will leave nothing to identify balistically.

[md2576]

It's a triangle!
Now 4 of them.

[Hatteras]

middle dot, 123? what dots?

[RodgerD]

Its a covered parking area. There may be parking on a 2nd level. I dont know because Ive always found parking on the ground level. There's no walls on the side in any case, so someone could shoot from accross Rt 50.

[GummyIII]

I agree re: firing when white van or van-like vehicle close by. Perhaps sees that as a "sign"??? "Angelic" sign?

[M. T. Cicero II]

I wouldn't even want to get shot with the .380 (Federal Hydrashocks)which I carry! And it's a teeny tiny "toy" gun.

[hole_n_one]

[Mr. Mojo]

Oh well, I couldn't find it....

But here's a decent article on the .223 that may be of interest to you

[Cboldt]

Tough to tell "upper/lower", and it may be that the back of the store/mall has a lower elevation, and is referred to as the "lower" lot, even though it appears to be all in the open. I am looking at the same aerial view/photo posted earlier.

[Freedom2specul8]

Another angle if you missed my posts a few days ago..

http://www.ci.logan.ut.us/police/gang%20project/types.htm

Folk affiliates use the number 6, the six-pointed star of David, an upward -pointing pitchfork with three prongs, and a playboy bunny with the right ear bent as their symbols. They also tend to wear their identifiers on the right side of their body (i.e., six earrings in the right ear, a six-pointed star shaved into the right side of the head, etc.).

People affiliates use the number 5, the 5-pointed Star of Islam, a 3 or 5-pointed crown, a downward-pointed pitchfork, and a dollar sign as their symbols.