D.C. SNIPER TERROR: 'This guy is good, but not as a shooter'

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Tuesday, October 15, 2002 | Jon Dougherty

[JohnHuang2]

A small-arms expert trained in sniper tactics says he believes the shooter currently terrorizing the D.C. area is very capable, but not because of shooting abilities – because he has yet to be captured.

"This guy is good, but not as a shooter," says Charles Cutshaw, a technical small-arms and tactics writer for several publications, including Jane's Information Group.

"One-hundred-yard shots are nothing," Cutshaw said in an interview. "He is good at tactics. I believe he selects his location days in advance. He reconnoiters the site and selects a good 'hide' – a place that affords him cover and concealment, as well as an escape route. Then he takes his shot."

In each of the 10 shootings thus far, only one shot has been fired – in accordance with the sniper's credo: "One shot, one kill." Eight of the 10 victims struck were killed.

If accurate, Cutshaw's theory would explain why police have few solid leads and why the sniper has been successful in eluding capture. His theory would be even more remarkable if there were more than one sniper, as police believe may be the case.

"Whoever this is, he's had some kind of [sniper] training," Cutshaw said. Another hint: The shooter is leaving no brass bullet casings behind, he says, noting that snipers are trained to pick up their brass, as well as leave no other clues to their identity or shooting location behind.

The primary physical evidence police have are the bullets themselves. Authorities have said most of the shooting victims were struck with .223-caliber ammunition.

Cutshaw said the lack of brass casings at crime scenes may indicate the sniper is using a bolt-action rifle, in which he would not eject the shell casing at all. However, he said, if the shooter is using a semi-automatic rifle, he could have it fitted with a "brass catcher" – a device that fits on a semi-automatic rifle and catches the brass casings as the weapon ejects them.

"Somebody has trained him not to leave physical evidence," said Cutshaw.

Also, he added, "the fact that nobody sees this guy means he is carefully picking his targets."

The New York Post reported over the weekend that police may in fact have a videotape identifying the shooter. A surveillance camera may have caught the sniper in action in the Wednesday shooting at a Manassas gas station, the report said.

The paper reported Hobert Epps, a 36-year-old Georgia man detained by investigators near the scene of Friday's shooting, said police compared his face with a photo from the tape. Epps said officers told him a wallet-sized image was taken from a surveillance camera near the crime scene.

Cutshaw was skeptical, however.

"I'd be very surprised if a surveillance camera picked him up," he said. "If he's smart enough to do what he's doing, I'd certainly think he'd be smart enough to avoid surveillance cameras."

But is the sniper a terrorist? Cutshaw says he thinks it's very possible the shootings have been the work of terrorists.

WorldNetDaily reported Sept. 4 that an al-Qaida training videotape, captured in Afghanistan, shows Osama bin Laden's terrorists are not only planning attacks with weapons of mass destruction but are preparing to kill Americans with drive-by shootings and home break-ins, through ambushes of law-enforcement officers and targeted assassinations on golf courses.

Meanwhile, the Post also reported yesterday that cops have retreated somewhat from their initial belief that the shooter may only be a "sniper wannabe" – someone who is fascinated with the sniper subculture but has only limited sniper skills – because of the Manassas attack.

Last Wednesday, the sniper shot and killed Dean Myers, 53, from a distance of around 150 yards – a difficult shot, police said, because Meyers was hit in the head by a bullet that threaded a tight corridor between two fuel-pump islands, said the paper.

Cutshaw even opined that the Beltway sniper, as he is being called, may never be captured, unless he gives himself up.

That viewpoint was shared by a 31-year Marine Scout Sniper veteran, the details of which were included in a column penned by Capitol Hill Blue's Doug Thompson yesterday.

"He won't get caught," the Marine sniper vet – who was not named – said. "He will have to quit on his own or turn himself in."

The veteran also voiced concern over a theory now under consideration by police and federal officials – that the shooter or shooters were trained in the U.S. military.

He said the Manassas shooting "was the work of a pro. Well-planned, scoped out. I'm starting to think this guy was trained by one of the services."

Police have asked the Defense Department to check various armed forces' sniper schools for information about former students, rejected applicants or students kicked out for psychological problems, the New York Post said yesterday.

Over the weekend, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., badgered the National Rifle Association for opposing a bill he has authored calling for a national database of "ballistic fingerprints" for every firearm sold.

Each firearm would be test-fired by gun makers before they are sold, with the bullet "fingerprints" put into a federal database.

"We let our police use human fingerprints; why don't we let our police use the fingerprint that guns and bullets make?" asked Schumer.

Cutshaw said he is disappointed by some lawmakers' calls for stricter laws against so-called "sniper rifles," mostly because he says they are – perhaps intentionally – misrepresenting certain weapons for political gain.

"The call is already going to ban sniper rifles, but what's a 'sniper rifle'?" he said. "It could be any rifle with a scope on it.

"You don't need a true sniper rifle for shots at 100 yards or so," he continued. "Any rifle with open sights will do. I can take those kinds of shots with most [semi-automatic] rifles on the market now."

[tje]

Hitting a 9 inch plate at 150 yards doesn't really take a lot of skill. Especially with a decent weapon. I could consistently hit a 9 inch target at 100 yards with a .44 (TC) and that was with iron sites and standing. It didn't take that much practice.

I shot 1 inch groups at 200 yards with the .222 barrel. (with a rest).

[Flint]

Now shooting a another human being would be an added level of stress that I can't even imagine but then we don't hate anyone, not yet anyway.

This guy or guys are not shooting people, they are shooting targets. The only stress that is being applied is getting away after the shot, and they are doing quite well dealing with that.

[jacquej]

Do you doubt that they know this? They read and listen to all the same news you and I do.

The only question in my mind is how long it will take for LE and the Media to admit that this is terrorism.

If I see one more talking head/expert yammer on about how this is a :::lone nut/teenager playing out video game fantasies/disgruntled employee/military reject/fired Michael's employee::: I will give up reading and watching the news.

If I want fiction, at least I can choose good plausible fiction. This stuff we are being fed just doesn't cut it!

[madison10]

So that is what is keeping the creep busy on the weekends, using his/her time to reconnoiteur? (sp?)

[4Freedom]

Could Michael's have been chosen, because they lack the store security that other retailers have? I can't think of too much that the average criminal would be interested in shop-lifting from Michael's. Maybe they can afford to be a little lax in that department. That is until the pawn shop value of balls of styrofoam and candle wax goes up.

Another angle could be who owns Michael's. Is it anyone terrorists would target?

[Flint]

So that is what is keeping the creep busy on the weekends, using his/her time to reconnoiteur

How 'bout more traffic on the roads and harder to get away?

[madison10]

Hmmm...more traffic on the weekends? From reading the posts I thought the whole place was a moving parking lot on the weekdays and that the weekends wouldn't be much different. :) The traffic doesn't seem to be a problem, he/she just vanishes. Do you think the person is on foot most of the time?

[4Freedom]

The only question in my mind is how long it will take for LE and the media to admit that this is terrorism."

Hell shall hath frozen over? The devil will be wearing a shiny, new pair of ice skates?

They'll catch the shooter and determine that there's no way to pass a 40-year-old guy named Ahkmed off as an angry, young, white dude? ;^)

[bvw]

Total Daily traffic is usually highest on weekends. Think of it -- people might make 4 or 5 separate car trips each weekend day. On a workday, 2 or 3.

Work day rush hours are peak hours -- in one direction. Typically the shopping hours on Saturday 10 am to 2 pm are the week's peak hours in both directions. Work days are not the peak traffic days.

This is my personal, informed observation. I've counted cars for surveys twice and reviewed in detail studies and traffic count reports on over a half dozen occassions.

[bvw]

I'm talking ex-urban, suburban traffic. Urban, work district flows are a bit different.

[Mamzelle]

Since I shop regularly at a Michael's, the shootings sure rang my bell. It might be, though, that Michael's has the kind of middle-class customer that Home Depot has and attracts this shooter...or that Michael's has a habit of locating stores near handy traffic egress.

[4Freedom]

There's more shoppers around the malls on the weekend where I've lived. It's probably the same everywhere.

More chances to be seen on the weekends.

[Flint]

Well, what if two guys are in a van, the shooter and the spotter/driver? The shooter takes the shot, the driver takes him one block away, while the confusion is going on, the shooter takes the rifle and gets in a Yugo. The van is now clean. The shooter drives off in the Yugo, the LE is looking for a van. They stop the van, don't find anything and the van drives on. The shooter in the Yugo, stops off at the corner pub and watches the TV.

[Mamzelle]

More targets, but worse traffic. Harder to make a quick escape on weekends...wonder if that's why he takes the weekends off...

[Snowy]

Since I shop regularly at a Michael's, the shootings sure rang my bell. It might be, though, that Michael's has the kind of middle-class customer that Home Depot has and attracts this shooter...or that Michael's has a habit of locating stores near handy traffic egress.

You may be right, but I am still hooked on the word, "Michael". Terrorists love symbolism.

[LisaFab]

From their website:

History of Michaels® Stores, Inc.

Michaels® became a publicly held company in 1984 with 16 stores, mostly in Texas. During the early 1990's we embarked on an aggressive national expansion program. By 1995, we had more than tripled our store base to over 500 stores through new store openings and acquisitions, accomplishing our goal of becoming the nation's largest specialty retailer in our industry. During fiscal 2000, Michaels continued to build on its strong foundation, ending the year with 628 Michaels stores and 119 Aaron Brothers locations, and delivering yet another year of record growth and strategic accomplishments. Sales surpassed the $2 billion mark; net income increased 29%, demonstrating our ability to sustain strong sales and profit growth. For the fourth straight year, the Company has delivered increases in net income exceeding 25%.

[alaskanfan]

They said this morning, about 50 feet. Not much of a shot for anyone with even limited firearm experience.

[alaskanfan]

The enemy has sneaked into our country while our government turned a blind eye to the absense of our borders.

I would agree with your statement. One of the first duties of any sovereign nation is to secure it's borders. Ours are under attack at an unprecedented rate.

[FormerLurker]

If this latest shooting occured after dark, as it appeared to, I'm surprised that no one noticed a muzzel flash.

With the right ammunition and if a shooter takes adequate precautions, a .223 rifle would have little if any muzzle flash even without a flash suppressor. The flash only lasts a fraction of a second to begin with, so unless someone was looking right at him, they probably wouldn't see it anyways..

[alaskanfan]

Unless you know where to look, you won't see it.

Any large flash of light, like those associated with discharge of any firearm are very apparent in the dark.