Beltway Sniper Shootings-FR Commentary-Tuesday, Oct. 15

Fox News, CNN, Press Conferences | October 15, 2002 | Fox News, CNN, Press Conferences

[Peach]

To avoid multiple vanity threads regarding any news from press conferences, let's keep a live commentary thread going again today.

Note: This is the graphics-free thread. Graphics can be found under the thread titled "Beltway Sniper Shootings-Graphics Only"

[areafiftyone]

They said the dark colored car was there just before the shooting - looked like it was scouting the area and when a coouple blocked the car the driver made a shooting motion with his hand. They said the car had a religious symbol on the back of it. Don't know if that was true or not. Also did you hear in the news that the ex-marine had tarot cards in his car. Maybe there is a group of them and he just may be part of the group. Still think it might be some sort of cult. But that is just my humble opinion.

[xsmommy]

well it hit home to me hearing this. i was feeling kind of detached. i don't go to Manassas, i don't go to Fredericksburg, i don't go to Montgomery Co. But i pass this site several times per day. it is nerve-wracking now. THanks for your concern.

[Miss Marple]

Police interviewed a fair number of witnesses at the scene. Wil not comment on what they said.

[areafiftyone]

Let us cubically challenged people know what is being said. Thanks.

[Miss Marple]

Police continue to be at the scene.

[Miss Marple]

Encouraging public to call.

[glock rocks]

cube dweller thank you bump.

[angkor]

if the shooter was actually in the lot at 7 Corners

No, I'm saying they were on the access road just outside the lot. The witness account that they were "near the entrance" could mean the back parking lot entrance, behind Fortune restaurant, which certainly puts them on the access road.

Go 100 yards to the end of the access road, there's a stop sign, not a light. Make a right onto Patrick Henry, drive 200 yards, and you're at the Rt. 7 light. Make a right, and you're headed back to Seven Corners. A left, and you're headed toward Bailey's Crossroads.

The right takes you to more traffic, more lights, more complication, the horrible Seven Corners intersection (not to mention right back to the scene of the crime). The left puts you on on a straight shot down Rt. 7, enough traffic to blend in, but not enough to impede your progress. And as another poster mentioned, plenty of places to turn off if you get skittish.

These shooters seem to be very meticulous (almost diabolical) in choosing escape routes. By process of elimination, Rt. 7 east seems to me most likely.

They know from Friday they have only a few minutes (5? 10? 15?) before the police begin swarming the area and installing roadblocks on all major roads. So where did they stop?

[tomkat]

thanks J
was lookin' for maps and didn't have the tube on ...

[Miss Marple]

Responded as quickly as possible. Took a great mamny calls last night. Officers who speak several different languages are available.

[Miss Marple]

Received several calls. Officers knew what to do in this situation and we set off as quickly as we could.

[Nexus]

9th killing linked to sniper, per CNN

[xsmommy]

Officers who speak several different languages are available. this would be important, as i am sure that many of the witnesses are spanish speaking.

[Freeper Lady]

"Fairfax County, Va., police say Linda Franklin, 47, Arlington, Va., was shot in the head while she and her husband were loading packages into a car trunk outside the Home Depot at the Seven Corners Shopping Center. Police are treating this case as if it is related to 10 other sniper shootings throughout Maryland, D.C., and Virginia."

[Elenya]

Either the guy's deranged,

No kidding!

or it really is terrorists. This is getting beyond the Klebold-and-Harris thing, does anyone agree?

I'm ready to discard this theory this morning after what happened last night. I'm now seriously considering the fact that they could have inside info or they're pros. Sounds really bad...

[areafiftyone]

Thanks so much. Appreciate it.

[ET(end tyranny)]

Yep. Heard that. Someone must have guesstimated her age last night.

[Miss Marple]

I went to watch and Fox has the graphic up (didn't hear this first part because of the noise level outside right now).

BALLISTIC EVIDENCE LINKS THIS TO THE OTHER CASES.

Ballistic evidence recovered at the scene. Autopsy will be done this morning.

[ET(end tyranny)]

I think they are getting inside info and THAT makes this all the worse!

[dinasour]

Or at least someone that shares the same hatred. Enough so that they side with the ME, even if temporarily. The enemy of my enemy is my friend (at lease for now)?

And militia types would be perfect for this. They might not mount an operation like this by themselves, but given a "contract" and guidance by an expert "handler", they could be convinced.

Better yet, if they get caught, the press will fall all over themselves to admonish us for our racist assumption that this was ME terrorism, "See what happens when give the Young Republicans access to guns".

Saddam may very well have a model for this type of operation.