Beltway Sniper Shootings-FR Commentary-Thursday, Oct. 17

FNC, CNN, MooseChief, Presstitutes | 17 October '02

[tomkat]

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

[riri]

Well, I find it infuriating. I really want to scream sometimes. My neighbor gave me the same response the other day, apparently she doesn't watch the news either-"ignorance is bliss"-her words not mine. She did however use it as an opportunity to ask me (the horror) if I had a (shiver) gun in the house.

This was all as I was watching her install a new chain lock on her front door. How's that for irony. I wanted to say "Hello, our country is being overrun by Islamic fundamentalist lunatics, don't think your little lock is gonna help ya much"..Then again, Oprah proabably told her to install it.

[js1138]

You have a point. I think the witness identified it as an AK-47, but the cops know through ballistics the slugs fired were .223 cal and then figured out(inferred) an AK-47 chambered for an .223 cal, which is known by the name AK-74.

Unless the witness saw and described an orange clip, which is quite unusual.

[rwt60]

Have you looked at this information?

http://www.dcr.state.va.us/sw/swcdlist.htm

[Chemist_Geek]

Wondering if the FAA needs to publish NOTAMs to airmen for three days or something.

I don't have charts for the areas, but isn't the whole region Class B airspace? If so, then every aircraft will be under positive control and they can vector civilian traffic away from the drone if there's a problem.

NOtices To AirMen Publication (Last update 3 October.)

Defense Internet NOTAM service - Not To Be Used For Safety Of Flight.

[md2576]

Yes, I have the name and city he inspects already. Thank You.

[bonfire]

It's the pervasive attitude in my neighborhood also. Sometimes I begin wondering what is wrong with ME??!! I don't know anyone else that keeps news on all day, or stays up til the wee hours trying to figure things out, obtaining info, etc. Why is it I am the ONLY one that runs outside when I hear a HUGE helicopter at tree-top level? Am I the strange one because I have a police scanner?

As Moose says: "I'm flustrated!"

[hispanarepublicana]

I'm pretty good at Googling, and if you're right, I don't think we're dealing with international terrorism anymore. I also think there's something you can hide in the back of a white van or a box truck that makes a good getaway vehicle. You'll have FReepmail soon.

[js1138]

It is my understanding that the more expensive guns have adjustable air pressure, tighter clearances, and expel the paint balls with incredible force. Since they shoot each other, guys just playing around would literally get hurt.

I wonder how one of these, used in self defense, would go over. A few shots to the face...

[Chemist_Geek]

Unless the witness saw and described an orange clip, which is quite unusual.

Right. With a quick glance, that would be the only way I could distinguish the AK variants. Are aftermarket non-orange magazines available for AK-74s? Time to fire up the search engines...

(Now that the meeting's over and the experiments are cooking, that is...)

[Yaelle]

Now that they are hiding out in fear of all the power out to find them, it really seems like the perps don't want to get caught. I thought they might have a death wish after the last killing, when they exposed themselves to witnesses while taking the shot. Which is it?

[bcoffey]

"...when they exposed themselves to witnesses..."

They wanted to be seen, that much is obvious. But the "why" escapes me.

[rwt60]

To try and respond to your inquiry, I do not know about Soil and Water specifically, but I work for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Most of the inspectors I know are semi-independent types who have an area to cover. Their official work times are 8:00-5:00 M-F normally with wide latitude since they do not have to report to an office. They will typically drive a state vehicle wherever they need to go. They file their reports at local or area offices. Many of these people are unmonitored during their work routine meaning as long as they get the job done, they could be just about anywhere at any given time.

[md2576]

"I'm pretty good at Googling, and if you're right, I don't think we're dealing with international terrorism anymore"

I've had my doubts about terrorism because the shootings seem to point to someone who wants fame. The last shooting would seem to suggest that this sniper is almost tired of killing people and is frustrated that it is easy for him to get away. Every time they had a suspect he had to prove a point. Not really a terrorist motive is it? I believe (if eyewitness accounts are true) that he got out of his van and closer to his target in a crowded area so that he would get caught. He does not want to get caught easily though as that would show everyone he is doing it for fame. This would also explain the repeated van use. I hate to say it but it just may be TOO easy for him to get away with this and he is finding this out so he is getting bolder to hurry up and get his name in headlines. Sad, sad, sad.

[md2576]

Interesting information, thanks.

[Quilla]

Hon, nothing is wrong with you (I hope not anyway) because you just described ME!

[js1138]

Outside of the beltway it will be forgotten in a week.

You can look at that several ways. One way is that it's difficult to terrorize America, and this is good. We get bored by routine death -- 20,000+ traffic deaths a year, more than one a day per state, day in and day out, year after year. (Of course the more populated states have considerably more than one per day)

But Americans will not tolerate routine terrorism. It will just make us mad and we will kick some butt. We have the technology to dry up the funding and de-motivate the nations supporting this. One by one. All it will take is motivation on our part. If the dems think they got rolled on Iraq, wait until the average American is afraid to go outside.

[js1138]

Are aftermarket non-orange magazines available for AK-74s?

I think so; I've seen lots of pictures on these threads. My point about the orange clip is it's the only way I can imagine anyone positively identifying a weapon at fifty feet, under these circumstances.

Although the witness could be a hobbiest who has been researching possible weapons -- a few of those here...

[Quilla]

Three years ago when my son was 12, he received a paintball set for his birthday. Our family of four dressed in camoflauge, went outside our rural home, and split up. The object was to hide, evade, seek out, and shoot each other. Last man standing without paint on their clothes won. BTW, we wore face protectors and were instructed not to shoot each other in the face.

I made the mistake of climbing and hiding in a huge tree. When I was discovered - I was a sitting duck. My derriere was every color in the florescent rainbow. Those paint pellets hurt like heck. The shots sites later turned to bruises.

Still, in matters of self defense, it would be about like taking a knife to a gunfight.

[Yaelle]

They wanted to be seen, that much is obvious. But the "why" escapes me.

Was it to show the world that they are of ME descent? What was the point of that? Why not skip that site if there were too many witnesses (and undoubtably a parking lot camera)? That's why I figured these were suicidal guys, wanting to go out in a hail of bullets (or an exploding van?).

However, the lack of attacks in the past few days make me think they are either "done" with their terror or trying to evade being caught. Perhaps they are actually under surveillance right now and can't get out. Perhaps they only had the one van and can't use it.

What doesn't match is the brazenness of the previous kills and the holding back now. However, it makes me lean toward thinking these men are Al Quaeda or other controlled terrorists and not a lone crazy who probably "couldn't" stop his urge to go out and kill again.

[madison10]

The point of showing themselves is so the American citizenry will be appropriately impressed and afraid...afraid to go out, afraid to fight back, afraid to go to war because the war might come HERE.