Beltway Sniper Shootings-FR Commentary-Friday-Oct. 18, 2002

Fox News, CNN, Press Conferences | October 18, 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.

[ThinkingMan]

I seem to recall a series of maps showing the proximity of the shootings to mosques. Does anyone know where this was or have a link to it?

Thanks,
ThinkingMan

[Gritty]

I think the NRA should sue Sandy Huffmaker for his outrageous NRA "cartoon", which employs not only the DC murders but Hannibal Lechter, all in one nice, neat package. This is slander, pure and simple. It is not only slander against the NRA, but its millions of members.

I'll bet if he put "Muslims" or "Liberals" (more likely candidates) instead of "NRA" as the mouthpiece in this disgusting hit, he by now would have been crucified on every news channel in the country and have lines of lawyers, bloviating politicians and Muslim groups after not only his wallet but his head.

This is a case where I think the NRA is completely justified in sueing this sick man into extinction.

[twigs]

I agree with your reasoning. There are several more victims I have wondered about too, although I haven't gotten the evidence and thoughts together to make a presentable case. I think Mrs. Franklin is the strongest possibility of a targeted murder for all the reasons you cite.

[hispanarepublicana]

ping. Thought you might like to get in on today's sniper commentary thread . . .

[KSCITYBOY]

You know with everyone having cell phones these days if Homeland Defense had and attack in a certain area the cell stations in that area could broadcast a warning to the users of all cell phone or put out a be on the lookout for..... In the case of these shootings a witness alert could go out the second the 911 call is made a people in that cell coverage area would be notified of what happened and where. They could even have motorists block specific escape routes.

[md2576]

Thanks I thought I was. Did you read post 566 of Thurs.

[Route66]

Thanks so much for actually going to look at the scene and giving such a detailed and thoughtful analysis. I don't live in the area, but I have been saying since Monday that that area in the dark near the school was the place he det up and waited for a victim.

The witness accounts of seeing the shooter up close in the Home Depot lot never made any sense, but everyone was looking in the direction of the victim and if they saw anyone running back to their vehicle (which would be pretty normal if a gunshot was heard), they made the mental leap of assuming it must have been the shooter.

Also remember it was reported the night of the shooting that the bloodhounds took off from the Home Depot parking lot to that dark area directly across the street near the school. From there they said the dogs ran down the ramp and more than 4 miles down the highway toward the beltway before they lost the scent. This supports your observation of the likely escape route.

[hispanarepublicana]

Major pucker factor...be careful. Are you SURE another guy was eventually arrested, and did this LEO spend a lot of time at your house? (Tin foil hat time).

[aristeides]

Are you confident enough of law enforcement's telling the truth about the witness lying that you're willing to have the witness's name made public? I'm not.

Even if he really was lying, I think it would set a very precedent in terms of discouraging future witnesses from coming forward.

[md2576]

Yes, I think I have even received mail from the courthouse to here in that same same. (Female). If not, then I would definately be worried and I would stop posting.

[aristeides]

Is it possible or not to go that route from the Home Depot to the Beltway on foot?

[aristeides]

In that case (of the sniper telling the police that the witness was lying,) the police should believe the (perhaps merely alleged) sniper and not the witness, exactly why?

[browardchad]

From today's Washington Post:

A man who claimed to have seen the sniper shoot his most recent victim made up the story, providing false descriptions of a gunman, a weapon and a vehicle, police said yesterday as they discounted what had seemed to be some of their most promising leads in the case.

Detectives discovered that the witness's account was wrong when they checked it against versions given by others, said Lt. Amy Lubas of the Fairfax police.

Fairfax Commonwealth's Attorney Robert F. Horan Jr. said detectives are working to determine why the man gave incorrect information but said it is "way, way down the list of priorities" as the search for the sniper continues.

"If I decide I can prove this guy deliberately lied to mislead the police, I'll charge him," Horan said. "If I decide he was mistaken or got a little carried away, that's a different story. I'm not conceding he lied. A lie connotes a deliberate attempt to mislead police. He's definitely wrong in his perceptions. We'll look at it and sort it out."

It's definitely not Young, who never claimed to see the actual shooting. Two points of interest in this story:

There are other witnesses who have not been discredited, although they obviously did not see the actual shooter.

Secondly, the Commonwealth Attorney's comments are very careful, which may indicate that the "mistaken" witness, whose identity is apparently being carefully protected, may be a member of a particular ethnically identifiable group who might have a vested interest in by reporting his mistaken "perceptions" to investigators.

[ARCADIA]

both an Astrovan and white box truck were captured on videotape at the gas station minutes before Friday's shooting at that location.

That's not unusual. It's a highway, pitstop gas station. Lots of vans and white trucks stop there.

She further said that similar videotape was captured at Monday's location, all of which linked the two vehicles.

No, that "is no longer true." Latest reports are that there is no suspect van from Monday's shooting.

Since that night, CNN has not repeated that report, and I think it's because law enforcement has requested they stop releasing that kind of info.

They may have stopped running it because it is no longer credible info.

I think the FBI is going to Camp Gitmo to show pictures and video to the detainees and make them talk.

No, the FBI is going to Gitmo with the following plan: They will interrogate a few prisoners to let them know what is going on. Then they will eavesdrop on prisoner conversations to see how the interrogees and their fellow prisoners react to the information. They will assess this info and then decide whether to pursue this avenue.

I agree that the shooter has decided to lay low for a while.

[hispanarepublicana]

Another question: is there a sewer that runs from the Home Depot Parking lot, UNDER the freeway, and across to the other side of the freeway at the school parking lot? If so, are the openings large enough for a person?

[valleygal]

Goodmorning.

"...string him up in the public square by his toe-nails."

Someone on another thread (not THE thread):) suggested the guy should be tied up for a month to a pump at a gas station at a busy intersection in the DC area.

[ARCADIA]

Chief Moose is praying that they just go away... shoot somewhere else

If I can't catch you, please leave my jurisdiction.

[aristeides]

I see that that prosecutor Horan is not conceding the witness was consciously lying. I was horrified by what the newsies were saying about the witness on WMAL this morning, sort of like a lynching mentality. I think the newsies are embarrassed by their playing up what turn out to have been false reports, and are reacting in anger.

[ARCADIA]

Back to the COVER of BRUSH and WOODS...this PERP is NOT shooting from a vehicle...he is walking to the spot...cases the surrounding area...fires and casually walks (well maybe jogs....ok ok busts hiney) back to his waiting vehicle

This is why I don't think ANY witnesses saw him on Monday.

[angkor]

he bloodhounds took off from the Home Depot parking lot to that dark area directly across the street near the school. From there they said the dogs ran down the ramp and more than 4 miles down the highway

That is amazing.

I saw the live video of the bloodhounds crossing over Rt. 50 to the school parking lot, but lost sight of them after that. I had no idea they actually went 4 miles down Rt. 50 (all the way to the Beltway). Is that true!?!

Amazing.