Beltway Sniper Shootings-FR Commentary-Saturday, Oct. 19, 2002

Fox News, CNN, Press Conferences | October 19, 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.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Can you confirm your source for this info on PENSKE? There has been no police update yet as per my understanding......local radio over there? Internet?

[antivenom]

Right here on FOX...the cameras went to the building and sign...I suspect the police will have a press conference there...IT was police released info...and stated as "confirmed".

[berkeleybeej]

Fox News - They ran video tape showing a Penske sign. Said it was confirmed as the location.

BTW - are either of the locations in the above post near the airport?

[livius]

Aren't Penske trucks generally yellow rather than white?

[AmericanInTokyo]

I am sure an enterprising freeper either websurfing or with knowledge of the local area will soon be checking in with details on any Penske near Dulles airport....

[AmericanInTokyo]

good point, you are darn right. maybe this is throwing the perps off using the media. i had heard the *Total* place had white box trucks with *Total* on the side. That does match the description better than PENSKE...Hmmmmmm.....

[berkeleybeej]

I think they started buying white trucks after the OKC bombing.

[browardchad]

For the benefit of those not familiar with the area I am talking about, it may only be a coincidence, but Seven Corners is surrounded by one of the larger Middle Eastern communities in Northern Virginia.

A bizarre tidbit from todays' Washington Post:

"A 30-year-old Woodbridge man, Atiqullah Qazei, was charged by Arlington police on Oct. 3 with filing a false police report after he claimed that he was the sniper."

Both names are found in Afghanistan, and the timing of the sniper killings coincides with the beginning of the war in Afghanistan. This guy may simply be in to wishful thinking, but he may also have other motives for attempting to muddy the waters. Either way, I hope he's a candidate for deportation.

[livius]

I just went to their website...most of the trucks seem to be a distinctive yellow, but there was one large white vehicle pictured.

[angcat]

You mean to tell me that this van got to the airport unseen nobody saw this van on the road?????? I like the theory of a caller on fox and friends, she said the white box truck was slipped into a tractor trailer and hidden that way. Anyway I would say the sniper is gone and has gotten away from the keystone cops. I pray the sniper is finished (bin lauden) now they know we cannot defend ourselves inside our country because our country is a shit hole that harbors the garbage because we will not close our borders and root out the Islam scum.

Have a fine day all it is a rainy Saturday but it is beautiful in my yard with the foliage.

[yoe]

pssssssst, what happened?

[AmericanInTokyo]

CENIT LEASING
13860A PARK CENTER RD.
HERNDON VA 20171
(703)796-6351
Could be this one. It is the closest Penske affiliation location near Dulles, I believe.

[mystery-ak]

...that's between tk and me...LOL

[browardchad]

Aren't Penske trucks generally yellow rather than white?

Apparently, they also lease custom trucks, and sell (repainted) used trucks, so it may not be inconceivable that they'd rent a white truck short term, if that's the case.

It's also possible that what Fox is showing is some file film that has nothing to do with anything...

[aristeides]

A caller to Chris Core's WMAL radio talk show made an interesting point last night. He said that the sniper began making his single shots the day after Ari Fleischer made his "single bullet" statement about Saddam Hussein. Chris Core said he had thought of the same thing, so apparently the caller's point about the timing is correct. I've suspected all along that these shootings are a threat from Iraq meant to deter an attack.

If all of that is true, I wonder what the story is with the Sept. 14th shot at the liquor store.

[Sacajaweau]

This News crap is a little frustrating. Why can't the News people just repress their desire to get out a "speculation" report instead of causing additional confusion. The combination of "crap news speculation" and "15 minutes of fame" witnesses, makes the investigators job harder and frustrates the crap out of everyone.

Sac

[aristeides]

"Total" on the truck was being put out on police scanners (and relayed to us by radio station reports) just after the morning shooting in Frederickburg on Friday Oct. 11, if memory serves.

[freeperfromnj]

Michael's sure seems like a "code" thing more and more.

I have been one of those leaning heavily in the direction of Islamic terrorism (75/25). Believe it or not, for the first time since this began it took a caller to Fox News this morning, named Mohammed, to sway my view and sort of put me on the fence. He said that the tarot card and "I am God" was definitely the ultimate blasphemy in Islam and would not even be used in deception. He mentioned Michel's and the archangel theory and the fact that every Michael's had a movie theater in the strip mall showing the movie Red Dragon. He also noted that the feast of St. Michael was two weeks ago. He believes this is some occult good vs. evil type killing. His call was so interesting that Fox News gave him much more time than the usual call in would get. I also listened to one of my favorites, Steve Emerson, who I have a lot of respect for, give some interesting thoughts against the idea that this is Islamic terrorism.

[TomGuy]

Why can't the News people just repress their desire to get out a "speculation" report

Because...journalists have become lazy. They wait for the wire feeds and read them. Also, speculative retorting is easier than hard, investigative reporting.

Most major news stories over the last 40 years were broken by a few rogue reporters. All the other reporters just sat, waiting for the wire feeds.

[areafiftyone]

BTW dragging toe, I's be a SHE...go looky at my profile...I'm the SHE in red...with my bud David.

Don't feel so bad I am constantly considered a male (but then again I don't have a picture of myself posted) I guess our handles don't help. :-) Maybe I should change mine to FLUFFY!!! ;-)