Replies

Overnight news: Haven't heard anything regarding the box truck being searched after a bullet casing was found.

1 posted on 10/19/2002 4:10:50 AM PDT by Peach

Last night they were saying there would be nothing on it before 9:00 am

2 posted on 10/19/2002 4:15:12 AM PDT by Kerberos

To: Route66; Peach; Bella; Pete; areafiftyone; brigette; harpseal; Merovingian; Miss Marple; ...

3 posted on 10/19/2002 4:15:24 AM PDT by Peach

I had a brief chat with a DC policeman last night (he was guarding my synagogue's Friday evening service). The Monday night shooting was positively the same weapon as some of the other shootings. The guy who deliberately invented the story about seeing the sniper get into a cream colored Astro is now in jail; they are wondering if he has a grudge against someone with a cream colored Astro (or if he's buddies with the real sniper).

The Monday night shooting was definitely out of whatever pattern was being theorized; it took place fairly late (altho one other shooting was equally late), on a holiday (Columbus Day), when there was no rush hour traffic, and presumably he wouldn't be working, etc. Now they suspect that the sniper is not living in a cave but actually sees TV, hears the radio, maybe even surfs the internet, and got wind of the various theories and patterns ... and deliberately took a chance to do a killing outside the pattern that would seem to blow away some of the theories. (Maybe it doesn't, maybe he had to make special efforts to do it on Monday night).

What is pretty clear is that this sniper is deliberately using the same weapon. You'd figure someone this savvy with guns - and especially since the newspapers are full of talk about the ballistics tests - would have a collection or at least access to other guns, and would realize that ever being found with the hot gun would be an open and shut case. So he is deliberately doing something very risky by keeping the same weapon ... maybe to enable the ballistics tests to prove it is the same sniper over and over, no copycats.

I am still wondering if the business about the white truck is not a mistake. There are thousands of them in use (they come off the assembly line of every manufacturer blank white so the purchaser can paint and letter them for his business easily), and driving around - especially around shopping malls where the sniper usually strikes - you can see another one every minute. So maybe it's pure coincidence that a white truck is seen at so many of the shootings.

Considering the sniper picks places with active parking lots, maybe he has parked (a very ordinary car -- not a white truck) in the lot, takes his weapon and finds his spot, then immediately dumps his weapon back in his parked car and gets lost in the confusion of all the other people in the parking lot who mill around the scene and then leave in a panic. The cops aren't stopping or examining ordinary cars, they're focusing on white delivery trucks.

6 posted on 10/19/2002 4:33:24 AM PDT by DonQ

Now they are saying press conference at noon.

7 posted on 10/19/2002 4:33:30 AM PDT by Kerberos

I drove by the last attack scene on my way home from work yesterday and took a close gander at the area Antivenom hypothesizes as the shooting location. He was right on the money. The shot was taken from the parking lot on the opposite side of Route 50. The back of the lot opposite HD has a good treeline which affords cover and concealment. It would be hard to spot muzzle flash from RT 50 as you would have to turn your head 90 degrees to see it. As you are heading westbound on 50 (side closest to the shooter), there are buildings that would mask the shot from oncoming traffic until you were right on top of it. More so if you were from the shooting location to the far right of his diagram. The other advantage is that there is an entrance ramp on that right-hand side that puts you right onto 50. Otherwise you end up heading up an access road, hitting a stoplight, then getting on 50 at a nasty merge area. The elevation delta, I would estimate at being closer to 15 ft.

Ultimate CONCLUSION: This guy has to be scouting his locations beforehand. The location is well thought out - and egress plays a HUGE part of it. I've driven by that area 100 times - and NEVER even noticed the parking lot.

Interesting note re the box truck - there is a "TOTAL Car and Truck Rental" that claims "We are convenient to Baltimore/Washington Airport, Dulles International Airport, and the Washington National Airport, Pennsylvania and Delaware."

SEE:

http://www.totalcarent.qpg.com/

8 posted on 10/19/2002 4:40:19 AM PDT by CPL BAUM

BBC - Police investigating the sniper attacks around Washington DC are examining a bullet casing found in a white van near the scene of some of the shootings.

The vehicle - matching the profile of a van sought in the hunt for the gunman - was discovered near Washington's Dulles Airport and has been taken away for examination.
[snip]

11 posted on 10/19/2002 4:47:10 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) - Police were examining a shell casing found in a white truck - the same type of vehicle police have profiled in the sniper case - as Virginia authorities charged a man with misleading investigators in the probe.

Montgomery County Police Capt. Nancy Demme said the shell was found in a white box truck Friday evening by workers at a car rental agency near Dulles International Airport in Virginia. Officials said it was unclear if the truck has anything to do with the shooter who has killed nine people and wounded two others in Washington, Maryland and Virginia since Oct. 2.

A white box truck is a type of vehicle the police have profiled in the case.
[snip]

12 posted on 10/19/2002 4:49:04 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

g'morning, hostess

just pretend you didn't see us hogging up your thread w/dog pictures last night, k ?

17 posted on 10/19/2002 4:58:01 AM PDT by tomkat

Is it just possible that the sniper has made his/her point with 11 hits and nine dead? Is that number correct?

23 posted on 10/19/2002 5:53:16 AM PDT by yoe

He's gone.

This was a military attack, and as soon as we launched the military, they di di'd.

More points for "them".

83 posted on 10/19/2002 8:02:14 AM PDT by RISU

There will be a news conference at 12:00 noon today.

85 posted on 10/19/2002 8:03:18 AM PDT by areafiftyone

Today my wife and I did a drive around to most of her "normal" shopping areas. The purpose was to do a "safety assessment", specifically sniper assessment.

Yeah, I know, I had the tin foil hat double wrapped.

Anyway, we put a number on the various locations, a high number, 100, being safe as possible and a low number, 0, meaning never go there.

Surprisingly, most areas received pretty good marks but there were a few that she won't be visiting any more...at least not without me dropping her off directly at the door and picking her up the same way.

141 posted on 10/19/2002 9:56:27 AM PDT by evad

To: Peach; Nix 2

Re a possible tie-in tp the NBP: here's a pic of the guy who is charged with giving a false witness account to the police in the home depot shooting:

147 posted on 10/19/2002 10:22:04 AM PDT by Cachelot

In response to the sniper attacks, the Texaco station at Little River Turnpike and Prosperity Avenue in Fairfax has put up a tarp to protect its customers. "I feel safer," one said. (MICHAEL WILLIAMSON -- THE WASHINGTON POST)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49390-2002Oct18.html

153 posted on 10/19/2002 10:27:20 AM PDT by Nexus

Mark Simone on WABC radio (New York City - Rush's flagship station) is saying this has not been reported in most of the media yet, but that THERE IS A SUSPECT, and he is being kept under surveillance -- and likely knows it.

Theory now amongst some in law enforcement is that this is the reason there have been no shootings since Monday.

164 posted on 10/19/2002 10:44:19 AM PDT by shhrubbery!

Peach, when you begin the daily thread, would you mind posting: 1-888-FBI-9800 (1-888-324-9800) -- the FBI tip line number. Thanks!!!

173 posted on 10/19/2002 10:57:53 AM PDT by EverOnward

The Beltway shooter (not sniper) has left the state. It will start up somewhere else now.

174 posted on 10/19/2002 10:58:48 AM PDT by wingnuts'nbolts

Captain Moose sends the sniper a little more personalized message.

191 posted on 10/19/2002 11:18:33 AM PDT by Spiff

584 posted on 10/19/2002 10:54:24 PM PDT by Cindy

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