FOX: SWAT TEAM AT PHONE BOOTH /VA (SNIPER?) [Man Arrested, Press Conference Soon]

FoxNews | October 21, 2002 | FoxNews

[RobFromGa]

Fox reports SWAT team has surrounde phone booth in Richmond, VA

[aristeides]

We mustn't assume there is only one shooter.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Sniper hit the Free Republic server?

[Dog Gone]

From Fox:

A man who works with Underwood, speaking to Fox News, identified the van as a 1994 or 1995 Plymouth Grand Voyager, white with gray underbody trim. Through binoculars, he said he could read the license plates as 30-day temporary Virginia tags.

The witness also said he saw a National Rifle Association bumper sticker on the van, and a dealer nameplate from a "Three Amigos Auto Sales."

Internet searches reveal two businesses named "Three Amigos Auto Sales" -- one in El Paso, Texas, and the other in Modesto, Calif.

[LibertyGirl77]

From WTOP.com:

Shooting Reported in Opal
Updated: Monday, Oct. 21, 2002 - 10:44 AM


OPAL, Va. - An officer-involved shooting is under investigation in Fauquier County.
The shooting is not a sniper-involved shooting, the sheriff's department tells WTOP. The shooting occurred at a Sheetz gas station at the intersection of U.S. 17 and U.S. 29 in Opal.

[LibertyGirl77]

From WTOP.com:

Shooting Reported in Opal
Updated: Monday, Oct. 21, 2002 - 10:44 AM


OPAL, Va. - An officer-involved shooting is under investigation in Fauquier County.
The shooting is not a sniper-involved shooting, the sheriff's department tells WTOP. The shooting occurred at a Sheetz gas station at the intersection of U.S. 17 and U.S. 29 in Opal.

[stlnative]

Now that I am able to finally post! (What the deal with FR Today?)

This cannot be the sniper! - Something is not right here, he has been getting away from shooting scenes now for weeks and he is stupid enough to caught this way...? no way!

[Pete]

VA Police press conference to be held around 1:00pm or 1:30pm.

BTW, until the FR server is back up to capacity, I can offer the sniperwatch.com chat or forum.

[truth defector]

What's yours is mine and what's mine is yours. Is this for real! Okay, when are they going to seize the helicopter video?

[Mr_Magoo]

Fox reports SWAT team has surrounded phone booth in Richmond, VA.....

It is not known at this time if the Phone Booth is armed, or how many hostages the Phone Booth has . . . Developing.

[eno_]

Internet searches reveal two businesses named "Three Amigos Auto Sales" -- one in El Paso, Texas, and the other in Modesto, Calif.

Based on this, I'd say this was not a traced phone call, but a tip. Someone saw the van at a phone, and connected it to Moose's announcement. Almost certainly NOT the sniper.

[jackbill]

Flag of Iraq is similar to flag of Mexico. The difference is that the lower bar is black on the Iraqi flag, but green on the flag of Mexico.

The flag of Mexico has vertical stripes, the flag of Iraq has horizontal stripes.

The flag on the rear window of the "van" was that of Mexico - green, white, red, with the eagle/serpent in the middle stripe (white).

[Merovingian]

FLASH from MSNBC: 2 suspects now in custody..NO gun found in white van, search warrant in process for home of van driver..

[wardaddy]

My wife saw a Mex flag decal on the van.....anybody else see this? I haven't scrolled the thread yet. Took me over the past hour just to get on the forum......slooooooooooooow. How are we gonna handle election night?

[Diddle E. Squat]

Wonder how long until some CNN/MSDNC idiot starts talking about the Bush/Cheney & NRA bumper stickers?

Of course the easiest way to slap them down is to note that the car was sold within the last 30 days, and where would you get a Bush/Cheney 2000 bumper sticker this month?

[ml/nj]

Also two people in custody according to CNN right now.

See http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/South/10/21/sniper.shootings/index.html

RICHMOND, Virginia (CNN) -- Police looking for the sniper who has terrorized the Washington, D.C., area for nearly three weeks picked up two men for questioning Monday, federal law enforcement sources said.

The first man was in a white minivan -- described by a witness as a Plymouth Voyager -- that had pulled up to a pay phone at a gas station in Henrico County. The second man was picked up "in the vicinity," the source said.

The suspects were picked up without incident, the source said, based on information that "some people of interest might be in that area."

Both suspects were taken to the Henrico County Jail for questioning.

...

I think this makes it pretty obvious that the Law Enforcement folks don't think this is one guy acting alone.

ML/NJ

[Lion's Cub]

We mustn't assume there is only one shooter.

Oh, I don't. In fact, I think there are a minimum of two, maybe more if more than one cell is involved.

But this van doesn't fit at all. The guy is either a passer-by who happened to use the phone, or he may have been paid to make the phone call to Moose. Either way, he's not a major player.

The leader of this cell has been meticulous. He wouldn't risk sacrificing anyone important to his operation. He knew the police were waiting. He either wanted to check out how the police would respond, or he wanted to create a diversion.

[LowOiL]

Talk radio locally here in Alabama is saying the bumper stickers (2) were BUSH and MARINE.

ouch...decoy maybe or ???
System is too slow to post/comment/read today, help...

[tubebender]

Due to the slowdown on FR this may hve been posted.I saw a close up of the rear bumper of the van on MSNBC and it showed a...Bush-Cheney bumper sticker. Heard a witness say it he saw a NRA sticker. Let's hope those belonged to the previous van owner.