Police release two in custody [Keystone cops bungle audio from sniper call]

Richmond-Times Dispatch ^

[1bigdictator]

An officer on the scence at Parham and Broad Streets in Henrico County Monday morning. (MARK GORMUS) UPDATED: 10/21/2002, 6:35 p.m.

Story archive | Area map AUDIO: From our radio newsroom | Authorities released to immigration authorities this afternoon two men who were taken into custody in connection with the sniper investigation.

[Cold Heat]

I suppose I will have to finally say something about the police response in the sniper case. You have inferred they are keystone cops. I believe they are doing a good job under highly unusual circumstances.

I have never made a habit of saying anything nice about the police, but they are up against a wall here. This type of guerrilla warfare is near impossible to contain. Perhaps it is impossible.

The likely end to this will be the perps disappearance or a mistake, such as a traffic violation. The chief has found himself thrust into the media spotlight and has been doing fine IMHO. He has done nothing stupid or vain. He has been focused.

[Conservababe]

The sniper has already played Moose for a fool, as he dealt the hand and Moose fell for the bluff. Now Moose is begging him for another hand. LOL As if that nonsense of not hearing the message clearly is true.

[B Knotts]

I think Per Loin and you are exactly right. It's looking more and more like the main motivation this guy (or guys) has is utter contempt for the police. He wants to make them look stupid and helpless.

[agrandis]

LOL! I bet that's one Guatamalan who never comes back to the States! If he doesn't speak English, he might STILL be wondering what happened to him. Maybe he'll tell his associates back home that the US is getting awful serious about illegal immigration, and not to even try it!

[agrandis]

I hear what you're saying about deporting these fellas, but all I can say is maybe it's a sign that the cops know a lot more about the suspect(s) than we think they know.

[1bigdictator]

Moose<"The person you called could not hear everything that you said. The audio was unclear and we want to get it right. Call us back so we can clearly understand."

My posts, from the beginning, show my preference for Federal lead in this case. The Feds have more resources and more sophisticated resources at their disposal. These police had plenty of notice about this phone call... you can't tell me w/ proper planning and appropriate hardware and technology this "unclear" audio problem wouldn't be one.

I am not Per Se critical of the local police but they are not our (Americas) best line of defense in this case. This sniper is a national problem and the most sophisticated minds and tools should be made available to handle it.

[1bigdictator]

We disagree... He (Moose, local police, et al...) may be giving their best efforts... and I applaud that... but why are we using the J.V. team rather than the varsity if we feel winning the game is so important?

[agrandis]

It APPEARS, to me, that the sniper called the cops from that payphone earlier in the morning. When they staked it out, either the Gugamagan (what my Black associates in rural South Florida call Guatamalans, and anyone from south of the border) was very unlucky or was set up somehow by the killer(s). They MAY get some key clues from this whole incident (ink samples?), but I think you're right - they can't count on the sniper calling again.

[leilani]

"the sniper played the two illegals and Chief Moose like a cat plays with a mouse, or as one our Freeper Wits noted, like a cat plays with a Moose!" Exactly what would you have had him (& 12 other law-enforcement agencies) do? I just love reading all of you superman arm-chair detectives who can do everything better than anybody else out in the field.If you know who's killing folks out there, then tell us. Otherwise, you're beginning to look really STOOPID, ya know that?

[El Gato]

How come the LE thought the snipper was dumb enough to call back on that payphone?

They had gotten "Tip line" calls from pay phones in the area, and the nubmer they were given (in the message) to be called on was also in that area. But I agree, no way was the sniper, or the leaver of the note and/or the tipline caller would use a phone in that area. Much policework depends on the bad guy being dumb, as most of them are, but this guy or these guys are apparently not.

[lelio]

My posts, from the beginning, show my preference for Federal lead in this case.
How do you know that the feds aren't calling the shots and just leaving Moose up there to be the PR agent? That's what I'm leaning towards as this has grown out of control.

[Gotterdammerung]

Media to Chief Moose: "Chief, is there something you would like to tell the sniper"?

Chief Moose: "Yes, we're coming after you". "You're dead meat".

[Reagan Man]

>>>I am not Per Se critical of the local police...

No, of course not. You only said, "Keystone cops bungle audio from sniper call"

You've shown utter contempt for the police in this specific case. And I'd wager, you feel this way towards police in general.

The facts are simple. If the FBI thought the local police weren't handling this correctly, they would have taken over long ago.

[MeekOneGOP]

Well, just for grins.....

[1bigdictator]

Feds weren't even brought in the first week and a half. Moose, by his own admission, says he and his people have been handling the contact w/ the sniper. If this is subterfuge so be it... my comments go to what has been disclosed by the press and in this article... I am taking Moose's words at face value and not assuming any cloak and dagger interplay between the feds and locals.

[hunter112]

It's looking more and more like the main motivation this guy (or guys) has is utter contempt for the police.

You bet, this guy is playing the cops like a fish, I figure as long as the game is being played this way (cops trying to be "TV detective show" heroes, media giving the shooter 23 hours per days of speculation to make him feel important, shooter changes M. O. with every new victim) its going to go on. He's proven himself way too smart for what he's been dealing with.

Get some of those California cops on the case! Remember when those two girls were kidnapped and raped, not only did the cops find the guy, they gave him proper justice, too!

[B Knotts]

Well, if this theory is correct, it explains why he picked D.C. He knew that the media would give it even more play than if it were elsewhere. He's obviously feeding off the mindless speculation on the news channels, and is using it to frustrate the police, and to keep them from developing any consistent theory on his M.O.

[Lancey Howard]

Given the rampant political correctness, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that they had a deaf officer take the call.

Yes, I suspect that the Maryland State Police probably has quite an "affirmative action" program. Maryland is a pretty sick place. I understand that the Massachusetts State Police is basically illiterate, mostly incoherent, and pathetic in general - - all but destroyed by affirmative action. And they are arrogant on top of it all, LOL.

[ladyinred]

I hesitate to say anything at all on this thread, but it seems to me everyone is speculating about this and that and saying that Moose is out of his element etc.
I have the impression that there is soooo much more here than meets the eye. I believe the feds are already there, they are most likely in charge of this, Moose is sent out to show that the police are doing it all.
The cryptic messages today from Moose may be codes that only the sniper would understand according to an FBI profiler on Fox. He said they do this often.
The guys in the white pickup could have been used by the sniper to play head games with the police. Blackmail is a word I heard today that came from a "very good source"
Sorry this is rather disjointed, but I think the authorities are involved with something very heavy, and they do know what they are doing, it is just very complicated and dangerous.