Cops Hung Up Phone On Beltway Shooter(!)

Houston Chronicle ^ | 10/23/2002 | Sari Horowitz and Carri Morello

[Dirk McQuickly]

An angry letter found tacked to a tree behind a restaurant where the sniper wounded a man this weekend complained of six failed attempts to reach police, and threatened more killings, of children in particular, if millions of dollars were not deposited in a bank account within two days, law enforcement sources said.

The letter listed half a dozen calls that had been "ignored" by operators answering phones at the command center in Rockville, Md., the Montgomery County police station and the FBI. It even named some of the people who had answered the phones.

[RWG]

Can you hear me now?

[DBtoo]

You are so right. They should release the letter to the public, not typewritten, but a complete copy of the letter which shows handwriting and all. Someone may recognise something that could help break the case. I would like to know too what the too "chilling" part is all about. I hadn't heard about that until I read this thread. I sure am finding out a lot about what has happened today just by reading these posts. I didn't have much time to read or watch the news today.

[tomkat]

Why would a political terrorist ask for money and not a political goal?

uhmmm, maybe to fund the political goal ... ?

[tomkat]

yeeesh, doncha hate it when ya post to the wrong thread ?

[Highest Authority]

None of this can be happening, because "Midnight Basketball" solved all the crimes in America.

[MortMan]

If I clearly can't handle it, I step aside and let someone competent take control.

I really hate to hear Chief Moose speak. Every time he says "wif" (meaning "with") I cringe. It's enough to make a guy regret his nickname since 3rd grade (moose).

But, you are assuming facts not in evidence by saying he's in charge. He is acting as spokesman, for some reason. He is in front of the cameras. He is delivering messages. But there's no way in heck I believe that a Police Chief has the power to control so many LE assets. IMO, he's part of the team, but someone else is in charge.

As evidence, consider the fact that every affected jurisdiction is holding essentially the same press briefings. That may mean that a single agency (or bureau) is running the show, but from behind the scenes.

[not-an-ostrich]

With handwriting sample they can now rule in or out on the French soldier AWOL in America. LE can compare to known handwriting, etc. If it is him, they will then also surely have a photo to release.

[Wrigley]

An angry letter found tacked to a tree

So, what do you think the enviro-wacko's are more upset about. A tack in a living tree, or the nut shooting people?

[Intimidator]

bump for later

[Aquinasfan]

They probably hung up on him because he was using that Ronco Voice Changer. I would have hung up on him too.

[SLB]

I really hate to hear Chief Moose speak. Every time he says "wif" (meaning "with") I cringe. It's enough to make a guy regret his nickname since 3rd grade (moose).

I had an english teacher in highschool with the nickname of "moose." He lived up to it as he was also the football coach. He kept a pinch of Skoal in his lip during class, alowed no backtalk of any type, I tried and got physically slammed against the wall (he was good friend of my dad's and knew he could do it). His real name was Milfred, now which is more appropriate for a football coach? Moose? Milfred?

[M. Peach]

What if the cop who hung up on him knew exactly who he was, and knew that he would call back so they could have the time to get officers in the area to catch him in the call?

What if they knew that his message would be very brief, thus allowing them more opportunities to hone in on his location?

[Sender]

This sniper is NEVER going to be caught.

Somewhere, sometime, somebody will get lucky. If there's enough people out there on streetcorners, in the treelines, someone is gonna be standing 50 yards away from this guy when he shoots and then hopefully others will join in the chase and cut this guy off before he can go in his hidey hole.

[Sender]

I would like to know too what the too "chilling" part is all about.

"Every time the Falcons lose a game..."

[OldFriend]

A female FBI trainee has been singled out for blame......she hung up on the sniper. He actually named names of those who blew him off.

[dmz]

you're right, Hoover would've preferred the bobble-headed male cross-dresser.

[Diamond]

He actually named names of those who blew him off.

Poor choice of words, there.

Cordially,

[Howlin]

Aren't you surprised that this "crime" hasn't been solved already? I sure am. With all the intelligent potential officers right here on this thread, I'm surprised these armchair LEOs at FR haven't solved this crime, aren't you?

It's SO easy to be critical when you're not in the hotseat. I think so people actually just like to criticize everybody about everything.

[Pinetop]

Hey, wasn't there a criminologist trainee in the Simpson murder trial?

As I have said, I think exploiting his low tolerance for frustration and challenging his enunciations of superiority are good tactics for getting this guy off his plan. He's going to start arguing with law enforcement--which is better than killing people. It is also more likely to lead to his being caught. I think they should continue to thwart him with claims of inability to comply with demands for some technical reason. Meanwhile someone other than Moose should be front and center calling him a deranged low life coward who cannot construct a simple sentence.