Beltway Sniper in DC/MD/VA - Terrorist?

[SeoulBrotha]

I'm sure you all have heard about the guy going around the DC/MD/VA area shooting random people in gas stations and other areas of mundane public activity...even a little kid at school. This especially hits close to home because I live near the area. I met the young son of the first man shot at my gf's little brothers birthday party last year. Truely sad...

So what do you think? Is this the act of international terrorism or perhaps just a domestic psycho.
It seems very well possible that this could be the act of Al Qaeda or some other terrorist organization to put fear in the American public...what better way to put fear in to people than to scare them in their every day activities.

[SunWuKong]

Originally posted by SeoulBrotha@Oct 14 2002, 06:22 PM
I'm sure you all have heard about the guy going around the DC/MD/VA area shooting random people in gas stations and other areas of mundane public activity...even a little kid at school. This especially hits close to home because I live near the area. I met the young son of the first man shot at my gf's little brothers birthday party last year. Truely sad...

So what do you think? Is this the act of international terrorism or perhaps just a domestic psycho.
It seems very well possible that this could be the act of Al Qaeda or some other terrorist organization to put fear in the American public...what better way to put fear in to people than to scare them in their every day activities.
the victims have been pretty random so far. wasn't there a muslim person that was shot? personally i think it's just a guy that wants to play god with no real motive.

[karizma]

>> reminds me of this one book i read this guy just sat on top of a hill with a rifle pointing it at people...he got this huge power trip from it...all those innocent bystanders never realizing that in a split second they could be lying on the ground dead >_<...the guy ended up going back to that hill and shooting people...agh creepy

>> anyways...i got the feeling its just some psycho trying to play God as swk mentioned but if it is some AQ trying to instill fear into the american public he certainly succeeded...

[ChinaLama]

I'm pretty sure the only reason we think it's Al Qaeda is cuz of what happened last year. So most likely it's just some psycho out there shooting ppl cuz it gives him a rush.

[wylin]

its probs sum deranged kid w/ a grudge against society and too much Counterstrike on his mind. look at the type of weapon used an Ar-15/ M16 type weapon used at close ranges firing a single 5.56 nato round not sumthing u'd immagine an arab terrroist doing...more like 7.62x39 soviet or 7.62x (forgot dragonov rounds). i mean obviously Jr. has sum issues and realized a skool wasnt the best place play out sum CS in real life.

[mydnyht]

Hmm... terrorism is actually something that never crossed my mind. My friend and I were discussing it, and we were thinking of the possibility of an older serial killer who doesn't exactly fit the mold, due to the piece of evidence suggesting that the sniper was leaving the Tarot card for 'Death' behind, which was also done by some American snipers in the Vietnam war - (Or Aces, Jokers, etc.) so we'd linked that to the possibility that this was an older man that had been in Vietnam. The fact that there have been multiple killings seems to suggest a serial personality, versus a major cataclysmic terror event, but it's something that we can't necissarily rule out.

[bwc]

this guy is supposed to be pretty comptetant at shooting too, judging from the ranges and accuracy.
CS can't teach you how to shoot that well, experience can however

[Andrew]

Originally posted by mydnyht@Oct 15 2002, 12:41 AM
Hmm... terrorism is actually something that never crossed my mind. My friend and I were discussing it, and we were thinking of the possibility of an older serial killer who doesn't exactly fit the mold, due to the piece of evidence suggesting that the sniper was leaving the Tarot card for 'Death' behind, which was also done by some American snipers in the Vietnam war - (Or Aces, Jokers, etc.) so we'd linked that to the possibility that this was an older man that had been in Vietnam.
Yeah, I don't think al-Qaeda ideologues would dabble in Tarot, even to throw law enforcement off the scent. I tend to think it's a highly organized domestic militia group -- it may not even be the same shooter or vehicle each time. (This would be consistent with witness reports that there's at least a driver as well as a shooter, and with the obviously high degree of preparation they're undertaking before each shooting.) If so, then we should all be worried that they're building up to something bigger.

[ilovepartygirls]

sum pshyco, i dun think terroist related well taliban related i mean

[SeoulBrotha]

Well they're doing well in instilling terror in our everyday lives around here...something I'm sure the terrorists if not involved are very happy about as that was one of there intentions also. I still say we can't rule out terrorists...we have no evidence that the tarot card is even from the sniper as well.

Yeah there was some idiot spouting off about counterstrike and video games on the today show...saying that someone who plays the game could very well be the sniper....well shit, so anyone that can aim a stupid weapon in a computer game can be the sniper then. I can't believe idiots like him are allowed on television.

Btw, there was another shooting last night and it was actually someone in the FBI that was the victim. I think they might have gotten more clues this time, even a partial match on a license plate. Hopefully this ends soon...

[angel nympho]

Domestic psycho. If the guy was out to fulfil some plan, he'd probably have been trained in sharpshooting. This guy isn't even that great of a shot. 9 out of 11? That's nothing.

[angel nympho]

Originally posted by bwc@Oct 15 2002, 04:59 AM
this guy is supposed to be pretty comptetant at shooting too, judging from the ranges and accuracy.
CS can't teach you how to shoot that well, experience can however
Nope. Sharpshooters practice at ranges of 400 years routinely. They're trained to NEVER miss. This guy's going at ranges of like, 100 yards, and he's missed twice. He's no sharpshooter, but he's definately good with a gun.

[ren28]

Some witness said he saw a Middle Eastern person in an Astro van. Of course it be that this is another tip that leads no where.

This guy is shooting from really close ranges, IMO. I can normally make quarter sized groups at 100 yards with my sniper rifle without any formal training. My best groups are dime sized (center to center). Without a scope on my AR15, I can group 4"-5" with glasses on. Someone with the proper training (military, etc) should be able to do better and probably never miss at those ranges. Of course it could be an intentional miss to throw people off.