The "Beltway Sniper" Case
Comments
Should the Investigation Be Taken Over by the FBI ?
Don't pay attention to the babbling commentators who seem to be fixated on this point. First of all, in a critical case like this, it doesn't matter who has the title of "InCharge" -- I'm sure that everything that can be done is being done. If the FBI has an idea on how to proceed, they are free to pursue it. There are more than 500 FBI agents working right now. Do you think there would suddenly be more if the FBI announced it was taking over . . ? And . . . I strongly suspect that the FBI is already in charge. But they don't want to this to be known because the sniper appears to have some sort of desire to communicate with Chief Moose -- who has now become the Task Force's "front man." It is best to leave a "friendly face" as the potential point of contact -- much preferable to some new, cold, bureaucratic FBI Special Agent in Charge.
Is the Shooter Military or Law Enforcement Trained?
He could be but formal marksmanship training is not required. A few boxes of ammo on the shooting range could prepare someone to use a rifle with basic competence. If the shooter is using a telescopic sight, it is quite easy to strike an unsuspecting person 100 yards or so distant.
Is This the Work of Two (or more) People -- Perhaps Terrorists?
I don't think so. I believe this is more likely the work of a single"maniac" type shooter who has is personal "reasons" for what he is doing. He simply has to do what he is doing; he really doesn't have a choice.
This is just my opinion, not a conclusion. The assertions by some commentators that the shootings must be the work of two or more people are not justified. Yes, if you were planning a military sniping operation, you would utilize more than one person. But the evidence so far is consistent with a criminal -- not military -- operation. There could be two or more people but the fact is that all the shootings could be done by one person, acting alone.
Is the Shooter a Highly Skilled Shooter?
Perhaps but it is important to realize that just because he shot some victims in the head, that does not mean he was AIMING for the head -- and the head shots could have been "missed" center-of-mass (chest) shots. The shot into the Michael's Art Store window was, I believe, likely to be a missed shot. He was probably aiming at a person.
Long range shots are more difficult than short range shots. I've heard much chatter about the range for some of his shots but unless we know the actual distance of each shot fired, it is difficult to make a judgment on his level of skill with a firearm.
Is the Shooter a Master Criminal Type or Just Lucky?
The sniper is more than your average dumb criminal or average drooling maniac but . . . it does not require a "master criminal" to find a place to shoot, fire a shot, and drive away. From what I know, his success does require some competence as well as a some darn good luck.
How Is It Possible That the Police Can't Catch The Sniper?
You have to realize that in the real world, most crimes are never solved. Most people have been heavily influenced by their limited view of law enforcement and "crime solving" into believing that all crimes are solvable. On TV and in the movies, all crimes are solved; generally in 30 or 60 minutes. Even the excellent forensic files type shows never feature cases which end with an unsolved crime. If a crime is committed and there are no witnesses, no physical evidence is left at the scene, and there is no connection between the victim and the criminal; it is highly unlikely that the crime would be solved. That is the reality of crime and crime solving.
Isn't There an Absurdly High Number of "Former FBI Profilers" ?
Yes.
Criminalist
Someone engaged in the application of scientific techniques in collecting and analyzing physical evidence in criminal cases and other forensic matters.
Who Does This: A forensic scientist who works at collecting and or analyzing physical evidence. Some are specialists in certain areas such as: fibers or hairs or glass.
Criminologist
Someone engaged in the scientific study of crime as a social phenomenon, of criminals and of penal treatment.
Who Does This: Usually an academic type concerned with statistical aspects of crime. While there are rare exceptions, a criminologist is not trained nor experienced in aspects of forensic science or in techniques of "solving crime" or "catching criminals."
Profiler
Someone who attempts to utilize psychological insights to discern general personality and other characteristics of the type of person who committed a crime.
Who Does This: There are two categories:
1. Professionally trained psychologists or psychiatrists experienced with criminal behavior.
2. Anyone with a guess.
Military Analyst
Someone with experience in military operations, tactics, and/or equipment.
Who Does This: Anyone who has been in any of the military services. Usually a retired Colonel or General who has no training or experience with law enforcement or forensic science operations and techniques who is only able to interpret events in terms of "how the military would have done this."
Firearms Examiner
Someone who examines and identifies firearms, weapons, cartridges, bullets, and similar evidence in criminal investigations; and who conducts scientific tests of firearms evidence.
Who Does This: A physical scientist or other person with considerable experience and knowledge of about ballistics and firearms.
To Those Living in the Affected Area
I recommend that you mentally prepare to become an effective witness to help catch the shooter.
REACT
When you hear a loud sound, don't assume it is just a backfire or firecracker. React immediately and look around -- all around. Keep in mind that it is very difficult to determine the origin of gunshots in an urban environment.
RECORD
Write down what you see. Don't trust your memory alone. If you have a camera or camcorder, use it to record the scene -- all around the scene.
REPORT
Report what you have seen immediately to the police.
Do You Have a Camcorder?
If you have a camcorder, set it on a tripod or window ledge and let it run constantly, watching an intersection out your window or just your street. If nothing happens, you can just keep rewinding the tape, but if you hear that there has been an incident near you, you might just have something valuable on your tape. If you are driving in the area, keep the camcorder or film/digital camera with you at all times. Whenever you see something"interesting," take a picture or two and just hold on to your shots until the next incident.