Two arrested in sniper shootings

[MPLABBE]

Two arrested in sniper shootings
Report: Rifle, scope, tripod recovered from vehicle
Thursday, October 24, 2002 Posted: 11:51 AM EDT (1551 GMT)

MIDDLETOWN, Maryland (CNN) -- Members of the sniper task force converged on a freeway rest stop before dawn Thursday and arrested an ex-soldier and his stepson. Sources told CNN the two were considered suspects in the shootings that have killed 10 and wounded three in the Washington area.

Sources identified the two as John Allen Muhammad, 42, also known as John Allen Williams, a Gulf War veteran named in a federal arrest warrant for firearms violations who was being sought as a material witness in the sniper case, and his 17-year-old stepson John Lee Malvo, a Jamaican citizen.

Washington radio station WTOP reported that a rifle, a scope and a tripod had been recovered from their vehicle.

Sniper investigators were looking into a possible connection to a fatal shooting at a liquor store in Montgomery, Alabama. Montgomery Police Chief John Wilson said Thursday that there were "some very good similarities" between Malvo and a composite sketch of the attacker in the September 21 shooting.

Authorities said Thursday they had made a match between a fingerprint lifted from the scene and Malvo. But Wilson said the weapon used in the Montgomery shooting is not the same one -- a .223-caliber rifle -- used in the shootings in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. (Full story)

The Baltimore Sun reported that authorities were tipped to the Alabama connection by a recent phone call believed to be from the sniper, who said that investigators should "take him seriously" and "check with the people in Montgomery," or words to that effect.

Muhammad and Malvo are being questioned in Montgomery County, Maryland, where the string of deadly shootings began three weeks ago, and where the most recent victim linked to the sniper was killed Tuesday. (Trail of the sniper)

Muhammad and Malvo were sleeping in a blue 1990 Chevrolet Caprice, which a motorist and attendant recognized as matching the description of a vehicle authorities were looking for -- a blue or burgundy 1990 Chevrolet Caprice with New Jersey license plate NDA 21Z.

"We didn't actually see any police officers for a while, until they actually stormed the parking lot where the vehicle was," said rest stop attendant Larry Blank. "There were helicopters, police cars everywhere."

The rest area is along a seven-mile stretch of Interstate 70 near Myersville, Maryland, that had been shut down in a dragnet launched just a few hours earlier by Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose, the head of the sniper task force.

"This is such a shock," Sheila Tezando, Muhammad's sister-in-law, told CNN. She said there was nothing in their demeanor that would lead her to believe that they were capable of any violent act.

President Bush was told Thursday morning that law enforcement officials are confident the arrests of Muhammad and Malvo represent a significant breakthrough, a senior administration official said. "It is an ongoing situation, but he was told they are optimistic they have cracked this," the official said.

Other developments
•A source said the U.S. Marshals Service was able to connect Muhammad with the car and license plate through information filed by officers from an October 8 traffic stop in Baltimore, Maryland. Muhammad was sleeping in his car at the time. The officers were concerned that his driver's license was from Washington state and the vehicle tag was from New Jersey.

•Authorities searched a duplex in Tacoma, Washington on Wednesday and left with a tree trunk apparently used for target practice. Sources said Muhammad once served at Fort Lewis, not far from the duplex. (Full story)



•Military officials told CNN Muhammad was not trained as a sniper and was not in the Special Forces, but had expertise in combat support missions.

•North of Tacoma near the Canadian border, the mayor of Bellingham, Washington said the FBI and local police had searched Bellingham High School, where Malvo reportedly attended school last year.

•The FBI is denying earlier reports that it conducted searches related to the sniper investigation in Marion, Alabama. Local police had said the search centered on a site called "Ground Zero USA" which specializes in special weapons and tactical training. "We have not searched Ground Zero," said Tim Munson, the special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Mobile, Alabama. "We have no interest."

[MPLABBE]

(continued)

•At a midnight news conference Wednesday, Moose delivered another message to the sniper, urging him to contact police.

"You have indicated that you want us to do and say certain things. You asked us to say, 'We have caught the sniper like a duck in a noose.' We understand that hearing us say this is important to you," Moose said. (Full message)

•After the October 3 shooting of Pascal Charlot, 72, in Washington, D.C., law enforcement officials searched for a burgundy Chevrolet Caprice. One such car was later found burned out in the D.C. area, but it was never determined whether it had anything to do with the fatal shooting.

CNN Correspondents Jeanne Meserve, Kelli Arena, Gary Tuchman and Barbara Starr, and Producer Kevin Bohn contributed to this report.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Here's the weapon they reportedly used, Marc.

www.gunblast.com/Bushmaster_Varminter.htm

This is the military version complete with bi-pod and optics.

The lastest I just heard only minutes ago was that the car had two holes drilled one on top of the other into the trunk. The bottom hole was for the barrel, while the top hole for the optics. The rifleman would lye in the prone position and fire from inside the car. The now-empty cartridges would then fall inside the trunk.

I didn't hear this part on TV, but think about it. After completing what they wanted to do the car wouldn't have to move away very quickly. All they need do is merge in with traffic.

The man, John Allen Muhammad, was a soldier in the Gulf War, but went into the National Guard in '94 (I think).

I had a feeling this guy was a professional as I posted over on the Off Topics board at Duane's. All of his shots were fired from approximately 200 m and almost all were located "in the center of mass." The 200 m reference comes from work. That is the acknowledged distance at which most firefights start. The center of mass is what every soldier is taught right from basic training and remains the target for qualification every year.

Only one shot was a head shot. That was from about 40 meters, at a moving target (lady) as she was loading her trunk. This is the incident that told me the sniper had training.

However, after hearing all of this it wasn't hard to figure out Muhammad had some sort of formal training. I also wondered what need he was serving by doing these horrible acts. I guess he was spurred on by anti-American sentiments.

I hope they do lay charges if this is indeed the man. Cheers.

[MPLABBE]

Disgruntled70sHab said:

I had a feeling this guy was a professional as I posted over on the Off Topics board at Duane's. All of his shots were fired from approximately 200 m and almost all were located "in the center of mass." The 200 m reference comes from work. That is the acknowledged distance at which most firefights start. The center of mass is what every soldier is taught right from basic training and remains the target for qualification every year.

Only one shot was a head shot. That was from about 40 meters, at a moving target (lady) as she was loading her trunk. This is the incident that told me the sniper had training.

I agree. It had to be someone who had trained with guns before. His precision was too good for an amateur.

Hopefully he was the only one and there isn't another one out there..

[GARB08]

They said he won the most prestigous award for sniping in the army. He hit 36 of 40 targets from 50 to 300 meters. Also with no scope. He was also dissmissed from the army in 1994 and he had been stationed at the army base in washington where american army soldiers snipers are trained.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

That's a pretty good average, Garbo. After the initial reports started being released it gradually indicated a sniper with particular training. And it seemed he knew how to "go to ground" and cover his tracks. As I was saying he also hit his targets from long distances, usually using the center of mass as his benchmark.

Then I started speculating. Did he have a spotter? Canadian snipers often use spotters to confirm their targets or provide direction as to where the rounds actually "splash."

However, snipers at the annual Canadian Forces Small Arms Competition (CFSAC) routinely hit bulleyes from 1000 meters, at targets that are no more 12" X 12".

The longest confirmed hit in combat also belongs to a Canadian sniper. It was in Afghanistan earlier this year and he hit the driver of a vehicle at over 2.4 kilometers away.

Anyway, I was over on the other board and there were reports of shots being fired in his neighbourhood. I think I remember reading elsewhere that neighbours would only hear two or three shots. By the time police had arrived nobody could recall from which direction the shots were heard.

From what I understand, they also found a tree on Muhammad's property that was used as a target. They are matching the bulistics with the weapon they seized earlier.

You have to wonder, what need was this guy feeding that made him do this? They said he was driven by anti-American sentiments, but right now that seems to be superfical. There must be another reason that made him feel that way. Religion perhaps? It wouldn't be the first time. Cheers.

[GARB08]

I think he thought it was a game. A real life video game.

[Cranky]

Disgruntled70sHab said:

That's a pretty good average, Garbo. After the initial reports started being released it gradually indicated a sniper with particular training. And it seemed he knew how to "go to ground" and cover his tracks. As I was saying he also hit his targets from long distances, usually using the center of mass as his benchmark.

Then I started speculating. Did he have a spotter? Canadian snipers often use spotters to confirm their targets or provide direction as to where the rounds actually "splash."

However, snipers at the annual Canadian Forces Small Arms Competition (CFSAC) routinely hit bulleyes from 1000 meters, at targets that are no more 12" X 12".

The longest confirmed hit in combat also belongs to a Canadian sniper. It was in Afghanistan earlier this year and he hit the driver of a vehicle at over 2.4 kilometers away.

Anyway, I was over on the other board and there were reports of shots being fired in his neighbourhood. I think I remember reading elsewhere that neighbours would only hear two or three shots. By the time police had arrived nobody could recall from which direction the shots were heard.

From what I understand, they also found a tree on Muhammad's property that was used as a target. They are matching the bulistics with the weapon they seized earlier.

You have to wonder, what need was this guy feeding that made him do this? They said he was driven by anti-American sentiments, but right now that seems to be superfical. There must be another reason that made him feel that way. Religion perhaps? It wouldn't be the first time. Cheers.

He (they) are bunch of m****f***g cowards who use modern weapons against civilians. If I could have it my way I would cut off their arms and legs and have them sit on a chair staring at a wall for the rest of their freaken' life. I want their minds to be active while starring at a wall for 60 years. 60 years or until they die.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

We they acting on orders? Or, were they independent madmen? There's still lots of questions to be answered.

Cheers.