The Hindu : Sniper strikes again?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 21, 2002

International

International

Sniper strikes again?

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

New York Oct. 20. A shooting incident in Ashland, Virginia, seriously injuring a person has led to heightened fears of the "Beltway Sniper'' striking again. The incident that took place on Saturday night was 144 km south of Washington and some 56 km South of Fredricksburg, Virginia, where two attacks had taken place earlier.

Police and investigative authorities are yet to conclusively say if the Saturday night incident is related to the 11 others that have taken place over an 18-day period spanning at least six counties in Maryland and Virginia and Washington D.C.

The shooting and killing spree has terrorised the residents of the areas and has led to a panic of sorts in going about daily lives. Though schools remain open, most of them are under internal lockdown procedures and with visible police surveillance. Local businesses are hurting without a doubt.

What is somewhat complicating investigation this time around is that the bullet is still lodged in the victim; and as such is a crucial piece of ballistics evidence to determine linkage with other shootings.

If the incident is indeed related to the "Beltway Sniper'', it would be the first time the sniper had attacked on a weekend breaking the longest lull between incidents — five days. Also it will be the farthest south the attacker would have travelled.

The first shooting occurred on October 2 and in the three-week period nine persons have been gunned down and three injured, two seriously.

The shooting at Ashland, which is close to Richmond, Virginia, took place outside a restaurant close to an Interstate highway. The victim is said to have been travelling and had stopped in the town for food and refuelling his vehicle.

Meanwhile, authorities in Maryland have reportedly come to the conclusion that a bullet casing found in a seized rental truck does not match that of the sniper's. The cartridge was for a bullet larger than the .223 caliber bullets implicated in all the shootings. The shell casing was found in a car at a rental agency near the Dulles International Airport.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

Stories in this Section

U.S. may scrap accord with N. Korea

Ireland says 'yes' in referendum

U.K. closes down Karachi airbase

Sniper strikes again?

Beijing issues new non-proliferation norms

Bush, Daschle in proxy battle

India, Iran wooing Central Asia

Sri Lankan stalemate continues