Sniper in Custody?

“Just heard on NPR that police stopped a van that fit the profile, and have a man in custody. Hopefully it's over?”

“I don't have a working tv here... so will you keep posting to let me know what's going on??? Thanks bunches!”

“It just seems unlikely to me that the guy was still driving around the area in a white van and stopped at a phone booth, after all the stuff about a message and a request by police for him to phone them.”

“too weird for this to be happening 10 miles from me.”

“CNN now says that there are 2 people in custody!”

“MSNBC is reporting that despite the arrest, the sniper is still at large and Chief Moose is preparing a response to another message they received. Strange goings on!

Could it be that the sniper wanted to give himself up and chose that phone booth as the location (last night's cryptic communication)?”

“That's what they are saying on CNN too.

All shall be revealed in good time!”

“CNN now reports that both men wanted for questioning. Described as "people of interest."”

“Latest from NBC News:

Man taken into custody made phone call to police from the pay phone at gas station in Richmond where he was arrested.

For those familiar with Richmond, station is on Broad St.”

“broad and parham. there are reports on the radio of a few other things going on in this area. hard to tell if any is related to the others or not. house surronded in chesterfield county. time will tell.”

“It all sounds related. Apparently the sparse news is because they are still scarfing people up. ABC reported that a news conference is expected soon.”

“Henrico County police took a man into custody around 8:30 this morning after converging on a white minivan parked at an Exxon gas station at Parham Road and West Broad Street.

Officials would not disclose what they were doing, but witnesses reported "an enormous" police presence starting around 8:15.

"I saw the police put on their bullet-proof vests and take out what looked like assault rifles," said Don Neilson, a service department employee at Royal Isuzu, which is located next to the Exxon station. "They focused on a white van that was parked next to a pay phone," he said.

"It was surreal. They hunched down in front of the dealership. They went up the hill right in front of us, and they were on that van in about three seconds with rifles pointed at it."

Police appeared to struggle with the door as if it was locked, Neilson said.

"They tried a second time, and it opened with the officers pointing their guns at somebody in the car. They pulled a man out, kept their rifles on him, put him to the ground and handcuffed him," Neilson said.

The minivan, which had temporary Virginia tags, was taken on a truck to the Henrico County Fire Training Center off of Woodman Road.”

“Any new developments yet? I'm reading all this stuff here.... and thanks for keeping this thread going. I sincerely appreciate it.”

“As of the noon news on broadcast TV, nothing new. Press briefing expected sometime early this afternoon. They may be waiting until they get all the people they are seeking under wraps to announce anything.”

“Are we to believe the "Media"?

I'm just kidding!”

“No Tom, go pump some gas and conduct your own investigation. (j/k)”

“K! Thanks a lot Geobeet. I'll check back in later... got lots to do today....

Hopefully they caught that guy!”

“From the AP:

PARIS, Oct. 21 — France has alerted Interpol about a French army deserter who is known as a marksman and is missing in North America, fueling speculation of a link to the Washington-area sniper. The 25-year-old second lieutenant, who was not identified, did not return to class in September at the elite military school, Saint-Cyr Coetquidan in Brittany, in western France, after going on vacation in August, officials said.”

“Press briefing due from Richmond at 1 p.m.”

“Those dang Frenchies!!!


I'll bet he's not a member of the NRA.”

“Henrico/Hanover County News conference about five minutes away.”

“No new news in the press conference. They just announced that two were in custody and being questioned. Declined further comment, which is understandable.”

“If the sniper is still at large, I'd expect him to strike again this afternoon or tonight to announce that he is not in custody. He has been reacting to news coverage and conjecture.”

“CNN Website apparently has crashed.”

“I was worrying about the same thing, Geobeet. Except that one of the experts claims that each shooting site is well studied first before the sniper shoots. He thinks that the sniper drives away on side roads not interstates and plans his getaway very carefully.”

“Yeah, and he may have gotten a hotel room in the Richmond area for this last one. Apparently they did not seal Rte 1 south of Ashland.

He could have scoped out two sites already. He was knocking them down at the rate of one a day up in Maryland, so he is capable of doing it.

We'll see how the questioning goes.

Back to another work break!”

“NBC reports:

One source close to the case told NBC’s David Bloom that the sniper was not in custody. The source did not elaborate, leaving open the possibility that the men in custody were somehow connected to the case.”

“Now they are reporting that the man in the van is Mexican. Can it get any more bizarre?”

“Authorities have found no evidence connecting two men who were taken into custody today near Richmond, Virginia, to the sniper attacks, sources told CNN. Details soon.”

“cnn.com is reporting that the note that was found in the woods by the Ponderosa "hinted at a demand for money". If the guys picked up were not the sniper, I'm wondering if they didn't pull a copycat in an attempt to get some money. The note was found after someone called police Saturday night to tell them to look for it. The whole phone number deal was probably related to an extortion scheme. My wild guess at this point is that they were not related to the earlier shootings.”

“It's also being reported that ballistics have linked the Ashland shooting to the alleged sniper.”

“This means, of course, that the sniper is still out there and planning his next shoot.”

“WHO GIVES A FU@K?”

“Wonderful. This has just GOT to stop. SOME one has had to have seen something!!! C'mon! A person like this is BOUND to stand out in a crowd... he's got to eat somewhere! Do his banking from somplace! This guy didn't just fall from the sky without soasmuch as a fingerprint!

Jeeze...... I'm so tired of this! Tell me they're closer to finding this guy!!”

“Meanwhile, a scheduled press conference from the sniper task force headquarters in Rockville, Md., was delayed until 4:15 p.m. today.

In announcing the delay, Lucille Baur, spokeswoman for the Montgomery County Police, said, "We're at a very sensitive stage in the investigation."”

“Look.... TROLL..... I do. I have friends that live out that way, and I don't have the access to a tv. I appreciate Geobeet's willingness to post what he finds and hears here, not to mention everyone elses APPROPRIATE comments and additions to the situation.

Go TROLL somewhere else!

Go to the BEER thread or something!”

“Some guy is out there having fun with his gun. So what? Maybe he's a nut. Who cares? Don't take up my time with this new$$$$$ media driven crap.”

“• Sources: Two men in custody had no direct link to sniper case
• Men are undocumented workers -- one Mexican and one Guatamalan
• Police: Ballistics evidence links Saturday shooting to sniper attacks
• Victim of Saturday's shooting in critical but guarded condition

Lot of fol-de-ra for two undocumented workers!”

“Whatever TROLL.

Geobeet... What is your take of this guy... Knowing that you've been watching the story on TV, and hearing what's being said, I'd like to hear your view point. Do you ever watch AROUND the camera's view and see the background people? I wonder what are they doing, and why, alot..... sometimes it's those background people that give you more information about everything, than the news does. Have you seen anything that would indicate a lead or something of the like?

Thanks again for keeping this post going..... ;-) You're a true gentleman..... (I'll never let that secret out, either....)”

“Violin..... you're too much! roflmao!!!!”

“Chief Moose told sniper that the audio in his earlier call was not clear; asked him to call back. Declined all questions on the subject.

They said Ashland shooting was linked by ballistics to the sniper.

The round found in truck near Dulles is not linked; it was .223 round and not 7.62 as reported by the Wash. Post over the weekend.

They referred questions on Richmond arrests to Henrico Co. Sheriff.

Now you're all smarter than me because you know what you know plus what I known and that's more than I know!

Coyote: My take is that the sniper is a very disgruntled and unhappy person. He is smart, but not brilliant. He is a pretty good shot, but not an expert or a sniper. He shoots at fairly close ranges with a scope, which does not take a lot of skill. I think he wants to come in from the cold but does not know how, which is the crux of the cryptic messages that Chief Moose is talking about. I think one more shooting is possible, very likely tonight. Then again, ...”

“Stop telling everybody I'm a gentleman. I've got a reputation to uphold!”

“pretty good shot???

One shot kills on a moving target are not easy to come by. I tend to think this whacko is a hell of a shot. Unfortunately.

IMHO.”

“Do you think our own goverment trained this nut?

boy does this sound very familiar”

“He can't be all that smart if he is phoning the cops.”

“very familiar to what?

if they shot for the government before is the government to blame? i don't see how anyone could blame the government no matter what the relationship might be between the two.

you need a lot of natural ability to be a good shot.

there are good shooters that were never in the military or any other type of government service.

a nut is a nut no matter where they may have practiced shooting in the past.”

“The eternal Thompson gunner, still wandering through the night
Now it's ten years later but he still keeps up the fight
In Ireland, in Lebanon, in Palestine and Virginia
The D.C Sniper heard the burst of Roland's Thompson gun
And bought it.


apoligies to Warren Zevon”

“The rifle he is using, and apparently a scope, plus the relatively short distances (less than 100 yards) all indicate he is not a great shot. Most of his victims have been either stationary or probably walking in a straight line. He has been taking torso shots, whereas trained snipers go for the head.

Marksmanship is not a big thing. Hunters can shoot at moving targets, and swiftly moving targets at that, given the same kind of equipment.

A lot of people have been trained to shoot by the military, including yours truly. I am not a sniper nor an expert shot, but I can fire a pretty tight shot group at 100 yards without a scope.

Lastly, shooting another human being requires some emotional disconnect. I doubt most of us could even fire a shot at a stranger much less hit them. That emotional disconnect does not require training, just screwed up emotions.

Trained snipers, by the way, have reacted angrily to suggestions this guy is a sniper. They would very much like to snipe him.”