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CNN Live At Daybreak

Tarot Card Found: 'I am God'

Aired October 09, 2002 - 06:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Has the serial sniper left a calling card? That's what investigators are trying to figure out. A tarot card, representing death, was found near the scene of the last sniper attack.
For more on that, we want to go live to Montgomery County. Jeanne Meserve joins us live from the police department there.

What's the latest -- Jeanne?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, authorities do confirm to CNN that this tarot card, the death card as you mentioned, was found near the Benjamim Tasker Middle School, where earlier this week a 13-year-old student was gunned down as he went into school. That student, by the way, still in critical but stable condition.

As for the card, it had some words scribbled on it. They were: "Dear policeman: I am God."

Now, authorities are looking at this, we are told, but they do not know its relevance to the crime. We are told by sources that it's possible that this card was left near the scene by a prankster some time the after event. Authorities, of course, continuing to look at this to try and determine its authenticity. It would be a tantalizing piece of evidence if, indeed, there does prove to be a valid connection.

They also have found near that middle school a shell casing. This is the first shell casing they have found in connection with these shootings. That is being looked at by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. They hope to glean from this some indication of the type of weapon that was used. They do believe it's a high-powered military or hunting rifle, but this may give them some more specific guidance as to exactly what that is.

Now, another tantalizing bit of information that came in to CNN's Mike Brooks is that a Michaels Craft store near the Benjamin Tasker Middle School was burned down earlier this year under suspicious circumstances, and that is a crime that has not been solved. The reason that's interesting is that several of the shootings have been in or near -- or not in, rather, but around Michaels Craft stores. So, that seems to be potentially something of interest to investigators there.

Schools today in Montgomery County are closed. It has nothing to do with these shootings. This is a previously-scheduled staff development day. Those students will be at their homes today. In the other counties around Washington, school is in session, but once again, under very tight security.

Carol -- back to you.

COSTELLO: Just another question about this tarot card. I guess it would matter exactly when it was found. At the time of the initial police search of the area, or later?

MESERVE: Carol, I do not have that specific piece of information. I do not know exactly when it was found. The sources to whom we spoke indicated that it was possible that it was placed at the scene by a prankster. That would seem to indicate it might not have been found in the first go-round, but we don't have any hard information on that -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, we were seeing a picture of an example of a tarot card, and the death card doesn't usually mean death in that world of tarot card reading. It could mean a new beginning, too, from what I understand.

MESERVE: Carol, I have absolutely no knowledge of tarot cards. I can't even comment on that one.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: OK, Jeanne Meserve, thank you for the update. We appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired October 9, 2002 - 06:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Has the serial sniper left a calling card? That's what investigators are trying to figure out. A tarot card, representing death, was found near the scene of the last sniper attack.
For more on that, we want to go live to Montgomery County. Jeanne Meserve joins us live from the police department there.

What's the latest -- Jeanne?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, authorities do confirm to CNN that this tarot card, the death card as you mentioned, was found near the Benjamim Tasker Middle School, where earlier this week a 13-year-old student was gunned down as he went into school. That student, by the way, still in critical but stable condition.

As for the card, it had some words scribbled on it. They were: "Dear policeman: I am God."

Now, authorities are looking at this, we are told, but they do not know its relevance to the crime. We are told by sources that it's possible that this card was left near the scene by a prankster some time the after event. Authorities, of course, continuing to look at this to try and determine its authenticity. It would be a tantalizing piece of evidence if, indeed, there does prove to be a valid connection.

They also have found near that middle school a shell casing. This is the first shell casing they have found in connection with these shootings. That is being looked at by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. They hope to glean from this some indication of the type of weapon that was used. They do believe it's a high-powered military or hunting rifle, but this may give them some more specific guidance as to exactly what that is.

Now, another tantalizing bit of information that came in to CNN's Mike Brooks is that a Michaels Craft store near the Benjamin Tasker Middle School was burned down earlier this year under suspicious circumstances, and that is a crime that has not been solved. The reason that's interesting is that several of the shootings have been in or near -- or not in, rather, but around Michaels Craft stores. So, that seems to be potentially something of interest to investigators there.

Schools today in Montgomery County are closed. It has nothing to do with these shootings. This is a previously-scheduled staff development day. Those students will be at their homes today. In the other counties around Washington, school is in session, but once again, under very tight security.

Carol -- back to you.

COSTELLO: Just another question about this tarot card. I guess it would matter exactly when it was found. At the time of the initial police search of the area, or later?

MESERVE: Carol, I do not have that specific piece of information. I do not know exactly when it was found. The sources to whom we spoke indicated that it was possible that it was placed at the scene by a prankster. That would seem to indicate it might not have been found in the first go-round, but we don't have any hard information on that -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, we were seeing a picture of an example of a tarot card, and the death card doesn't usually mean death in that world of tarot card reading. It could mean a new beginning, too, from what I understand.

MESERVE: Carol, I have absolutely no knowledge of tarot cards. I can't even comment on that one.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: OK, Jeanne Meserve, thank you for the update. We appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.