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CNN Live At Daybreak
What Could Be Break in Sniper Shootings
Aired October 09, 2002 - 05:02 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: Finally, what could be a break in the D.C. sniper shootings. Police have something strange -- a tarot card from a fortune teller's deck, the death card. On that death card it says, "Dear policemen, I am god." The death card has a skeleton on it. The card was found near where a 13-year-old boy was wounded on Monday. It's not clear if the card is related to the shooting or if it's just a prank. But, of course, the killer is still out there and so is an edgy fear.
Again this morning, there is increased security at area schools as authorities try to protect children as they walk into school.
Our Kathleen Koch brings us up to date.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Critical evidence, a shell casing found in these woods at the site of Monday's sniper shooting at a Maryland middle school.
CHIEF GERALD WILSON, PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY POLICE: It was found over, I would say, 100 feet or yards into the woods on the same side as Benjamin Tasker. It could have been ejected from the weapon used by the suspect. Could have been.
KOCH: The Federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms is performing analysis like this on the shell casing, looking for markings that would indicate the type and make of the rifle used. Police showed off a variety of cases they say the gunman might use to carry or hide the high powered rifle, hoping the public might recognize something. Authorities are comparing the details of the eight shootings with crimes in databases across the country, looking for similarities.
MIKE BOUCHARD, SPECIAL AGENT, ATF: We've entered the information from this case into that system to query if there are any other similar type projectiles or cartridge casings in that system nationwide.
KOCH: Maryland's governor challenged the killer to surrender.
GOV. PARRIS N. GLENDENING (D), MARYLAND: We're talking about a person here who's basically a coward. This is not an individual who's out there doing something strong or manly or anything of this type.
KOCH: Investigators now say it's possible the killer may have begun his attacks last month. September 14th, a young man was shot with one bullet fired from a distance outside this store at a Montgomery County shopping center. He survived, but ballistics tests on the bullet are inconclusive and officials are not ruling out a link with the other shootings.
(on camera): Tips in the shootings continue to grow, some 1,400, as does the reward, now nearly $240,000. And finally, one positive development in this tragic story. The Virginia woman shot Friday has been released from the hospital.
Kathleen Koch, CNN, Montgomery County, Maryland.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And you can keep track of the sniper search on our Web site. Just click onto cnn.com, AOL keyword: CNN.
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 - 05:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Finally, what could be a break in the D.C. sniper shootings. Police have something strange -- a tarot card from a fortune teller's deck, the death card. On that death card it says, "Dear policemen, I am god." The death card has a skeleton on it. The card was found near where a 13-year-old boy was wounded on Monday. It's not clear if the card is related to the shooting or if it's just a prank. But, of course, the killer is still out there and so is an edgy fear.
Again this morning, there is increased security at area schools as authorities try to protect children as they walk into school.
Our Kathleen Koch brings us up to date.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Critical evidence, a shell casing found in these woods at the site of Monday's sniper shooting at a Maryland middle school.
CHIEF GERALD WILSON, PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY POLICE: It was found over, I would say, 100 feet or yards into the woods on the same side as Benjamin Tasker. It could have been ejected from the weapon used by the suspect. Could have been.
KOCH: The Federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms is performing analysis like this on the shell casing, looking for markings that would indicate the type and make of the rifle used. Police showed off a variety of cases they say the gunman might use to carry or hide the high powered rifle, hoping the public might recognize something. Authorities are comparing the details of the eight shootings with crimes in databases across the country, looking for similarities.
MIKE BOUCHARD, SPECIAL AGENT, ATF: We've entered the information from this case into that system to query if there are any other similar type projectiles or cartridge casings in that system nationwide.
KOCH: Maryland's governor challenged the killer to surrender.
GOV. PARRIS N. GLENDENING (D), MARYLAND: We're talking about a person here who's basically a coward. This is not an individual who's out there doing something strong or manly or anything of this type.
KOCH: Investigators now say it's possible the killer may have begun his attacks last month. September 14th, a young man was shot with one bullet fired from a distance outside this store at a Montgomery County shopping center. He survived, but ballistics tests on the bullet are inconclusive and officials are not ruling out a link with the other shootings.
(on camera): Tips in the shootings continue to grow, some 1,400, as does the reward, now nearly $240,000. And finally, one positive development in this tragic story. The Virginia woman shot Friday has been released from the hospital.
Kathleen Koch, CNN, Montgomery County, Maryland.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And you can keep track of the sniper search on our Web site. Just click onto cnn.com, AOL keyword: CNN.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
