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CNN Live At Daybreak

Sniper's First Victim?

Aired October 09, 2002 - 06:32   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: There is evidence the sniper may have fired on his first victim more than three weeks ago. A liquor store employee was shot as he prepared to leave work.
Reporter Gary Reals of CNN Washington affiliate WUSA spoke with the victim.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUPINDER "BENNY" OBEROI, SHOOTING VICTIM: Then we heard the pop. I really didn't feel anything like the next 5, 10 seconds. I just thought somebody was playing (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a cracker (ph) or something like that. But after like 10 seconds, I started bleeding. I hold my chest, and I fell down right next to the (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

GARY REALS, CNN AFFLIATE WUSA REPORTER (voice-over): It was a small caliber bullet that tore into Benny's back, fragmenting upon impact, fortunately bruising but not entering any internal organs. It happened right after closing Saturday night, September 14, as Benny and his boss were locking up.

ARNIE ZELKOVITZ, STORE OWNER: It was incredibly loud. The first thing I thought was maybe a backfire from a car, but right away, I realized it was just too loud for that, and it was kind of crisp.

REALS: Once again, a single rifle shot. No one saw anyone flee the parking lot, no shell casing was recovered, like the nine other shootings, the scene adjacent to a major road or highway. In this instance: The Beltway.

OBEROI: The same (ph) these innocent people that are just like me, you know, they're nothing, no fights, no nothing, you know. Just getting shot.

REALS: Ironically, both Benny and his boss, who the bullet narrowly missed, have experienced a sense of relief with their belief that his shooting is connected.

ZELKOVITZ: I felt that if somebody was out there after me, well, they missed. They are still there. They're still out there. And who knows? They could still be after me. When all of this started happening, and I really began to believe that it was part of what was going on, it was a relief, because he wasn't just after me. He's after anybody.

REALS: Whether his shooting is definitely linked to the other attacks, Benny is reassessing his life after his flirtation with death.

OBEROI: Slow down in my life and think what's going to happen, what I'm going to do. Yes, I'm going to change. My life has already changed. From inside out, I've changed a lot. I don't know -- just mentally, I'm a little bit under this depressed side, but I'll be OK.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Gary Reals reporting from our affiliate WUSA in Washington.

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 - 06:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: There is evidence the sniper may have fired on his first victim more than three weeks ago. A liquor store employee was shot as he prepared to leave work.
Reporter Gary Reals of CNN Washington affiliate WUSA spoke with the victim.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUPINDER "BENNY" OBEROI, SHOOTING VICTIM: Then we heard the pop. I really didn't feel anything like the next 5, 10 seconds. I just thought somebody was playing (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a cracker (ph) or something like that. But after like 10 seconds, I started bleeding. I hold my chest, and I fell down right next to the (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

GARY REALS, CNN AFFLIATE WUSA REPORTER (voice-over): It was a small caliber bullet that tore into Benny's back, fragmenting upon impact, fortunately bruising but not entering any internal organs. It happened right after closing Saturday night, September 14, as Benny and his boss were locking up.

ARNIE ZELKOVITZ, STORE OWNER: It was incredibly loud. The first thing I thought was maybe a backfire from a car, but right away, I realized it was just too loud for that, and it was kind of crisp.

REALS: Once again, a single rifle shot. No one saw anyone flee the parking lot, no shell casing was recovered, like the nine other shootings, the scene adjacent to a major road or highway. In this instance: The Beltway.

OBEROI: The same (ph) these innocent people that are just like me, you know, they're nothing, no fights, no nothing, you know. Just getting shot.

REALS: Ironically, both Benny and his boss, who the bullet narrowly missed, have experienced a sense of relief with their belief that his shooting is connected.

ZELKOVITZ: I felt that if somebody was out there after me, well, they missed. They are still there. They're still out there. And who knows? They could still be after me. When all of this started happening, and I really began to believe that it was part of what was going on, it was a relief, because he wasn't just after me. He's after anybody.

REALS: Whether his shooting is definitely linked to the other attacks, Benny is reassessing his life after his flirtation with death.

OBEROI: Slow down in my life and think what's going to happen, what I'm going to do. Yes, I'm going to change. My life has already changed. From inside out, I've changed a lot. I don't know -- just mentally, I'm a little bit under this depressed side, but I'll be OK.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Gary Reals reporting from our affiliate WUSA in Washington.

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