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CNN Live At Daybreak

Death Toll from D.C. Area Serial Sniper Rises to Seven

Aired October 11, 2002 - 05:31   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: The death toll from the D.C. area serial sniper has risen to seven. Police in Prince William County, Virginia join other area authorities who are trying to find the gunman. The latest victim is a 53-year-old Maryland man who was gunned down at a gas station in Manassas Wednesday night. He, like the other victims, was shot once in the upper body and from a distance. He was the third person to be shot at a service station.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF CHARLIE DEANE, PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY POLICE: The ballistic evidence has concluded that these cases are linked. The second thing that we have to announce is that the white van that we described to you earlier, the white minivan, may not be involved. It may be explained away. We are in the process of interviewing someone who may have been operating that van and we're getting what seems to be a reasonable explanation to why they were there and why they acted the way they did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Authorities are trying to gather surveillance video from various locations around that Sunoco gas station where that man was shot and hopefully they picked up some clue from that. Of course, the shootings have left many people across the Washington metro area really scared.

For more on the search for the serial sniper, our Bill Prasad joins us live by phone from Rockville, Maryland -- bring us up to date.

BILL PRASAD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, police in this area, and in particular in Prince William County, have now confirmed that the lead that they thought they had to search for a white van is, indeed, a bust. The van was in the area, but apparently for reasons that are unrelated to the shooting. So another dead end here.

COSTELLO: Do you think they have a chance with surveillance cameras mounted at the gas stations and surrounding businesses in Manassas?

PRASAD: There is certainly that possibility and, of course, they will be looking at any footage from those cameras. But at this point they are not revealing to us if the shooting was captured on camera.

COSTELLO: Can you tell us if police are changing their strategy in their search for this killer? PRASAD: Police are being very quiet about the strategy they're using, but it seems that they are hoping that the killer somewhere along the way will make a mistake. And they are searching and hoping for that mistake.

COSTELLO: I know they're cutting back the number of these live press conferences they've been having. Is there a reason for that?

PRASAD: One of the reasons could be that they fear that the killer is watching intently and taking his cues off of those news conferences. There is a belief that once police said that their profile showed that he lives in the Maryland area, that the next shooting was in Virginia, and then later once police said that all the children in the area were safe, it was followed up by a shooting at a school.

So they have cut back on news conferences. Also, there is very little information coming from those news conferences. Police apparently at this point have very little to say in the way of new info.

COSTELLO: It's a shame.

Bill Prasad, thank you very much.

And, of course, you'll be following this throughout the day and hopefully we can get back to you for another update.

Montgomery County police, by the way, have announced a consolidated tip line for anyone with any information on this sniper. The nationwide number is 1-888-324-9800. To contribute to the reward fund, you can call 240-777-8970. Donors from 20 states have contributed so far. The reward now stands at $305,000.

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 11, 2002 - 05:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The death toll from the D.C. area serial sniper has risen to seven. Police in Prince William County, Virginia join other area authorities who are trying to find the gunman. The latest victim is a 53-year-old Maryland man who was gunned down at a gas station in Manassas Wednesday night. He, like the other victims, was shot once in the upper body and from a distance. He was the third person to be shot at a service station.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF CHARLIE DEANE, PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY POLICE: The ballistic evidence has concluded that these cases are linked. The second thing that we have to announce is that the white van that we described to you earlier, the white minivan, may not be involved. It may be explained away. We are in the process of interviewing someone who may have been operating that van and we're getting what seems to be a reasonable explanation to why they were there and why they acted the way they did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Authorities are trying to gather surveillance video from various locations around that Sunoco gas station where that man was shot and hopefully they picked up some clue from that. Of course, the shootings have left many people across the Washington metro area really scared.

For more on the search for the serial sniper, our Bill Prasad joins us live by phone from Rockville, Maryland -- bring us up to date.

BILL PRASAD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, police in this area, and in particular in Prince William County, have now confirmed that the lead that they thought they had to search for a white van is, indeed, a bust. The van was in the area, but apparently for reasons that are unrelated to the shooting. So another dead end here.

COSTELLO: Do you think they have a chance with surveillance cameras mounted at the gas stations and surrounding businesses in Manassas?

PRASAD: There is certainly that possibility and, of course, they will be looking at any footage from those cameras. But at this point they are not revealing to us if the shooting was captured on camera.

COSTELLO: Can you tell us if police are changing their strategy in their search for this killer? PRASAD: Police are being very quiet about the strategy they're using, but it seems that they are hoping that the killer somewhere along the way will make a mistake. And they are searching and hoping for that mistake.

COSTELLO: I know they're cutting back the number of these live press conferences they've been having. Is there a reason for that?

PRASAD: One of the reasons could be that they fear that the killer is watching intently and taking his cues off of those news conferences. There is a belief that once police said that their profile showed that he lives in the Maryland area, that the next shooting was in Virginia, and then later once police said that all the children in the area were safe, it was followed up by a shooting at a school.

So they have cut back on news conferences. Also, there is very little information coming from those news conferences. Police apparently at this point have very little to say in the way of new info.

COSTELLO: It's a shame.

Bill Prasad, thank you very much.

And, of course, you'll be following this throughout the day and hopefully we can get back to you for another update.

Montgomery County police, by the way, have announced a consolidated tip line for anyone with any information on this sniper. The nationwide number is 1-888-324-9800. To contribute to the reward fund, you can call 240-777-8970. Donors from 20 states have contributed so far. The reward now stands at $305,000.

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