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American Morning

At Least Three People Got Look at Shooter

Aired October 16, 2002 - 09:03   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: I want to get back to Rockville right now and again talk about these witnesses. We are now being told at least three people at two different shooting scenes got a fairly good look at the shooter and the killing that was carried out at two locations.
I want to bring in Patty Davis right now as we mark the two-week park today this Wednesday. Good morning to you.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

HEMMER: Three people at a minimum, we know, two different shootings. How much has it been able to help investigators.

DAVIS: They say what they've seen is an olive-skinned man in a white van. We also have one of those witnesses saying they saw two men in a van. So, obviously, especially this last killing, a lot more witnesses, a lot more leads for police. In fact, we have seen partial license plate numbers as well at this last killing, witnesses were able to come up with. So big, big advance for police here.

HEMMER: Will we get more today? Have you gotten a sense. As investigators said, we had two composites released yesterday about two vans, an Astrovan, also a Ford Econoline. More today or not.

DAVIS: What we're waiting for, and we don't know if police are going to release this or not, but we know they're working on a composite sketch of the sniper, based on what these eyewitnesses have seen. They're working on that, Obviously, to aid police, as well. Perhaps to aid the public, but we're not sure if police are going or even ready to release something that's like that to the public at this point.

HEMMER: Let's talk about the shooting scene on Monday night, at Home Depot. You've been there, I've been there as well. It's an extremely crowded area. A gentleman by the name of Peter Moresky (ph), who writes for "The Washington Post," I want to read for our viewers a quick clip he writes today, he says, "In retrospect, many of the factors in which residents have built their sense of safety, a road pattern so confusing that even locals regularly take wrong turns, traffic congestion so notorious that many drive out of their way to avoid it and avoid crowds at all hours, prove to be of little consequence to the sniper."

This location, right near the Seven Corners shopping center, just about 250 yards to the east of that intersection right there. It could have been the ultimate getaway for the sniper, because it is so darn busy there.

DAVIS: Really busy. Very confusing. If you made one wrong turn, right there, where all those roads converge, and you're on the wrong road, you have to come around. But as you say, that also provides an opportunity for the shooter to get away. A lot of service roads leading on to this busy Route 50, which turns right by Home Depot. We also have on, off ramps off route 50. You can sneak into one of those neighborhoods, no problem, work your way into even another highway, and this sniper had a head start. Once people called 911, it was very soon that police showed it up, but he was already on the road, driving away as fast as he could. So you can shut things down, but if he's already got a head start, and there are all these roads, you can't shut everything down.

HEMMER: Patty, thanks. Patty Davis, working the story again here in Rockville.

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 16, 2002 - 09:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: I want to get back to Rockville right now and again talk about these witnesses. We are now being told at least three people at two different shooting scenes got a fairly good look at the shooter and the killing that was carried out at two locations.
I want to bring in Patty Davis right now as we mark the two-week park today this Wednesday. Good morning to you.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

HEMMER: Three people at a minimum, we know, two different shootings. How much has it been able to help investigators.

DAVIS: They say what they've seen is an olive-skinned man in a white van. We also have one of those witnesses saying they saw two men in a van. So, obviously, especially this last killing, a lot more witnesses, a lot more leads for police. In fact, we have seen partial license plate numbers as well at this last killing, witnesses were able to come up with. So big, big advance for police here.

HEMMER: Will we get more today? Have you gotten a sense. As investigators said, we had two composites released yesterday about two vans, an Astrovan, also a Ford Econoline. More today or not.

DAVIS: What we're waiting for, and we don't know if police are going to release this or not, but we know they're working on a composite sketch of the sniper, based on what these eyewitnesses have seen. They're working on that, Obviously, to aid police, as well. Perhaps to aid the public, but we're not sure if police are going or even ready to release something that's like that to the public at this point.

HEMMER: Let's talk about the shooting scene on Monday night, at Home Depot. You've been there, I've been there as well. It's an extremely crowded area. A gentleman by the name of Peter Moresky (ph), who writes for "The Washington Post," I want to read for our viewers a quick clip he writes today, he says, "In retrospect, many of the factors in which residents have built their sense of safety, a road pattern so confusing that even locals regularly take wrong turns, traffic congestion so notorious that many drive out of their way to avoid it and avoid crowds at all hours, prove to be of little consequence to the sniper."

This location, right near the Seven Corners shopping center, just about 250 yards to the east of that intersection right there. It could have been the ultimate getaway for the sniper, because it is so darn busy there.

DAVIS: Really busy. Very confusing. If you made one wrong turn, right there, where all those roads converge, and you're on the wrong road, you have to come around. But as you say, that also provides an opportunity for the shooter to get away. A lot of service roads leading on to this busy Route 50, which turns right by Home Depot. We also have on, off ramps off route 50. You can sneak into one of those neighborhoods, no problem, work your way into even another highway, and this sniper had a head start. Once people called 911, it was very soon that police showed it up, but he was already on the road, driving away as fast as he could. So you can shut things down, but if he's already got a head start, and there are all these roads, you can't shut everything down.

HEMMER: Patty, thanks. Patty Davis, working the story again here in Rockville.

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