Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Talk with Jimmy Barrett of WRVA Radio

Aired October 22, 2002 - 05:36   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.


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: In the search for the serial sniper, what seemed like a big break turned out to be a huge disappointment. Law enforcement authorities converged on a white minivan at an Exxon gas station in Richmond, Virginia yesterday and they took two men into custody. It turns out, though, the men were undocumented workers in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In addition to that, authorities believe that they got a phone call from the sniper. But the police say that the call was not clear, prompting this message from police.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF CHARLES MOOSE, MONTGOMERY COUNTY POLICE: The person you called could not hear everything that you said. The audio was unclear and we want to get it right. Call us back so that we can clearly understand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLAWAY: Police have now been using the media to get messages to the sniper and the sniper attacks have people, of course, on edge in the Richmond area.

One man who's following all these developments, Jimmy Barrett of WRVA News Radio 1140 in Richmond.

Jimmy, I bet you yesterday was a roller coaster day for you guys up there.

JIMMY BARRETT, WRVA RADIO CORRESPONDENT: Well, to say the least here. It was a little surreal, Catherine. The corner of West Broad and Parem Road (ph) is literally a mile and a half, maybe two miles west of 1140 WRVA and about three miles from my house.

CALLAWAY: And that's exactly where the police converged on the white van there, right?

BARRETT: They did. We were all very hopeful. For some reason they had that pay phone staked out. I think they thought they had something there. It turns out what we're dealing with, as you know, we are -- excuse us -- is two illegal immigrants, one from Mexico, one from Guatemala. They had been sent to northern Virginia. And, of course, one of the questions we're asking this morning, Catherine, is how in the world did they get the van? Evidently driving this van with temporary Virginia tags. What we don't know is how they managed to get their hands and this van if they are illegal immigrants. CALLAWAY: That's an interesting question.

BARRETT: Well, we'll try to track it down today.

CALLAWAY: Yes, let's, maybe we'll talk with you in the morning about that.

Let me ask you about school. It's still closed up there.

BARRETT: Schools are still closed and what we're hearing is is that in that note that was found in Ashland, Virginia, evidently there was some sort of threat as it related to public officials, dignitaries and the schools. At least that is what is being reported this morning. And if that is the case, then the schools obviously reached a prudent decision. Although a lot of Richmonders were questioning it yesterday, whether it made sense to close the schools or lot.

CALLAWAY: You know, a lot of questioning, too, a lot of speculation on some of the mysterious language that we've heard coming out of the police concerning their apparent communication with this sniper.

BARRETT: Well, yes. You've got what's going on in Montgomery, where evidently, it would seem the chief, Chief Moose, is in contact with the sniper and is, through the media sources such as ours, is asking that the sniper get a hold of them again. And then, of course, you had what seemed like a disconnect going on yesterday between what was going on in Montgomery County and what was going on in Henrico County, because it would seem that they were on the phone to Montgomery County with the sniper suspect at the same time that these two were being arrested here in Richmond. And if that's the case, why wasn't there more coordination? Why did it take so long for us to figure out that we didn't have the sniper?

CALLAWAY: Well, I think they're just probably following up on every lead in this case. You know, Jimmy, let's hope the next arrest is the right one.

BARRETT: Well, let's hope, indeed. Let's hope we get some more clues in all of this, because life in Richmond is a little different right now, as you can imagine.

CALLAWAY: I can't imagine what it's like for you guys up there.

Good luck to you.

Talk to you tomorrow.

BARRETT: All right, talk to you later.

CALLAWAY: Count on CNN to bring you the up to minute coverage on the sniper attacks throughout the day. CNN's Wolf Blitzer is going to have a special report, Search For A Killer. That's coming up this evening at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. And you can tune in for a special edition of CNN's Connie Chung tonight at eight o'clock Eastern time.

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 22, 2002 - 05:36   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: In the search for the serial sniper, what seemed like a big break turned out to be a huge disappointment. Law enforcement authorities converged on a white minivan at an Exxon gas station in Richmond, Virginia yesterday and they took two men into custody. It turns out, though, the men were undocumented workers in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In addition to that, authorities believe that they got a phone call from the sniper. But the police say that the call was not clear, prompting this message from police.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF CHARLES MOOSE, MONTGOMERY COUNTY POLICE: The person you called could not hear everything that you said. The audio was unclear and we want to get it right. Call us back so that we can clearly understand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLAWAY: Police have now been using the media to get messages to the sniper and the sniper attacks have people, of course, on edge in the Richmond area.

One man who's following all these developments, Jimmy Barrett of WRVA News Radio 1140 in Richmond.

Jimmy, I bet you yesterday was a roller coaster day for you guys up there.

JIMMY BARRETT, WRVA RADIO CORRESPONDENT: Well, to say the least here. It was a little surreal, Catherine. The corner of West Broad and Parem Road (ph) is literally a mile and a half, maybe two miles west of 1140 WRVA and about three miles from my house.

CALLAWAY: And that's exactly where the police converged on the white van there, right?

BARRETT: They did. We were all very hopeful. For some reason they had that pay phone staked out. I think they thought they had something there. It turns out what we're dealing with, as you know, we are -- excuse us -- is two illegal immigrants, one from Mexico, one from Guatemala. They had been sent to northern Virginia. And, of course, one of the questions we're asking this morning, Catherine, is how in the world did they get the van? Evidently driving this van with temporary Virginia tags. What we don't know is how they managed to get their hands and this van if they are illegal immigrants. CALLAWAY: That's an interesting question.

BARRETT: Well, we'll try to track it down today.

CALLAWAY: Yes, let's, maybe we'll talk with you in the morning about that.

Let me ask you about school. It's still closed up there.

BARRETT: Schools are still closed and what we're hearing is is that in that note that was found in Ashland, Virginia, evidently there was some sort of threat as it related to public officials, dignitaries and the schools. At least that is what is being reported this morning. And if that is the case, then the schools obviously reached a prudent decision. Although a lot of Richmonders were questioning it yesterday, whether it made sense to close the schools or lot.

CALLAWAY: You know, a lot of questioning, too, a lot of speculation on some of the mysterious language that we've heard coming out of the police concerning their apparent communication with this sniper.

BARRETT: Well, yes. You've got what's going on in Montgomery, where evidently, it would seem the chief, Chief Moose, is in contact with the sniper and is, through the media sources such as ours, is asking that the sniper get a hold of them again. And then, of course, you had what seemed like a disconnect going on yesterday between what was going on in Montgomery County and what was going on in Henrico County, because it would seem that they were on the phone to Montgomery County with the sniper suspect at the same time that these two were being arrested here in Richmond. And if that's the case, why wasn't there more coordination? Why did it take so long for us to figure out that we didn't have the sniper?

CALLAWAY: Well, I think they're just probably following up on every lead in this case. You know, Jimmy, let's hope the next arrest is the right one.

BARRETT: Well, let's hope, indeed. Let's hope we get some more clues in all of this, because life in Richmond is a little different right now, as you can imagine.

CALLAWAY: I can't imagine what it's like for you guys up there.

Good luck to you.

Talk to you tomorrow.

BARRETT: All right, talk to you later.

CALLAWAY: Count on CNN to bring you the up to minute coverage on the sniper attacks throughout the day. CNN's Wolf Blitzer is going to have a special report, Search For A Killer. That's coming up this evening at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. And you can tune in for a special edition of CNN's Connie Chung tonight at eight o'clock Eastern time.

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