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American Morning
Police Link D.C. Sniper Rifle to Killing in Louisiana
Aired November 01, 2002 - 07:01 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's bring you the latest details on the sniper case.
Sniper suspects John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo are now facing murder charges in a fourth state, the state of Louisiana. Police in Baton Rouge say they have linked a killing there last September to the rifle that was used in the D.C.-area shootings.
CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us now from Washington with the very latest on the investigation.
Good morning -- Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Well, authorities around the country are cracking open their cold-case files, looking for evidence of any connection to the D.C.- area serial sniper suspects, John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, because the two men traveled this year from Washington State, Alabama, Louisiana and then to the Washington, D.C. area, and they covered a lot of ground. So, officials believe that they may very well have committed other crimes.
Now, the latest charges, as you mentioned, are first-degree murder filed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. That makes the fourth state and the District of Columbia that want to prosecute the men for a series of deadly shootings.
In the Baton Rouge case, beauty supply shop owner Hong Ballenger, age 45, was shot once in the back of the head and robbed shortly after closing on September 23. Witnesses there said the gunman was a black man who fled into a nearby park.
And in the arrest warrant, Louisiana police say they believe Muhammad shot the woman, while Malvo allegedly stole her purse. And police say it was after testing the bullet that they made the connection.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF PAT ENGLADE, BATON ROUGE POLICE: The police crime lab has now positively linked the .223-caliber bullet used to murder Ms. Ballenger with the weapon used in several of the D.C.-area sniper killings.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KOCH: So, around the country, authorities are particularly interested in any recent crimes committed using .223 rounds. Those are -- that is a type of ammunition that was fired from the Bushmaster rifle that was allegedly used in the D.C.-area sniper attacks.
The Louisiana killing did come just two days after the shootings of two women outside an Alabama liquor store, and police there yesterday said that the ballistics match as well.
And Police Chief John Wilson tells CNN that he has a gut feeling that another person was involved in that case, since no one spotted either of the suspects with a rifle, and coincidentally, perhaps a blue sedan blocked the path of an officer who was pursuing the men.
So, Attorney General John Ashcroft says that they are still eyeing that possibility, in a statement saying -- quote -- "We are not ruling out the possibility that other individuals may be involved, or that individuals currently in custody may have committed other criminal acts."
Meanwhile, the 37-year-old man who was shot outside that steakhouse in Ashland, Virginia, has undergone his fifth surgery. A hospital spokesman says that he is getting better, but he remains in critical but stable condition. And they say that he may have to undergo more surgery and will likely be hospitalized for months -- Paula.
ZAHN: Kathleen Koch, thanks for the update -- appreciate it.
KOCH: You bet.
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 November 1, 2002 - 07:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's bring you the latest details on the sniper case.
Sniper suspects John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo are now facing murder charges in a fourth state, the state of Louisiana. Police in Baton Rouge say they have linked a killing there last September to the rifle that was used in the D.C.-area shootings.
CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us now from Washington with the very latest on the investigation.
Good morning -- Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Well, authorities around the country are cracking open their cold-case files, looking for evidence of any connection to the D.C.- area serial sniper suspects, John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, because the two men traveled this year from Washington State, Alabama, Louisiana and then to the Washington, D.C. area, and they covered a lot of ground. So, officials believe that they may very well have committed other crimes.
Now, the latest charges, as you mentioned, are first-degree murder filed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. That makes the fourth state and the District of Columbia that want to prosecute the men for a series of deadly shootings.
In the Baton Rouge case, beauty supply shop owner Hong Ballenger, age 45, was shot once in the back of the head and robbed shortly after closing on September 23. Witnesses there said the gunman was a black man who fled into a nearby park.
And in the arrest warrant, Louisiana police say they believe Muhammad shot the woman, while Malvo allegedly stole her purse. And police say it was after testing the bullet that they made the connection.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF PAT ENGLADE, BATON ROUGE POLICE: The police crime lab has now positively linked the .223-caliber bullet used to murder Ms. Ballenger with the weapon used in several of the D.C.-area sniper killings.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KOCH: So, around the country, authorities are particularly interested in any recent crimes committed using .223 rounds. Those are -- that is a type of ammunition that was fired from the Bushmaster rifle that was allegedly used in the D.C.-area sniper attacks.
The Louisiana killing did come just two days after the shootings of two women outside an Alabama liquor store, and police there yesterday said that the ballistics match as well.
And Police Chief John Wilson tells CNN that he has a gut feeling that another person was involved in that case, since no one spotted either of the suspects with a rifle, and coincidentally, perhaps a blue sedan blocked the path of an officer who was pursuing the men.
So, Attorney General John Ashcroft says that they are still eyeing that possibility, in a statement saying -- quote -- "We are not ruling out the possibility that other individuals may be involved, or that individuals currently in custody may have committed other criminal acts."
Meanwhile, the 37-year-old man who was shot outside that steakhouse in Ashland, Virginia, has undergone his fifth surgery. A hospital spokesman says that he is getting better, but he remains in critical but stable condition. And they say that he may have to undergo more surgery and will likely be hospitalized for months -- Paula.
ZAHN: Kathleen Koch, thanks for the update -- appreciate it.
KOCH: You bet.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
