Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
Investigation Into Highway Shootings Near Columbus Continues
Aired November 30, 2003 - 08:06 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 Ohio, investigators say 11 highway shootings near Columbus share many similarities, but only two can be linked by physical evidence. Ballistics tests say that the only fatal shooting is connected to at least one other attack in the six-month series of shootings.
Let's go to CNN's Kris Osborn, who is in the Ohio capital with the latest -- Kris.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Catherine. Well, yes, Franklin County authorities are doing what they can to try to figure out what appears to be a bizarre and tough-to-explain string of shootings along a strip of highway outside Columbus.
The highway is called Interstate 270. It is a strip of very heavily trafficked highway outside the capital here in Ohio. And certainly authorities are getting a lot of tips from various locals in the area trying to figure out what might be behind this. They have, as you mentioned, linked two of them as a result of specific ballistics tests.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF DEPUTY STEVE MARTIN, FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT.: Only two cases have been positively linked through ballistics. Several others are similar in characteristics. The remaining shooting incidents have no ballistic evidence to support their relationship;' however, they remain of interest to me, interest to law enforcement, because of the similarity in the geographical location.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OSBORN: Well, law enforcement has sharpened their focus upon learning of those ballistic links. There have been a total of 11 shootings, 10 of them simply in the last two months. One of them a fatality.
Gail Knisley, 62 years old, lived in Washington Courthouse, Ohio. She leaves behind two sons. She was remembered yesterday at a funeral in the same town that honored her as homecoming queen in 1959.
There was a lot of emotion there, as you might expect, as loved ones and family members shared flowers, sang songs, shared prayers and did what they could to remember Gail. I can tell you also, Catherine, there was some outrage from some people just about the random, senseless way that Gail Knisley was killed -- Catherine. CALLAWAY: And Kris, I know that there have been hundreds of tips that have been called in to the police, but police are actually hoping that the shooter will call them.
OSBORN: That's exactly it. They've requested communication. That was the Franklin County sheriff's deputy, Mr. Martin, mentioned that yesterday when he was talking to the press. One of the things that generally weapons experts will tell you is that each bullet has a specific mark or a specific -- almost like a fingerprint as a comparison they make that can link it to other shootings.
Now, that is a general comment. In this specific case, they don't talk at all about the kinds of investigative procedures, the kinds of methods that they have going on. But there are a number of ways, generally speaking, that forensics experts can look for comparisons or similarities that can help them try to figure out what might be behind this -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: All right, Kris. Kris Osborn, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Continues>
Aired November 30, 2003 - 08:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: In Ohio, investigators say 11 highway shootings near Columbus share many similarities, but only two can be linked by physical evidence. Ballistics tests say that the only fatal shooting is connected to at least one other attack in the six-month series of shootings.
Let's go to CNN's Kris Osborn, who is in the Ohio capital with the latest -- Kris.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Catherine. Well, yes, Franklin County authorities are doing what they can to try to figure out what appears to be a bizarre and tough-to-explain string of shootings along a strip of highway outside Columbus.
The highway is called Interstate 270. It is a strip of very heavily trafficked highway outside the capital here in Ohio. And certainly authorities are getting a lot of tips from various locals in the area trying to figure out what might be behind this. They have, as you mentioned, linked two of them as a result of specific ballistics tests.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF DEPUTY STEVE MARTIN, FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT.: Only two cases have been positively linked through ballistics. Several others are similar in characteristics. The remaining shooting incidents have no ballistic evidence to support their relationship;' however, they remain of interest to me, interest to law enforcement, because of the similarity in the geographical location.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OSBORN: Well, law enforcement has sharpened their focus upon learning of those ballistic links. There have been a total of 11 shootings, 10 of them simply in the last two months. One of them a fatality.
Gail Knisley, 62 years old, lived in Washington Courthouse, Ohio. She leaves behind two sons. She was remembered yesterday at a funeral in the same town that honored her as homecoming queen in 1959.
There was a lot of emotion there, as you might expect, as loved ones and family members shared flowers, sang songs, shared prayers and did what they could to remember Gail. I can tell you also, Catherine, there was some outrage from some people just about the random, senseless way that Gail Knisley was killed -- Catherine. CALLAWAY: And Kris, I know that there have been hundreds of tips that have been called in to the police, but police are actually hoping that the shooter will call them.
OSBORN: That's exactly it. They've requested communication. That was the Franklin County sheriff's deputy, Mr. Martin, mentioned that yesterday when he was talking to the press. One of the things that generally weapons experts will tell you is that each bullet has a specific mark or a specific -- almost like a fingerprint as a comparison they make that can link it to other shootings.
Now, that is a general comment. In this specific case, they don't talk at all about the kinds of investigative procedures, the kinds of methods that they have going on. But there are a number of ways, generally speaking, that forensics experts can look for comparisons or similarities that can help them try to figure out what might be behind this -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: All right, Kris. Kris Osborn, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Continues>
