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Authorities to Release Info. on Link Between Snipers, Montgomery Shooting

Aired November 01, 2002 - 14:01   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.


MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Authorities in Alabama promise to reveal some breaking information today about that alleged link between the D.C.-area sniper suspects and a shooting in Montgomery, Alabama. This just after Louisiana authorities said that they've linked the two men to a shooting in Baton Rouge.
Joining us now from Montgomery, Alabama, CNN's Charles Molineaux.

Charles, a lot of people waiting on this news conference.

CHARLES MOLINEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. As you can see, in fact, the setup is very much under way for this conference, which is still just a little bit less than an hour away, as we ponder the possibility that there may indeed have been a third person involved with the D.C. sniper suspects.

We are expected to hear from representatives of the ATF, the FBI, federal prosecutors, as well as Montgomery city police. This of course after news of evidence which would seem to clinch the case for a connection between the D.C. snipers and a robbery and shooting in Montgomery.

This, of course, happened on September 21. Claudine Parker was shot and killed in an apparent robbery. Witnesses and Montgomery County policemen say they saw the sniper suspects, John Malvo and John Muhammad at the scene and saw Muhammad with a pistol.

Yesterday came word that ballistics tests have proven Claudine Parker was shot with the same Bushmaster xm 15 rifle found in Muhammad's car, which raises the question that if Muhammad had a pistol and Malvo was seen without a gun, was there a third person who actually did the Montgomery shooting?

Now, those ballistics tests have also confirmed a connection between another shooting, this one happened in Baton Rouge, and the sniper attacks. Hong Ballenger was shot and killed on September 23, two days after the Montgomery shootings. She was attacked as she closed up shop at her beauty supply business in Baton Rouge. And now arrest warrants have been issued for both Muhammad and Malvo in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This case just continues to get more and more complex. The police chief here in Montgomery, Alabama, John Wilson has actually said that it's actually gotten rather frustrating, this case, every time you think you've gotten it figured out, it grows another leg -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Charles, anything beyond, say, gut feeling, on the part of law enforcement that there could be a third shooter?

MOLINEAUX: There's also the fact that as this chase, foot chase was going on between the Montgomery city policeman at the scene and a man who he has described as John Muhammad, he was actually brought up short when a blue car pulled out of nowhere in front of him and cut him off. Now, it's not as if there wasn't traffic in the area at the time, and police at the time wrote this off as a possible coincidence.

On the other hand, we now know that Malvo and Muhammad were both arrested in that 1990 blue Chevy Caprice. So that entire question is beginning to get another look as a possible connection. And, of course, if that is the case, there were two out of the car, and Muhammad was on foot running, then, yet again, who might have been driving that blue car? This is assuming, of course, that car had any connection whatsoever to this case, another thread that now does need to be examined.

SAVIDGE: And that would send another jolt of electricity through the investigation.

Charles Molineaux, thank you very much. Reporting live from Montgomery.

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




Montgomery Shooting>


Aired November 1, 2002 - 14:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Authorities in Alabama promise to reveal some breaking information today about that alleged link between the D.C.-area sniper suspects and a shooting in Montgomery, Alabama. This just after Louisiana authorities said that they've linked the two men to a shooting in Baton Rouge.
Joining us now from Montgomery, Alabama, CNN's Charles Molineaux.

Charles, a lot of people waiting on this news conference.

CHARLES MOLINEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. As you can see, in fact, the setup is very much under way for this conference, which is still just a little bit less than an hour away, as we ponder the possibility that there may indeed have been a third person involved with the D.C. sniper suspects.

We are expected to hear from representatives of the ATF, the FBI, federal prosecutors, as well as Montgomery city police. This of course after news of evidence which would seem to clinch the case for a connection between the D.C. snipers and a robbery and shooting in Montgomery.

This, of course, happened on September 21. Claudine Parker was shot and killed in an apparent robbery. Witnesses and Montgomery County policemen say they saw the sniper suspects, John Malvo and John Muhammad at the scene and saw Muhammad with a pistol.

Yesterday came word that ballistics tests have proven Claudine Parker was shot with the same Bushmaster xm 15 rifle found in Muhammad's car, which raises the question that if Muhammad had a pistol and Malvo was seen without a gun, was there a third person who actually did the Montgomery shooting?

Now, those ballistics tests have also confirmed a connection between another shooting, this one happened in Baton Rouge, and the sniper attacks. Hong Ballenger was shot and killed on September 23, two days after the Montgomery shootings. She was attacked as she closed up shop at her beauty supply business in Baton Rouge. And now arrest warrants have been issued for both Muhammad and Malvo in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This case just continues to get more and more complex. The police chief here in Montgomery, Alabama, John Wilson has actually said that it's actually gotten rather frustrating, this case, every time you think you've gotten it figured out, it grows another leg -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Charles, anything beyond, say, gut feeling, on the part of law enforcement that there could be a third shooter?

MOLINEAUX: There's also the fact that as this chase, foot chase was going on between the Montgomery city policeman at the scene and a man who he has described as John Muhammad, he was actually brought up short when a blue car pulled out of nowhere in front of him and cut him off. Now, it's not as if there wasn't traffic in the area at the time, and police at the time wrote this off as a possible coincidence.

On the other hand, we now know that Malvo and Muhammad were both arrested in that 1990 blue Chevy Caprice. So that entire question is beginning to get another look as a possible connection. And, of course, if that is the case, there were two out of the car, and Muhammad was on foot running, then, yet again, who might have been driving that blue car? This is assuming, of course, that car had any connection whatsoever to this case, another thread that now does need to be examined.

SAVIDGE: And that would send another jolt of electricity through the investigation.

Charles Molineaux, thank you very much. Reporting live from Montgomery.

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




Montgomery Shooting>