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Same Weapon May Have Been Used in All Three Sniper Killings
Aired August 20, 2003 - 13:09 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Three deadly shootings in West Virginia, and now investigators may have the link they've been looking for. They say the same weapon was, in fact, used in the latest two shootings, and probably the first as well. The search continues today for a dark pickup seen leaving the last murder location.
Investigative correspondent Art Harris now on the search for a gunman and a motive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAYOR DANNY JONES, CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA: I'm not sure if that puts a scent on me or not.
ART HARRIS, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Until now, the mayor has been one of the many people in Charleston, West Virginia, who drive a large, black pickup truck. Not anymore. Now, the mayor comes to work in his antique 1956 Chrysler Imperial.
JONES: My black pickup is at home, and it's been there since the investigation started.
HARRIS: Ever since a dark pickup truck, like this, was seen speeding away from the scene of the latest murder, police have been stopping this type of truck, taking names and license tags.
SHERIFF DAVE TUCKER, KANAWHA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA: Anyone that is in an area where a crime was committed, that's who we want to talk to. Suspect, victim, it don't make any difference.
HARRIS: For the first time, investigators are raising the possibility that the latest shootings in rural areas outside Charleston might be drug related, even though police offered no evidence to tie any victim to drug involvement.
CHIEF PHIL MORRIS, KANAWHA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: I'm not speculating on whether they were or were not, but the people that reside in Campbell's Creek stated that there is a drug problem, and we are looking into that problem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Police say video from surveillance cameras near gas pumps outside convenience stores where the last two victims were gunned down reveal a dark pickup truck police are looking for.
Now, that pickup truck, those images have been enhanced by specialists, and we expect to see that at a press conference in less than half an hour, or hope to, when police discuss that pickup truck and other details.
Now, they have yet to say whether a license tag is visible, but we will hear more from them at this press conference here at 1:30 -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: All right, we're looking forward to seeing that and hearing from you on that. But in the meantime, what about ballistics tests? Tell us what we know about that.
HARRIS: Well, the most recent thing, Miles, is that police say tests now link the most recent killing last Thursday night to one earlier that evening, which had not been linked by forensics evidence. Earlier, they say, that the first killing and the others were similar, but now we can say that, according to investigators, they all appear to come from the same weapon, and that it is probably a rifle -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Art Harris in Charleston, thanks. We'll check in with you in just a bit.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Killings>
Aired August 20, 2003 - 13:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Three deadly shootings in West Virginia, and now investigators may have the link they've been looking for. They say the same weapon was, in fact, used in the latest two shootings, and probably the first as well. The search continues today for a dark pickup seen leaving the last murder location.
Investigative correspondent Art Harris now on the search for a gunman and a motive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAYOR DANNY JONES, CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA: I'm not sure if that puts a scent on me or not.
ART HARRIS, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Until now, the mayor has been one of the many people in Charleston, West Virginia, who drive a large, black pickup truck. Not anymore. Now, the mayor comes to work in his antique 1956 Chrysler Imperial.
JONES: My black pickup is at home, and it's been there since the investigation started.
HARRIS: Ever since a dark pickup truck, like this, was seen speeding away from the scene of the latest murder, police have been stopping this type of truck, taking names and license tags.
SHERIFF DAVE TUCKER, KANAWHA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA: Anyone that is in an area where a crime was committed, that's who we want to talk to. Suspect, victim, it don't make any difference.
HARRIS: For the first time, investigators are raising the possibility that the latest shootings in rural areas outside Charleston might be drug related, even though police offered no evidence to tie any victim to drug involvement.
CHIEF PHIL MORRIS, KANAWHA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: I'm not speculating on whether they were or were not, but the people that reside in Campbell's Creek stated that there is a drug problem, and we are looking into that problem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Police say video from surveillance cameras near gas pumps outside convenience stores where the last two victims were gunned down reveal a dark pickup truck police are looking for.
Now, that pickup truck, those images have been enhanced by specialists, and we expect to see that at a press conference in less than half an hour, or hope to, when police discuss that pickup truck and other details.
Now, they have yet to say whether a license tag is visible, but we will hear more from them at this press conference here at 1:30 -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: All right, we're looking forward to seeing that and hearing from you on that. But in the meantime, what about ballistics tests? Tell us what we know about that.
HARRIS: Well, the most recent thing, Miles, is that police say tests now link the most recent killing last Thursday night to one earlier that evening, which had not been linked by forensics evidence. Earlier, they say, that the first killing and the others were similar, but now we can say that, according to investigators, they all appear to come from the same weapon, and that it is probably a rifle -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Art Harris in Charleston, thanks. We'll check in with you in just a bit.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Killings>
