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American Morning
Sniper Attack on Monday Closest Killer Has Come to Being Seen
Aired October 16, 2002 - 07:31 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to get back to the top story this morning. Again, today, it looks as if the sniper attack on Monday night perhaps could have been the closest the killer has come to being seen, raising the confidence of investigators throughout the area.
Patty Davis watching that part of the story quite closely joins me now live here in Rockville, Maryland -- good morning to you, Patty.
Good to see you again.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
HEMMER: Let's talk about witnesses. At least three right now on the scene, which is the highest number we've been given to date. They are telling investigators what with regard to what they saw on Monday?
DAVIS: Well, we're talking about three witnesses at two of the shootings total, these eyewitnesses saying that they report seeing an olive-skinned man, perhaps Hispanic origin, Middle East origin, in a white van. Now, that includes at that scene on Monday night.
We have another witness from another shooting saying that they saw two men in a van. So, but reports are that witnesses are saying this time in the Monday night shooting, of that killing at the Home Depot, the killer got a lot closer, perhaps even shot, just got out of his van, shot, maybe even 40 yards away, one report, got back in and drove off.
HEMMER: What could explain, from an investigative standpoint, the discrepancy in what eyewitnesses have seen, what they thought they had seen and why there are differences in the stories?
DAVIS: Well, Police Chief Moose says everybody sees things differently and in the panic of the situation, the frenzy, I'm sure, people ducking, everything else, you're trying to get out of the way, you're afraid, is the sniper going to come after me next, you know, you're seeing things in a flash and then remembering them that way. And that could account for why people are not getting license plate numbers. You know, we've seen, they're reporting now that they got partial license plate numbers, perhaps, from these vans, from the van on Monday. Tremendous help to investigators if, indeed, they can compare even partial license plate numbers with any of the thousands and thousands that are in this region.
HEMMER: I want to talk about sketches right now and composites, one, as that applies to vehicles, the other as that applies possibly to the shooter, a person. Let's take the latter first. Is there a possibility that at any point today or any time soon they might be close to releasing that composite? Or at this point is it entirely too early?
DAVIS: We know that police are working on a composite sketch of this man, the sniper. But they are not saying when that will be released or, perhaps, even if it will be released. It's way too soon. They're just starting to get those reports in of what this person possibly looks like.
Now, we do have composite sketches, as you were saying, of the possible van involved. A Ford Econoline was one of the light colored van. They put a sketch out of that, a composite. Also, an Astro van. That's a Chevy, something that people have said they have also seen at some of these scenes. It has a silver rack on top. Monday night when I was at the scene, the police chief reported that this particular van had the left rear light out, something that you would think that the killer could replace easily enough, but something that people can now look more closely at, focus on and look for that.
HEMMER: Thank you, Patty.
Patty Davis working the story again here in Rockville, Maryland.
Again, police encourage anyone who has any information, Paula, to call that nationwide tip line, 888-324-9800.
When we come back a little later, Paula, I'll tell you about the scene at that Home Depot, really interesting elements out there. That road, U.S. 50, four lanes in each direction, eight across. It is extremely crowded and very busy, especially at that time of the night. We'll talk about the difficulties surrounding that in a moment here.
Back to you in New York now.
ZAHN: Thanks, Bill.
See you in a little bit.
HEMMER: Sure.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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Aired October 16, 2002 - 07:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to get back to the top story this morning. Again, today, it looks as if the sniper attack on Monday night perhaps could have been the closest the killer has come to being seen, raising the confidence of investigators throughout the area.
Patty Davis watching that part of the story quite closely joins me now live here in Rockville, Maryland -- good morning to you, Patty.
Good to see you again.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
HEMMER: Let's talk about witnesses. At least three right now on the scene, which is the highest number we've been given to date. They are telling investigators what with regard to what they saw on Monday?
DAVIS: Well, we're talking about three witnesses at two of the shootings total, these eyewitnesses saying that they report seeing an olive-skinned man, perhaps Hispanic origin, Middle East origin, in a white van. Now, that includes at that scene on Monday night.
We have another witness from another shooting saying that they saw two men in a van. So, but reports are that witnesses are saying this time in the Monday night shooting, of that killing at the Home Depot, the killer got a lot closer, perhaps even shot, just got out of his van, shot, maybe even 40 yards away, one report, got back in and drove off.
HEMMER: What could explain, from an investigative standpoint, the discrepancy in what eyewitnesses have seen, what they thought they had seen and why there are differences in the stories?
DAVIS: Well, Police Chief Moose says everybody sees things differently and in the panic of the situation, the frenzy, I'm sure, people ducking, everything else, you're trying to get out of the way, you're afraid, is the sniper going to come after me next, you know, you're seeing things in a flash and then remembering them that way. And that could account for why people are not getting license plate numbers. You know, we've seen, they're reporting now that they got partial license plate numbers, perhaps, from these vans, from the van on Monday. Tremendous help to investigators if, indeed, they can compare even partial license plate numbers with any of the thousands and thousands that are in this region.
HEMMER: I want to talk about sketches right now and composites, one, as that applies to vehicles, the other as that applies possibly to the shooter, a person. Let's take the latter first. Is there a possibility that at any point today or any time soon they might be close to releasing that composite? Or at this point is it entirely too early?
DAVIS: We know that police are working on a composite sketch of this man, the sniper. But they are not saying when that will be released or, perhaps, even if it will be released. It's way too soon. They're just starting to get those reports in of what this person possibly looks like.
Now, we do have composite sketches, as you were saying, of the possible van involved. A Ford Econoline was one of the light colored van. They put a sketch out of that, a composite. Also, an Astro van. That's a Chevy, something that people have said they have also seen at some of these scenes. It has a silver rack on top. Monday night when I was at the scene, the police chief reported that this particular van had the left rear light out, something that you would think that the killer could replace easily enough, but something that people can now look more closely at, focus on and look for that.
HEMMER: Thank you, Patty.
Patty Davis working the story again here in Rockville, Maryland.
Again, police encourage anyone who has any information, Paula, to call that nationwide tip line, 888-324-9800.
When we come back a little later, Paula, I'll tell you about the scene at that Home Depot, really interesting elements out there. That road, U.S. 50, four lanes in each direction, eight across. It is extremely crowded and very busy, especially at that time of the night. We'll talk about the difficulties surrounding that in a moment here.
Back to you in New York now.
ZAHN: Thanks, Bill.
See you in a little bit.
HEMMER: Sure.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Seen>
