Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Ohio Shootings

Aired December 01, 2003 - 07:16   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.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Police in Ohio right now are asking the person or persons behind a series of shootings there to make contact with them. The latest shooting last week took the life of a 62-year-old driver near Columbus. It is the first fatality since the shootings began, but they began last May.
Kris Osborn is live in Columbus, Ohio.

Good morning -- Kris.

KRIS OSBORN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Anderson.

Well, with today being the beginning of the hunting season, authorities are expecting an increase in the tip line. They're urging residents to be cautious and to be aware, as they investigate this bizarre string of shootings.

We recently spoke with one man whose van was hit by a bullet.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIAM BRIGGS, SHOOTING VICTIM: I was listening to an excellent blues guitar player, and I'm thinking I'm almost home, you know. And all of a sudden out of nowhere, boom! The window blows in on me, and there was a real loud bang.

OSBORN (voice-over): Decorated Vietnam vet Bill Briggs narrowly escaped death when a bullet suddenly ripped through his van window. Briggs' van was hit by gunfire in one of 11 recent shootings along Interstate 270 outside of Columbus, a place where a law enforcement task force is hunting those responsible for apparently randomly firing upon innocent drivers.

Ten of the shootings in the area have taken place in the last eight weeks with one fatality: 62-year-old Ohio native Gail Knisley was shot while on her way to the doctor with a friend. Authorities have linked the bullet which killed Knisley to at least one of the other shootings. Investigators, though, will not speculate as to the profile or background of the shooter.

DEP. CHIEF STEVE MARTIN, FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: We do know that anyone that is willing to shoot at a moving vehicle should and likely be keenly aware of the consequences of such an action.

OSBORN: As for Briggs, his wartime experience helped him survive. BRIGGS: My old Vietnam instinct kicked in, my Army instincts, and I just floored it, because you run away -- you drive through an ambush. You just go.

OSBORN: And now simple pleasures...

OSBORN (singing): Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, Pittsburgh can't win without Bettis (ph).

OSBORN: ... like rooting for Cincinnati Bengals with his wife and son are extra special.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Now, in addition to asking those responsible to contact authorities, the Franklin County officials released a post office box in the hope that the shooter or shooters would indeed contact authorities to give them more information to go on -- Anderson.

COOPER: So, Kris, I mean, it doesn't sound like they really have any leads at this point. The latest on the investigation, where does it stand?

OSBORN: Yes, they certainly are pretty tight-lipped. And thus far, they don't appear to have a whole lot, although they did adopt a slightly more optimistic tone recently, suggesting that they're making baby steps as part of their progress.

One of the things they have been able to do by virtue of all of the people calling in on the tip line is identify and eliminate various suspicious suspects or vehicles that may have been of interest to authorities. Of course, no formal suspects at this point. Anything that might have been brought to their attention has been eliminated thus far. And anything that they may have that is this cause for optimism certainly they're not talking about it -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right, Kris Osborn, thanks very much.

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 December 1, 2003 - 07:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Police in Ohio right now are asking the person or persons behind a series of shootings there to make contact with them. The latest shooting last week took the life of a 62-year-old driver near Columbus. It is the first fatality since the shootings began, but they began last May.
Kris Osborn is live in Columbus, Ohio.

Good morning -- Kris.

KRIS OSBORN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Anderson.

Well, with today being the beginning of the hunting season, authorities are expecting an increase in the tip line. They're urging residents to be cautious and to be aware, as they investigate this bizarre string of shootings.

We recently spoke with one man whose van was hit by a bullet.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIAM BRIGGS, SHOOTING VICTIM: I was listening to an excellent blues guitar player, and I'm thinking I'm almost home, you know. And all of a sudden out of nowhere, boom! The window blows in on me, and there was a real loud bang.

OSBORN (voice-over): Decorated Vietnam vet Bill Briggs narrowly escaped death when a bullet suddenly ripped through his van window. Briggs' van was hit by gunfire in one of 11 recent shootings along Interstate 270 outside of Columbus, a place where a law enforcement task force is hunting those responsible for apparently randomly firing upon innocent drivers.

Ten of the shootings in the area have taken place in the last eight weeks with one fatality: 62-year-old Ohio native Gail Knisley was shot while on her way to the doctor with a friend. Authorities have linked the bullet which killed Knisley to at least one of the other shootings. Investigators, though, will not speculate as to the profile or background of the shooter.

DEP. CHIEF STEVE MARTIN, FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: We do know that anyone that is willing to shoot at a moving vehicle should and likely be keenly aware of the consequences of such an action.

OSBORN: As for Briggs, his wartime experience helped him survive. BRIGGS: My old Vietnam instinct kicked in, my Army instincts, and I just floored it, because you run away -- you drive through an ambush. You just go.

OSBORN: And now simple pleasures...

OSBORN (singing): Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, Pittsburgh can't win without Bettis (ph).

OSBORN: ... like rooting for Cincinnati Bengals with his wife and son are extra special.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Now, in addition to asking those responsible to contact authorities, the Franklin County officials released a post office box in the hope that the shooter or shooters would indeed contact authorities to give them more information to go on -- Anderson.

COOPER: So, Kris, I mean, it doesn't sound like they really have any leads at this point. The latest on the investigation, where does it stand?

OSBORN: Yes, they certainly are pretty tight-lipped. And thus far, they don't appear to have a whole lot, although they did adopt a slightly more optimistic tone recently, suggesting that they're making baby steps as part of their progress.

One of the things they have been able to do by virtue of all of the people calling in on the tip line is identify and eliminate various suspicious suspects or vehicles that may have been of interest to authorities. Of course, no formal suspects at this point. Anything that might have been brought to their attention has been eliminated thus far. And anything that they may have that is this cause for optimism certainly they're not talking about it -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right, Kris Osborn, thanks very much.

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