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CNN Sunday Morning
Victim of Sniper Shooting Spree in D.C. Area Laid to Rest
Aired October 06, 2002 - 08:15 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.
RUDI BAKHTIAR, CNN ANCHOR: As one victim of a sniper shooting spree is laid to rest today, Maryland police press their search for the killer who appears to pick targets at random. Now, authorities have linked a shooting in Virginia to the same weapon used in Maryland and Washington.
With more, Bob Constantini joins us from Montgomery County, Maryland. Good morning, Bob.
BOB CONSTANTINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rudi. Montgomery County police will be updating us in about two hours, part of their regular series of news conferences they've been holding not only to inform the media, but of course, to help inform a skittish public.
Now, ballistics experts have confirmed that a Virginia woman shot Friday in Fredericksburg, Virginia, a city halfway between Washington and Richmond, was struck by a bullet fired from the same gun used in at least four fatal shootings Wednesday night and Thursday morning and evening. That 43-year-old woman was hit by a bullet that passed through her body as she was outside a craft store. She is in stable condition.
Police believe the same gun is responsible for the six random shooting deaths that occurred here in Montgomery County and Washington D.C. Last night, police indicated a man they were looking to question and who was subsequently arrested on a warrant from Florida is not considered a suspect. The best that police have to go on is still the suspicion that the shots may have come from a white box truck seen speeding away from one of the killing scenes. They are receiving hundreds of tips.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. HOWARD SMITH, SPOTSYLVANIA CO., VIRGINIA POLICE DEPARTMENT: Since last night we have received over 1,000 calls to our crime solvers hot line, and out of those 1,000 calls, we have about 200 that we feel are credible that we are looking into right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CONSTANTINI: The first funeral will be held today; 54-year-old Prenkumar Wallekar, the third person killed will be remembered at a service in Tacoma Park, Maryland, a town just outside of Washington. He was the taxi driver slain while filling up his vehicle at a gas station. He leaves behind a wife and two children in their 20's, and we should note that some prayer vigils were held last night. More are planned for today, more funerals of course in the coming week.
We should also note that police were investigating a shooting death. A man was -- whose body was found at a reservoir about 15 miles from here, but at this point they do not believe that is related to these sniper attacks -- Rudi.
BAKHTIAR: OK, thank you, Bob, a lot of unanswered questions -- Bob Constantini from Montgomery County, Maryland.
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 October 6, 2002 - 08:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RUDI BAKHTIAR, CNN ANCHOR: As one victim of a sniper shooting spree is laid to rest today, Maryland police press their search for the killer who appears to pick targets at random. Now, authorities have linked a shooting in Virginia to the same weapon used in Maryland and Washington.
With more, Bob Constantini joins us from Montgomery County, Maryland. Good morning, Bob.
BOB CONSTANTINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rudi. Montgomery County police will be updating us in about two hours, part of their regular series of news conferences they've been holding not only to inform the media, but of course, to help inform a skittish public.
Now, ballistics experts have confirmed that a Virginia woman shot Friday in Fredericksburg, Virginia, a city halfway between Washington and Richmond, was struck by a bullet fired from the same gun used in at least four fatal shootings Wednesday night and Thursday morning and evening. That 43-year-old woman was hit by a bullet that passed through her body as she was outside a craft store. She is in stable condition.
Police believe the same gun is responsible for the six random shooting deaths that occurred here in Montgomery County and Washington D.C. Last night, police indicated a man they were looking to question and who was subsequently arrested on a warrant from Florida is not considered a suspect. The best that police have to go on is still the suspicion that the shots may have come from a white box truck seen speeding away from one of the killing scenes. They are receiving hundreds of tips.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. HOWARD SMITH, SPOTSYLVANIA CO., VIRGINIA POLICE DEPARTMENT: Since last night we have received over 1,000 calls to our crime solvers hot line, and out of those 1,000 calls, we have about 200 that we feel are credible that we are looking into right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CONSTANTINI: The first funeral will be held today; 54-year-old Prenkumar Wallekar, the third person killed will be remembered at a service in Tacoma Park, Maryland, a town just outside of Washington. He was the taxi driver slain while filling up his vehicle at a gas station. He leaves behind a wife and two children in their 20's, and we should note that some prayer vigils were held last night. More are planned for today, more funerals of course in the coming week.
We should also note that police were investigating a shooting death. A man was -- whose body was found at a reservoir about 15 miles from here, but at this point they do not believe that is related to these sniper attacks -- Rudi.
BAKHTIAR: OK, thank you, Bob, a lot of unanswered questions -- Bob Constantini from Montgomery County, Maryland.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
