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CNN Saturday Morning News
Hunt for West Virginia Sniper Continues
Aired August 23, 2003 - 08:04 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the sniper shootings in West Virginia, federal and local authorities are working 24-7 to solve the recent killings of three people outside area convenience stores. But they're asking for the public's help now in finding two men.
Let's get an update on the situation from CNN's Maria Hinojosa in Charleston, West Virginia.
Something like 600 leads or so, right, Maria?
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Heidi.
You know, it's been nine days since the last fatal shooting, but the people here in Charleston, West Virginia still very much on edge. Just to give you an example of that, last night helicopters were swarming overhead, sirens were blaring. We thought that something had happened and it turned out that there had just been some tires blown out in a community here. There was that kind of emotion here.
And another interesting thing, this morning people here woke up to see a familiar sight from some of the images of this sniper attack in D.C., this one, of course, people now putting gasoline into their tanks leaning below the cars just to stay out of any possible danger. The three shootings did happen in the evening at these gas stations.
Now, we have learned, CNN has learned that the ATF will continue to recreate these crime scenes, trying to understand better the past of the bullet, trying to get any more information about who this shooter may have been, where he was standing, what kind of a shooter he or she may have been, or shooters, in that case.
We also know that they have gotten several calls, once they have released this composite sketch of a man that authorities are saying is not a suspect, that they say is just someone that they are very interested in speaking to. But he was in a black truck or a dark colored truck at one of the shootings. But authorities are saying they are reaching out to the public for any help, any kind of witnesses at this point.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENNETH MCCABE, FBI SPECIAL AGENT: We would like to identify and speak with anyone in or near the area of the Go Mart located at 3399 U.S. Route 60 in Cedar Grove on the night of August 14 between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and midnight. Based upon our review of the store video and other investigation, we know that a number of people have yet to be identified or have not come forward to talk to us. If you are one of these people or if you have information about these people, please call.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HINOJOSA: So they are reaching out, hoping that the public does call in, again, just searching for witnesses of these attacks.
Now, one interesting thing, Heidi, there had been some discussion about whether or not these shootings had been drug related. There was some division here internally among some of the authorities. We have heard now from federal authorities that they are not willing to discard any possible theory. They say that their investigation wants to be as widespread and as thorough as possible. So at this point that is included in some of the leads that they will be researching -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Another important point, I think, too, Maria, to talk about just for a moment, I know that when they end up releasing a composite like that, authorities tend to worry a little bit that people become too narrow minded as far as who they might be on the lookout for and what sort of information they can call in.
How are authorities going about making sure that people know to call in no matter what they see that might be suspicious?
HINOJOSA: Well, they've, here on the local press there's been a lot of information given out about these numbers that people should call in and they are saying that they have gotten many, many, many calls. But they're also having to take these calls and screen them carefully. I mean there are a lot of people who we spoke to just yesterday, once they saw this composite sketch, that said he looks familiar, we think we've seen him but we can't place him, we don't know what his name is.
So they are going to be taking in these calls, but, again, screening them very carefully, because, of course, at this point they are saying he's not a suspect, just someone, again, that they're very interested in speaking to -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, CNN's Maria Hinojosa today from Charleston, West Virginia.
Thanks, Maria.
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 August 23, 2003 - 08:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the sniper shootings in West Virginia, federal and local authorities are working 24-7 to solve the recent killings of three people outside area convenience stores. But they're asking for the public's help now in finding two men.
Let's get an update on the situation from CNN's Maria Hinojosa in Charleston, West Virginia.
Something like 600 leads or so, right, Maria?
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Heidi.
You know, it's been nine days since the last fatal shooting, but the people here in Charleston, West Virginia still very much on edge. Just to give you an example of that, last night helicopters were swarming overhead, sirens were blaring. We thought that something had happened and it turned out that there had just been some tires blown out in a community here. There was that kind of emotion here.
And another interesting thing, this morning people here woke up to see a familiar sight from some of the images of this sniper attack in D.C., this one, of course, people now putting gasoline into their tanks leaning below the cars just to stay out of any possible danger. The three shootings did happen in the evening at these gas stations.
Now, we have learned, CNN has learned that the ATF will continue to recreate these crime scenes, trying to understand better the past of the bullet, trying to get any more information about who this shooter may have been, where he was standing, what kind of a shooter he or she may have been, or shooters, in that case.
We also know that they have gotten several calls, once they have released this composite sketch of a man that authorities are saying is not a suspect, that they say is just someone that they are very interested in speaking to. But he was in a black truck or a dark colored truck at one of the shootings. But authorities are saying they are reaching out to the public for any help, any kind of witnesses at this point.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENNETH MCCABE, FBI SPECIAL AGENT: We would like to identify and speak with anyone in or near the area of the Go Mart located at 3399 U.S. Route 60 in Cedar Grove on the night of August 14 between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and midnight. Based upon our review of the store video and other investigation, we know that a number of people have yet to be identified or have not come forward to talk to us. If you are one of these people or if you have information about these people, please call.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HINOJOSA: So they are reaching out, hoping that the public does call in, again, just searching for witnesses of these attacks.
Now, one interesting thing, Heidi, there had been some discussion about whether or not these shootings had been drug related. There was some division here internally among some of the authorities. We have heard now from federal authorities that they are not willing to discard any possible theory. They say that their investigation wants to be as widespread and as thorough as possible. So at this point that is included in some of the leads that they will be researching -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Another important point, I think, too, Maria, to talk about just for a moment, I know that when they end up releasing a composite like that, authorities tend to worry a little bit that people become too narrow minded as far as who they might be on the lookout for and what sort of information they can call in.
How are authorities going about making sure that people know to call in no matter what they see that might be suspicious?
HINOJOSA: Well, they've, here on the local press there's been a lot of information given out about these numbers that people should call in and they are saying that they have gotten many, many, many calls. But they're also having to take these calls and screen them carefully. I mean there are a lot of people who we spoke to just yesterday, once they saw this composite sketch, that said he looks familiar, we think we've seen him but we can't place him, we don't know what his name is.
So they are going to be taking in these calls, but, again, screening them very carefully, because, of course, at this point they are saying he's not a suspect, just someone, again, that they're very interested in speaking to -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, CNN's Maria Hinojosa today from Charleston, West Virginia.
Thanks, Maria.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
