Another Shooting??? Just heard on MSNBC..

[nicurn]

I hope they get this guy soon, he's just a little to close to where I live in Loudoun county. I hate having to think about where I want to park at the grocery store(between minivans), which gas station is the safest one, etc. (and forget going to michaels) It was pretty wild to watch the tv this am and see the police completely shutting down I-95 north. maggie

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

So there was a man shot pumping gas TODAY (10/11) AND last night???? (10/10)?? I'm confused

The man who was shot the other night happened on 10/9, not 10/10.

Seems like this week the shooter has chosen to skip Tues and Thursday this week. . .

I hope they find him (or them) soon.

 

[snoopy]

It should be an interesting ride home from Baltimore to D.C. this evening.

DH was off today, that lasted about 2 hours. Got called back in, as I would imagine anyone who works in law enforcement would be today.

All I can say is I will run out of gas before I get gas over my way these days. From now on, I get gas in Baltimore where I worke.

BTW, did you guys hear that a police officer was less than 50 yards away from where the last guy was shot? He was handling a speeding ticket or some such. He saw nothing, but heard a shot. He was on the scene within 1 minute, but not soon enough, I guess.

 

[Deb in IA]

Yes, snoopy, I was struck by that fact also.

From ABCNews:

A Virginia State Police trooper was investigating a traffic accident across the street from the gas station when the shooting occurred, and he was one of the witnesses who saw the van, but Smith said that it was not clear whether the white minivan was connected to the shooting.

What was clear, he said, was the character of the sniper.

"With a uniformed trooper right across the street, obviously we're dealing with an individual who's extremely violent and just doesn't care," Smith said.

 

[becka]

I wonder if this person(s) have knowledge of police tactics/methodologies? It seems that he is always one step ahead of the police and can some how still get away with this.

 

[nativetxn]

This must be very terrifying for everyone in that area. I know I would be frightened. Stay safe everyone

 

[Cindy B]

becka--

YOu bring up a very good point... DH and I were saying that last night...

 

[adamak]

Boy. And I thought it was the same gas station shooting. This guy is sick. As sick as those Taliban.

But I wonder how / if we can ever catch him, unless someone stop him immediately, or see the license plate. White is the most popular color, and how are they searching in the van? Even if they stop the right van, they could hide the weapons, right?

I just hope this stops soon. Very scary.

 

[JohnMouse]

I just saw a headline that the man shot today at the Fredericksburg Exxon station has died in hospital. This would be the 8th death from this sniper wave.

Unbelieveable.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Okay CNN just said that an undercover policeman reported hearing shots fired at an elementary school in Bowie, Maryland. Has anyone else heard anything more??
Let's hope that this is a false alarm!

 

[adamak]

I hope it's not true. I checked MSNBC and CNN, and so far they don't have this report. Hope it's false alarm.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

The reporter at CNN came back and said that they contacted the elementary school principal and the principal said that there were no shots fired on the grounds. I believe they will be checking the neighborhood just to be safe. Everyone is so on edge that a simple backfire of a truck could spark calls!

 

[Blondie]

It's too weird to keep seeing the town I live in mentioned here on the DIS. I wish it were for better reasons.

This sick person(s), whoever they are, IMO, is either right under our noses, or long gone.

He could've taken several routes out of there today without being noticed. There are so many little side roads to escape on. He could've headed down Rte 1 South, turned right on Massaponax Church Road, right onto Smith Station Road, right on Gordon Road and right onto State Route 3, eventually spilling back out onto I95. Or a left onto Route 3 going in a completely different direction that would eventually lead him back into Northern VA.

AND--I don't even think he/they are in a white van at all. Why do you think he's gotten away all this time?

 

[Deb in IA]

Take care, Blondie, and all who live in the metro DC area . . .

Did they ever release that "graphic aid" they talked about today?

 

[Blondie]

Deb, they were going to show this graphic thing at the press conference planned for 6PM, but now they are saying it's not ready yet.

 

[kbeverina]

A friend of mine told me that at Lauren's school they pulled the shades to the windows and had the kids sit on the floor for two hours. I haven't had a chance to talk to her yet, but if this is true, her kids must have been terrified.

 

[Dream]

Getting hairy down here in Richmond too. A kid at my daughter's middle school saw a strange man outside on her way to class. When he reached behind him like he was reaching for something the poor little girl freaked out and ran screaming back into school. There was mass panic in minutes and the principal had to make a general announcement that it was a rumor....but they called in extra police protection and locked down the school!?!?! Some rumor! Thankfully my dd was home sick today and experienced none of this but the phone started ringing around 3:30 and many of my scout parents were freaked enough not to want me to take the girls camping this weekend!! All outdoor school functions have been cancelled in this area this weekend....so has our campout. ONE man is causing all of this panic....gotta get this guy SOON!!!

 

[Blondie]

Wow kbeverina! The kids must've been so scared!

I was doing some things upstairs a little while ago, and when I came back downstairs, my 12 year old son had pulled all the blinds and closed all the curtains!

I asked him why and he said it was so the sniper couldn't see us to shoot at!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

I bet this guy lives near the shooting sites... probably in a rural area. He probably has like 10 different cars, trucks, and vans he can drive... and gets back home quickly to watch it all on TV. Heck, he could easily repaint whatever vehicle he was driving, or dump it somewhere. Looking for white vans is silly. It also sounds like he's got help... maybe a whole group of people. Maybe just like 9-11?

Obviously he's not stupid.... and I bet he has a military background.

I'm praying they can catch him/them soon.

 

[kbeverina]

I was just talking to Lauren (laurenk on the boards) and she said that sometime this morning they went from code blue to code yellow. That meant they had to sit down wherever they were, even the kids in the bathroom, and they stayed there for two hours. The teachers were visibly nervous, but the kids believed the code yellow was due to flooding from all the rain we've been getting. When it came time to go home, the kids were loaded early on to the buses and instructed to board as quickly as possible.

At this point we don't know the root of it, if it was a specific threat or a precaution based on the fact that the school is off 630, which was mentioned as an "escape route" on the news.

Honestly, Blondie, Lauren and I were talking several nights ago about the sniper possibly taking this to the next level of shooting into homes. After all, most people feel safe when they're in their homes. I'm one of the most unparanoid people in the world--I walk at midnight, leave my doors unlocked, go outside to watch when there's a tornado warning, never think bad things will actually happen to me--but I've been closing my blinds during the day now.