Going outside to run errands and pump gas has taken on a...

[annemariec]

Blondie, I'm in central VA and I'm nervous when I pump gas. It has to be so hard to be right in the eye of it all. I know I'm looking all around me as I'm pumping gas. And I now choose parking spots in the center of the lots instead of the periphery (not that it would help) I've been cutting down on errands too. Fredricksburg isn't that far from us...

I told my husband if I lived in the area I'd probably squat down while pumping gas and pay with a charge card to avoid walking to the cashier. Probably sounds silly, but it would feel like I'd be doing some little thing to make me less visible.

It's just horrible. I hope and pray he gets caught soon and that there won't be any copy cats.

Stay safe,
Annemarie

 

[clutter]

My theory, and my friend's husband (their family was in the wal-mart across the street during wednesday's shooting...) is to run out and fill up right after he strikes again.

Groceries aren't a problem for me, my shopping center is totally surrounded by buildings, and if he took a shot from the parking lot, he'd never get out. I usually hate that center because it's so hard to exit, but last night, I LOVED it.

 

[annemariec]

That's a good theory clutter.

Annemarie

 

[Blondie]

I saw on the news last night that the Guardian Angels showed up to pump people's gas in, I think it was Maryland! I haven't heard or seen a Guardian Angel in years!

At the back of our local Mall, near where the woman was shot last Friday, it's nothing but a wooded area. There are many entrances/exits to the mall back there, it would be so easy for this sniper to bunker down back there, then shoot as someone was going into or leaving the mall! But there were tons of cars parked back there, and many people coming and going, business as usual. I was one of them.

For some odd reason, the sniper takes off on weekends, at least so far.

 

[kbeverina]

I know what you mean, Blondie. We were in Richmond this weekend and I wanted to fill up before we left. When we were leaving, there were police cars at the gas stations right off 95, apparently ready to give chase. We saw police cars sitting on many of the ramps on the way down, though we didn't notice too many coming home.

We stopped at the Navy Federal ATM down the road before coming home because I didn't want to do it tomorrow (operating on the theory that the sniper is taking weekends off to avoid suspicion from family and friends) and we don't have a local branch office to go into and deposit checks so our only option is this stand-alone ATM in the middle of the parking lot. Then when we pull up to our house, our neighbor tells us about the very same parking lot being swarmed with police and closed down this morning because someone reported seeing a guy on the roof of a shop there looking towards the Exxon station (right beyond which is my kids' school) across the street. I was thinking--okay, legitimate incident or someone getting hysterical or someone calling in a fake report to draw police there as a decoy. It's crazy!

Last night we were walking down a street in Richmond and a car drove by and some guy yelled "Sniper!" out the window. My son about jumped out of his skin.

 

[Blondie]

Here's a link to a photo and article regarding what they think is the vehicle the sniper is driving.

 

[Mickey's sunshine]

Everyone in that area stay as safe as you can. I hope that they catch this psycho quick and put an end to this madness. I can only imagine how scary this could be for you all. {{hugs}}

 

[Serena]

I hope they catch this guy soon. I'm worried for you all, I can't imagine what you are going through.