# 2 more shootings in MD. Let's make a profile. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 7, 2002, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194 "2002-10-07T14:13:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Nevermind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/53a042/32.png) [@Nevermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nevermind)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/41 "2002-10-08T12:05:23Z")
Well, I’m about ready to leave my Maryland suburban home to go to work in Montgomery County…wish me luck! ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/42 "2002-10-08T12:34:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eleusis \* > \*\* > Anyway I heard somewhere that all the victims have been non-white. Is this true? If so, add white-supremecist to my list. > \*\* The young woman vacuuming her car was white. One of the men was Indian (I think the one shot at the bus stop). I think one of the other men was black. I’m not sure about anyone else. Seems to be pretty random. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/43 "2002-10-08T12:55:01Z")
The man shot on Thursday morning while mowing the lawn was white. [CNN](http://www.cnn.com) has pictures of all of the victims. ---
**Author:** ![Asylum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@Asylum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asylum)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/44 "2002-10-08T13:07:07Z")
I really wouldn’t play up any race angles just yet. Forty percent of Maryland’s population are minorities. This percentage increases on the eastern side of the state and likely increases more the closer you get to the cities, which is where most of the shootings have taken place. Add to this a white woman was shot and I think it’s unlikely that the killer is picking his targets based on skin pigmentation. And for the record would they please catch this fucker? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/45 "2002-10-08T13:08:06Z")
Weird, but plausible (if not very probable) theory: It’s been said that, if you want to kill one specific person, you can kill a few people before and after to make police think it’s a random serial killing. Since this person is acting in the DC area, maybe he is going to kill a politician in the middle of the shootings. ---
**Author:** ![Asylum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@Asylum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asylum)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/46 "2002-10-08T13:08:36Z")
Oops, I meant western side of state, not eastern. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/47 "2002-10-08T13:45:48Z")
Killings, then extortion demands, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![trishdish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d2c977/32.png) [@trishdish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trishdish)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/48 "2002-10-08T15:32:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kalashnikov \* > \*\*It was my understanding that all the shots were from 200 yards or less - many of them MUCH less - hardly “long distance” or “sniper” shots. A competent shooter, sure - not some inner city kid who’s never held a rifle before - but nothing most hunters or recreational rifle shooters couldn’t do. \*\* I think what is astounding to most, including police, is that the shooter has hit his victims by firing only one single shot. One shot, one kill. Yes, there are people out there capable of hitting a target from a distance but, by taking only one shot? That’s pretty good aim. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/49 "2002-10-08T15:36:43Z")
I’d disagree that the shooter is a “mental midget.” From what I read and hear there’s a degree of planning and thought going into these acts that indicates to me the perpetrator is pretty intelligent. Or maybe he’s damn lucky, but I doubt it. I think the shooter is certainly getting satisfaction and inspiration from the massive news coverage of the shootings, and I think an escalation of shootings is imminent. Whether this escalation will involve an increase in the number of victims, or a sort of “social outrage” as in the shooting of the Maryland student, I don’t know. Most often–I’ll find a cite later–spree killers either commit suicide themselves or choose to go out via “suicide by cop” in a standoff/shootout. Then again, the shooter may just stop on his own, and never be seen again. Also, the agenda or purpose of the spree is hard to decipher during the events, and may only be explained posthumously, either by things the shooter leaves behind or by biographical statements from people who knew him. In this case, efforts to identify the shooter are compounded by the fact that there’s no connection between the victims. ---
**Author:** ![trishdish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d2c977/32.png) [@trishdish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trishdish)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/50 "2002-10-08T15:40:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mornea \* > \*\* > I would love to know how they figured out this person was traveling in a white box truck. I wouldn’t limit my search to these types of trucks because it would be absurdly easy for the killer to abandon that vehicle and use another. > \*\* The only reason why the police haven’t discredited the white box truck as a lead is because no one owning a truck matching that description has come forward. Not only was it a white box, delivery type truck with black lettering, it also had damage to the back. Rather specific information and one might think, given the amount of attention these shootings are getting in the metro DC area, if a company had a truck doing deliveries around the times of the shootings on Thursday morning in the Aspen Hill area, they would call authorities, if only to help with the investigation. ---
**Author:** ![trishdish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d2c977/32.png) [@trishdish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trishdish)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/51 "2002-10-08T15:54:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\* > You have just as much chance of being gunned down now as you did before these shootings occurred. These are apparently random shootings; just because it’s the same person doesn’t increase your own personal chances of getting shot one bit. \*\* Actually, no, I didn’t have just as much of a chance of being gunned down before these shootings occured as I do now. I live in Montgomery County, where the homicide rate increased 25% in one day with 5 shootings - so I live(d) in a low crime area where, typically, random or even less-than-random shootings do not occur. Also, I’m not a crack dealer or crack user. Basically, my activities and recreational hobbies do not lend themselves to increasing my chances of randomly or not-so-randomly being a victim of a shooting. And, I don’t own a gun. I only mention gun ownership because owning one does increase your chances of being killed someone you know with a gun. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\* > > With an unknown assailant shooting me down, I have zero control, and therefore it’s futile to be fearful. \*\* Actually, for some people, it’s precisely that lack of control that makes them so fearful. You mentioned driving in a car and the chances of dying in a car accident as much greater than being shot by a sniper. This is true but, for many people, driving a car is something that they can control, hence, they have less fear of the experience. That’s why some people have a fear of flying. They aren’t flying the plane, hence they have no control and that freaks them out. ---
**Author:** ![trishdish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d2c977/32.png) [@trishdish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trishdish)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/52 "2002-10-08T16:04:46Z")
My profile: 1. White male, early to mid 20s 2. High school education/possibly h.s. dropout. No college education 3. Possible military background but low level. 4. Definite hunting background. Probably has a large cache of guns - fascinated with them. I keep picturing Timothy McVeigh. And I think this guy definitely lives or works very close to where the first set of shootings took place. Actually, I’ll be even more specific. I think he lives/works on or right off of Randolph Road. I think he went to Spotsyvania County and Bowie to try to lead the police to look for him somewhere else - but he chose those two locations because they are near major traffic routes, like 50 and I-95, where he could shoot and leave very quickly. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/53 "2002-10-08T16:26:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by trishdish \* > \*\*My profile: > > 1. White male, early to mid 20s > 2. High school education/possibly h.s. dropout. No college education > 3. Possible military background but low level. > 4. Definite hunting background. Probably has a large cache of guns - fascinated with them. > > I keep picturing Timothy McVeigh. > \*\* That’s pretty much what I’m thinking. And I’d agree with **brondicon’s** comment from the first page; this person isn’t a mental midget. I think he’s probably reasonably intelligent. Regarding #4: A caller on WBAL (1010-AM, local Baltimore radio talk show) last week mentioned checking with local gun clubs. This guy can shoot. It definitely isn’t just someone who walked into K-Mart last week and picked out the first gun he saw. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/54 "2002-10-08T16:38:47Z")
To begin with the traditonal. “He always seemed nice and quiet, kept his lawn cut, never any trouble out of him.” That being said: Native of Monty Country (very familar with good places to shoot). Working alone (spree killers rarely work in teams, but is not unheard of). Out of work (shooting times do not seem to line up with regualr rush hours). Probably black (Am I right in saying no black person has been shot yet?). Male. Gun nut. Of course I also have to admit I could see him being some lone wolf trying to support his "brothers in Iraq, Afganistan, whatever. In this case, i would go for non-White and native-born. ---
**Author:** ![trishdish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d2c977/32.png) [@trishdish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trishdish)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/55 "2002-10-08T16:41:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BiblioCat \* > \*\* > And I’d agree with **brondicon’s** comment from the first page; this person isn’t a mental midget. I think he’s probably reasonably intelligent. > \*\* If he were a mental midget, they would’ve already caught the guy. ---
**Author:** ![cheepdogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed8c4c/32.png) [@cheepdogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cheepdogg)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/56 "2002-10-08T16:44:45Z")
Seems like the profile is “Hispanic-looking” men…Could they be Arab? [Article](http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29188) ---
**Author:** ![trishdish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d2c977/32.png) [@trishdish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trishdish)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/57 "2002-10-08T16:47:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Paul in Saudi \* > **Am I right in saying no black person has been shot yet?** The man shot in DC on Thursday night was black. The victims have run the gamut from white, black, Indian, hispanic, old, young, male and female. Here is the list of victims with pictures: [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/daily/graphics/sniper\_attacks.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/daily/graphics/sniper_attacks.html) ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/58 "2002-10-08T17:12:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by trishdish \* > Actually, no, I didn’t have just as much of a chance of being gunned down before these shootings occured as I do now. I live in Montgomery County, where the homicide rate increased 25% in one day with 5 shootings - so I live(d) in a low crime area where, typically, random or even less-than-random shootings do not occur. Yes, and after the crime spree has abated, it’ll return to normal. Or are you saying this is how it’s going to be from now on? > [@](#): > > Also, I’m not a crack dealer or crack user. Basically, my activities and recreational hobbies do not lend themselves to increasing my chances of randomly or not-so-randomly being a victim of a shooting. And, I don’t own a gun. I only mention gun ownership because owning one does increase your chances of being killed someone you know with a gun. Right. So the odds are the same. > [@](#): > > Actually, for some people, it’s precisely that lack of control that makes them so fearful. You mentioned driving in a car and the chances of dying in a car accident as much greater than being shot by a sniper. This is true but, for many people, driving a car is something that they can control, hence, they have less fear of the experience. That’s why some people have a fear of flying. They aren’t flying the plane, hence they have no control and that freaks them out. And as I said, that fear is silly. If you have no control over it, then whether you’re fearful or not, the result is the same. I guess I just find it pointless to worry about things over which I haven’t the slightest control. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/59 "2002-10-08T17:30:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by trishdish \* > \*\*I think what is astounding to most, including police, is that the shooter has hit his victims by firing only one single shot. One shot, one kill. Yes, there are people out there capable of hitting a target from a distance but, by taking only one shot? That’s pretty good aim. \*\* There are a lot of misconceptions held by non-shooters and I think this is one of them. So far none of the documented shots terribly difficult for a modestly skilled shooter. Thousands of hunters who get nore more practice than a box of ammunition when sighting in their rifles every year make far more difficult shots than this. I’d wager that a few dozen members of the SDMB alone are at least as skilled and could make such shots standing. Shooting from a benchrest or bipod it becomes trivial. Shooters are not guessing where the bullets will land. Bullets travel in very predictable and well documented trajectories. Actually the .223 has such a flat trajectory out to 200-250 yards that it isn’t even a factor in this case. I’m not saying the shooter isn’t highly skilled, he very well may be and is certainly organized and has the logistical skills to make the shots and not get caught so far. ---
**Author:** ![trishdish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d2c977/32.png) [@trishdish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trishdish)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194/60 "2002-10-08T17:35:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\* > > Yes, and after the crime spree has abated, it’ll return to normal. Or are you saying this is how it’s going to be from now on?\*\* I’m saying that my odds of being shot by a sniper have increased dramatically just by the fact that I live in a county where there is now a sniper on the loose. My odds are no longer the same as before, which were practically nil. They might not be astronomical odds but they have increased. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\* > > And as I said, that fear is silly. If you have no control over it, then whether you’re fearful or not, the result is the same. > > I guess I just find it pointless to worry about things over which I haven’t the slightest control. \*\* There are a lot of fears that are “silly”. Actually, that’s a large component of many fears - that they are not apart of your rational or logical psyche. If they were, they probably wouldn’t be called “fears”. I can say that I’m fearful. I am. Not enough to lock myself in my house. But, being out on street, in a parking lot, pumping gas…things that should be normal activities, do make me think. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-more-shootings-in-md-lets-make-a-profile/131194.md?page=4)