# Reporter shooting in Virginia **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 26, 2015, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942 "2015-08-26T13:30:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/161 "2015-08-28T15:13:23Z")
I feel certain there’s lots of other evidence. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/162 "2015-08-28T15:16:35Z")
I expect there is. But in \*this \*thread, the social media thing was offered as the be-all, end-all, nothing more to see here. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/163 "2015-08-28T15:27:37Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I feel certain there’s lots of other evidence. I think you’re quite right. Let’s see what we have here. 1. A video of the murders filmed by the defendant. 2. A manifesto of hate posted by the defendant. 3. Posting on social media of the murder video, PLUS an admission that he committed the crime. 4. A surviving witness to the murder who can ID the defendant. 5. Video from (the video shot by the cameraman) showing the defendant holding a gun and pointing it at the cameraman. 6. The same gun that committed the murders was found with the defendant at the end of his run. 7. A motive (retaliation) to want to harm the 2 victims. Yeah, I vote guilty and this is one of the times when the evidence is so strong that I would have no doubt he was the guilty party. Sufficient for the death penalty IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/164 "2015-08-28T15:33:28Z")
In the video, you just see a hand with a gun. Surviving witness, now that is damning evidence. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/165 "2015-08-28T15:37:47Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > In the video, you just see a hand with a gun. > Surviving witness, now that is damning evidence. 🙂 The video from the station, not the defendants video, shows the defendant holding a gun and pointing it at the cameraman. They cut it there and I’ll bet the next frames show it firing. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/166 "2015-08-28T15:40:44Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > In the video, you just see a hand with a gun. > Surviving witness, now that is damning evidence. 🙂 Not really. I’d never convict somebody based just on eyewitness testimony of a stranger who was in the most stressful situation of their life. Of course, all the other evidence against this guy would seal it. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/167 "2015-08-28T15:43:40Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > The holier-than-thou is definitely thick around here. I know, right? These people saying it’s important, valuable information that brings them closer to the victims think they’re so special for watching the video. I’m kidding! I don’t care if anyone sees it, I’ve seen plenty of gore myself, but some of the reasons are making me roll my eyes. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/168 "2015-08-28T16:32:56Z")
I just think it’s interesting and not something we normally get to see “for real”. If I could snap my fingers and bring those people back to life, meaning I’d never get to see the video, I would of course do that with zero hesitation. But it is a thing that happened, very unusual, and avoiding seeing it will not undo it. I just wonder if the people on their high horses never watched any documentary footage of wars. Lotsa people getting killed there too, folks. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/169 "2015-08-28T16:33:53Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > I just think it’s interesting and not something we normally get to see “for real”. If I could snap my fingers and bring those people back to life, meaning I’d never get to see the video, I would of course do that with zero hesitation. But it is a thing that happened, very unusual, and avoiding seeing it will not undo it. > > I just wonder if the people on their high horses never watched any documentary footage of wars. Lotsa people getting killed there too, folks. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen footage of JFK being murdered. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/170 "2015-08-28T16:51:12Z")
Oh, good point! And that is waayyyy more graphic than this video. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/171 "2015-08-28T17:04:43Z")
How did they catch him so quickly? I heard that they spotted his car w/ a license plate reader; however, he was not in his car but a rental car. This means PD would a) have to know he was in a rental car & not his registered vehicle b) start calling rental companies & make an “official” request to get info as I’d hope the rental company wouldn’t release info willy-nilly. At a previous job, I was the person who dealt with official requests. I could talk to the LEO agency after receiving a letterhead fax, & would even pull the records & have them ready to go, but nothing was released until we received either a formal request on dept/agency letterhead or an official subpoena in writing mailed to our firm. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/172 "2015-08-28T19:40:32Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > How did they catch him so quickly? I heard that they spotted his car w/ a license plate reader; however, he was not in his car but a rental car. This means PD would > a) have to know he was in a rental car & not his registered vehicle > b) start calling rental companies & make an “official” request to get info as I’d hope the rental company wouldn’t release info willy-nilly. (post shortened) Or they received tips from the public, or they tracked his phone, or they simply got lucky. It’s amazing how fast LEO’s can fight crime when they’re not working overtime to prevent looting, arson, and rioting. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/173 "2015-08-28T21:14:50Z")
They ID’d him as a person of interest fairly quickly - even the station manager said he came to mind, then of course they saw his video & tweets. The it’s a fairly simple matter to track a gps equipped cell phone, which he was actively using. As far as the rental goes, a fast review of bank / credit card use (takes a couple hours in a rush) along with simple police work (found his car at the airport) means they can track down the rental. Also, if he was already driving the rental at the time of the murder, he may have been caught on security footage nearby (gathering security tapes is standard practice in these events). During a fugitive search police home in on communication (cell phone) and money (bank & credit card) fast. It gives a clear indication of what a sloppy criminal is doing. So remember kids, if you wanna kill someone, cash only and burner phones, thank you very much. The rental was a pretty good idea, but he just didn’t follow through all the way. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/174 "2015-08-28T21:28:11Z")
Speaking of transparency - Dylann Roof’s “manifesto” was released in full a couple of days after the incident. Will Vester Flanagan’s? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/175 "2015-08-28T22:01:38Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > Though I read it several times, I must have missed something in **Muffin’s** above post that you were responding to because I don’t understand your response, **Magiver**. > > Are you saying that the USA has the same proportionate amount of gun murders as other first world countries? Yes that’s exactly what I’m saying. The number is zero. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/176 "2015-08-28T23:33:04Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Yes that’s exactly what I’m saying. The number is zero. “Guns Don’t Kill People… Bullets Do.” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/177 "2015-08-28T23:44:23Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > “Guns Don’t Kill People… Bullets Do.” > > :rolleyes: That’s correct. Guns don’t kill people. They’re inanimate objects. Do you think taking the gun out of the picture stopped the guy from murdering those 2 people? he could just as easily stabbed both of them through the heart with any knife or run them over with a car or an infinite number of other ways of murder. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/178 "2015-08-29T00:42:17Z")
I read a statistical analysis a few years ago that compared Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., which are similar in size, location, and demographics but on opposite sides of the U.S.-Canadian border. If you combined the murder attempts with guns and knives, it was roughly the same total in both places. But in Vancouver, the mix was tilted much more toward stabbings, and a lot more of the stabbing victims survived. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/179 "2015-08-29T00:47:52Z")
Breaking news: [Kate Upton has been stabbed with a banana](http://ifunny.co/fun/QdaVtDZG1). ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942/180 "2015-08-29T01:02:06Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Breaking news: [Kate Upton has been stabbed with a banana](http://ifunny.co/fun/QdaVtDZG1). I’ll bet that’s not the first banana to impale her. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporter-shooting-in-virginia/728942.md?page=10)