D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear Page #4

---

How many more samples you want?

October in the D.C. area is | supposed to be a time for the outdoors.

The heat of the summer | has melted away...

but this season a state of siege | has paralysed the community.

Its citizens are staying in, | afraid to venture out.

Student sporting events have been | rescheduled or cancelled altogether.

High school teams | are practising in their gyms...

uncertain when activities will resume...

uncertain when their lives | will return to normal.

Well, what makes this not just an | American story but an international story--

Somebody like this | could hold London to hostage...

or Rome or Paris or Berlin.

The random shootings | are especially shocking here in England...

where strict gun control | limits gun ownership...

to a small minority | of the population, usually farmers.

But gun-related violence | is on the rise here...

and there is much empathy | for those in the D.C. area.

I'm from San Diego, and even though | we're all the way on the other coast...

we're-- we're nervous around here too.

I have two kids, and I don't even want to leave the house any more.

I live in Phoenix, | Arizona, and I'm afraid to buy gas.

Calls are coming in | from not only the East Coast...

but the West Coast, the Southern | States, the Pacific Northwest.

The Towers, | then the anthrax and now this...

and you wonder, | is there a line they won't cross?

I.D., ma'am.

Mildred Muhammad. Okay.

I'll get you to pull ahead. | I'll radio in for 'em.

Red dots represent the victims.

Red, orange, yellow and green | should be where he lives.

- Correct. | - The cable cops say he lives in the vicinity of his crimes.

And then he leaves it. | Hits Virginia.

- You say the schools are safe-- | - Then he proves us wrong.

We're defining his kill zone.

Our victims have all been innocent.

They have all been blameless | and defenceless.

But today...

a line was crossed.

Today...

it got down to the children.

And whether it was | the person we're looking for...

or someone else--

someone so cruel...

so mean-spirited...

to shoot a child...

they've given our community | a level of fear that we're not used to.

Now, come on.

That's crossing the line.

Our children don't deserve this.

I guess it's getting to be | really, really personal now.

So, parents, please engage | your children tonight.

Be there for them. | Tell them that they're safe.

They're gonna need that. | They've got to hear that from you.

And tell them that we're gonna...

carry on.

We will carry on...

because that's what we do | in this country.

That is what we do.

That, of course, was Chief Moose...

of the Montgomery County | Police Department...

speaking earlier today, emotional...

clearly upset over the shooting of | a 1 3-year-old boy in suburban Maryland.

Law enforcement officials are--

I'm supposed to be | all facts and evidence.

I go out there, I shed a tear.

He sees that.

He sees--

He sees he got to me.

He goes out and he does it again.

Detective Paulson...

my sources in Prince George say | that the sniper left a calling card.

You enjoying this?

Bad news is good news, | and good news is bad for business.

The message was on a tarot card. | The death card?

Mmm. What'd it say?

Are there any more cards?

Happy hunting.

DAY SEVEN:

As we last reported, | the child shot yesterday in Maryland...

at the Benjamin Tasker Middle School | was undergoing surgery...

- at Children's Hospital. | - Hey, you up?

I'm told he's out of the operating room | after several hours of intense work...

by the county's top surgeons.

But there's been no information | as to his status.

We will continue to track this story | and bring you updates as we get them.

And if you've just joined us...

there's been a very unsettling | update on the sniper case.

A calling card was left | with the haunting message...

- "Hello, Mr Policeman. I am God." | - Oh, no.

Sources say that the message | then went on...

to warn the police not to release | the card or its contents to the press.

- The card, the tarot death card... | - What have they done?

represents the sniper's first attempt | to communicate with police.

King George Four. King George Four.

King George Four.

King George Four, | concerned that your contact--

Chevy Chase Village, | you can phone him on two.

- Chevy Chase Village-- | - You all ri ght, sir?

Uh, sorry, Officer. | Y eah, I'm okay.

Can I see your licence | and registration, please?

Oh, sure.

Been up all night. | Drove down from Jersey to see my wife.

Took a wrong turn about 3.00 a.m. | I just needed 40 wink.

- Where does she live, sir? Your wife? | - Clinton.

All right.

Two-one-zebra. Registration current.

Registered to John Allen Williams.

Bang!

Get in, Sniper.

The tragedies continue | to mount in Maryland and Virginia.

The sniper or snipers have taken | the life of yet another victim.

This is the ninth shooting | and seventh murder since October 2.

Police collected evidence | at a Manassas, Virginia, Sunoco station...

where the man was shot down | while filling his tanks...

but have come away | with no leads to follow.

This is the third shooting | at a gas station.

Meanwhile, developments | continue to come in...

on Monday's shooting | at Benjamin Tasker Middle School.

The tarot card, the death card, | which may have been left by the sniper...

is said to have included | a warning to police.

Task force sources say the message | explicitly told law enforcement...

not to release the card to media outlets.

You have to blame the press | before the sniper blames us.

He's the only constant | the community has.

He's the face of this investigation.

The face of the investigation | can't go off half-cocked.

He has every right to give them hell. | It's an issue of trust.

You can do this, Chief. | You have a passionate history.

I'll see you all down there.

You attack the press today...

tomorrow all the stories | are gonna be about your temper...

and your problems in Portland.

Did you talk to the county heads | about running a dragnet?

- Charles, let me do this. | - Is everyone on board?

- Let me do this conference. | - Is everyone on board?

County, state and federal.

You know it has to come from me.

I'm the policeman.

As far as I know, | the people in my community...

have asked the police department | to work this case.

So I beg of the media, | let us do our job!

if the community wants you to do it...

they will call today | and we will have a vote.

And if it's decided...

Washington Post...

is going to investigate this case, | so be it.

You need to fill your airtime | and write your columns...

so you make up news | where there is none.

Each one of you is so hell-bent | on beating the competition...

that you make public information...

that could, at best, | jeopardize the investi gation...

or, at worst...

jeopardize lives.

FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA

Okay, we are...

set.

Sit tight.

Got it.

All right, look. | Traffic's clear. All clear.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes