Ohio Sniper On The Loose

[newcster68]

Turf Wider For Ohio Sniper?
Posted By: newcster68 February 15, 2004 06:15

Ohio Sniper Shootings News Clip

Investigators confer on Tollgate Road
overpass, which crosses I-70, where
another shooting was reported Saturday,
near Pataskala, Ohio (Photo: AP)

(CBS/AP) - A man standing on a highway overpass fired a handgun at a sport utility vehicle Saturday on Interstate 70, and investigators said it appeared to be linked to the months-long series of highway shootings in the Columbus area.

No one was injured in the late morning shooting near Pataskala, about 15 miles east of Columbus.

The bullet struck the SUV's right front fender and lodged in the battery. It was recovered and sent for lab testing.

The shooting appeared to be related to the 23 others since May, said Franklin County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Steve Martin, a spokesman for the task force investigating the shootings. One person has been killed.

"This is pretty consistent with what our shooter has done in the past," he said. "Our particular shooter is becoming much more aggressive, much bolder."

The SUV driver and four other witnesses described the shooter as a clean-shaven white male in his 30s with dark hair, wearing a hat and sunglasses and driving a small black sedan, Martin said.

The description matched the one given by witnesses who were shot at last Sunday on Interstate 71 southwest of Columbus.

Although the serial shootings started in May, most have occurred since mid-October.

Until last month, the gunfire was scattered along or near Interstate 270, the busy highway that encircles Columbus. The last four shootings had moved toward the southwest on I-71.

Saturday's shooting is the farthest east the shooter has struck.

And CBS News Correspondent Cami McCormick says that would be "a disturbing development for law enforcement officials. The shooter struck first south of Columbus on the 270 loop, then even farther South on another highway. With increased surveillance and heavy patrols on both those roadways...officials hoped to have him caged in. Instead, he may now be expanding his target area again."

Source: CBSNEWS.com

[j2k4]

I wonder our young pilgrim's firearm was obtained legally and is properly registered?

[Biggles]

Just a thought, but if ballistics can identify the signature of every gun why is there not a database of every gun made. Thus the police could access the records to trace the last known owner (much like a car).

I appreciate illegal imports would fall out with the scope of this but it would still capture huge numbers of weapons.

Apologies if this already exists - I am not very up on firearms issues.

[james_bond_rulez]

that databse is useless if you know how to change that hammer and tubing of the gun....

[Biggles]

I suspect that someone who can strip a gun with his tonsils in the dark is not likely to use a traceable weapon to kill in the first place.

I think most of the crimes of passion, robberies that go wrong, drunken fights etc., would benefit from a database. After all, there is no point in changing the bits and bobs after the shooting.

The beauty of such a database is that the gun owner doesn't have to do anything other than advise if the gun is sold on to a third person.

[j2k4]

The wisdom of such a thing would be subject to the same template used for the gathering of fingerprints to track terrorists.

It would seem to be less reliable though, given the need to have a record created by firing each weapon as it left it's place of manufacture, and, given the black market and it's ability to provide services as well as goods, gunsmiths already provide a variety of modification services without proper documentation.

I think though, along the lines you describe, Biggles, that if such info as exists were entered into a database it could be of use, however limited.

I am referring to recovered rounds from crimes whose condition would lend themselves to the creation of a record.

It would seem a shame not to make use of any such information, given the ease of data transmission these days; could conceivably put a dent in street crime.

EDIT: Sorry for being late posting this; I was away from the keyboard for a bit after your first post, Biggles.

[MagicNakor]

There's a "gun registry database" here. It's ineffectual at best, and it cost $2 billion (and rising). In theory it's a good idea, but in practice it doesn't work.

[j2k4]

Originally posted by MagicNakor@15 February 2004 - 20:34
There's a "gun registry database" here. It's ineffectual at best, and it cost $2 billion (and rising). In theory it's a good idea, but in practice it doesn't work.

I think (have to ask Biggles to be sure) we were thinking of a database of spend slug's rifling patterns?

[Biggles]

J2K4

Yes, I thought a simple database of ballistics against a weapon serial number. The gun when sold would have that serial number against its warranty (guns have warranties I assume?). The owner, by registering, would confirm the location of the gun.

$2 billion seems a tad excessive. Some countries run entire Ministeries on that kind of money. The rifling patterns could be supplied by the manufacturer. I am sure it would be a small price to pay to show they are serious about responsible gun use.

I shall retire to bed now - I am hooked on Bill Bryson's "Short history of nearly everything".

[j2k4]

Originally posted by Biggles@15 February 2004 - 21:04
J2K4

Yes, I thought a simple database of ballistics against a weapon serial number. The gun when sold would have that serial number against its warranty (guns have warranties I assume?). The owner, by registering, would confirm the location of the gun.

$2 billion seems a tad excessive. Some countries run entire Ministeries on that kind of money. The rifling patterns could be supplied by the manufacturer. I am sure it would be a small price to pay to show they are serious about responsible gun use.

I shall retire to bed now - I am hooked on Bill Bryson's "Short history of nearly everything".

2 billion does seem excessive.

One would think civil servants could do this during spare time.

It's not a big deal.

Of course, if a politician can't announce it with much pomp and a large budget, it likely will not come to pass.