Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (26041)	1/24/2004 4:42:44 AM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793964

My Guess? Profile a Black Muslim. Police: I-71 shot is 20th shooting COLUMBUS (AP) -- A gunshot at a car that the driver said came from an interstate overpass is linked to a series of sniper shootings that have targeted cars, school buses and buildings, investigators said yesterday. No ballistic evidence was found at the scene of the shooting Thursday along Interstate 71, but other physical evidence linked it to 19 other shootings in the case, Franklin County sheriff's Chief Deputy Steve Martin said. He would not elaborate. The 19 previous shootings have been connected to the case by investigators because they took place on or near a section of Interstate 270 on Columbus' south side. Thursday's shooting occurred about 8 miles south of I-270. One person has been struck in the shootings. A woman was killed on Nov. 25 as she rode in a car on the way to a doctor's appointment. Bullets from seven of the 20 shootings, including the fatal one, came from the same gun, investigators said. In Thursday's shooting, Michael Thomas, 30, of Columbus, said he saw a person standing in the shadows in front of a parked car on the overpass about 12:45 a.m. just after his car was struck. ''I'm still in shock that I got shot at,'' Thomas said minutes after learning the shooting was linked to the sniper. ''Even knowing there was some crazy guy out there doing it, I never thought I'd get shot at.'' He recalled wondering what the person was doing but figuring he wasn't in danger since the person was standing over the opposite lanes. ''I thought, ÔWhat's that guy doing up there, throwing rocks?''' Thomas said. ''All of a sudden I heard this Ôpow.' I looked up at my window and it really was cracked.'' Thomas braked for a moment, then thought better of it and sped away, looking in his rearview mirror as he went under the overpass. He watched as the man got in the car and drove away. ''I realized someone just fired at me,'' Thomas said. ''After that I stomped on the gas and got out of there. I put as much distance between this guy and me as possible.'' Thomas, who is married with three young children, stopped at a convenience store two exits up the highway to call 911. Thomas said the man had a large four-door sedan, describing it as a late 1980s or 1990s full-size car. He said police cut out a 9-inch chunk of his hood for testing. ''He was out to kill somebody,'' Thomas said. ''Maybe he just didn't judge how fast I was going. It's kind of hard to hit a moving target at 65 mph.'' The serial shootings started in May, although most have occurred since October. Martin would not say whether investigators believe any of the other gunshots came from overpasses. This was the second time that a driver said a shot was fired from an overpass. An Akron couple reported that one of several juveniles on an overpass had a gun and shot a hole through a horse trailer they were towing in August. Martin has said there was no indication that juveniles were responsible for any shootings. The last linked shooting occurred Jan. 11, when a bullet ricocheted off a car's hood and shattered the windshield. Investigators found bullet fragments, but were not able to make a ballistic link with the other shootings. More than 3,600 people have called in tips on the case, and investigators are looking into numerous people named in the calls, Martin said. Local businesses are offering a $60,000 reward. zwire.com