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CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK

Still No Clear Description of Sniper

Aired October 17, 2002 - 05:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We're turning our attention now to the latest on the D.C. area sniper investigation. While hundreds of officers go on their, go on with their work on a task force, they still lack a crucial piece of information -- what the suspect looks like.
CNN's Ed Lavandera is covering the case from the Montgomery County, Maryland police headquarters -- good morning, Ed.

Any update at all?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the update here in Montgomery County, Maryland is that investigators continue to work around the clock trying to piece together the information they've been getting from witnesses and the 69,000 calls that have come into the tip center here in Maryland, as they try to piece together all of the different types of information that is coming in.

Of course, these shootings have gone on for two weeks now. Nine people killed in and around the D.C., the Washington, D.C. area. And, of course, after this latest shooting on Monday night at the Home Depot in Falls Church, Virginia, there was a lot of hope and there was a great feeling, especially among some of the officers working there on the ground, that perhaps they had, they were getting some of their best information, some of their best witnesses coming forward, describing what they saw at the scene, the gunman pulling into the parking lot area there just 30 yards away from 47-year-old Linda Franklin. And that information unfortunately unable to yield at this point a description, a definitive picture of what this suspect might look like.

So that is something that is perhaps frustrating investigators as they continue to move forward. The witnesses that have come forward offering different accounts of what that person might look like. So unfortunately nothing definitive at this point.

But there is, one thing that they do agree on, that it was a male suspect who came in. And sources tell CNN that that description goes as far as saying that perhaps it was an olive or dark-skinned male. But much more beyond that, it appears, the witnesses aren't able to agree to at this point.

Also, the other information is that they continue to look for the vans that have been seen in and around the sites of all 11 shootings. So that also continues to be something that investigators continue to focus on and hope that clues from the public will continue to pour in. And with all of this information about the confusion that perhaps the witnesses were going through, they also put out a list here of what people should keep in mind if, for some unfortunate reason, you happen to be around one of these shootings.

And just having been there Monday night, it is a chaotic scene when these things brokered out. I talked to several witnesses the other night who said that once that shot was fired, everyone knew instantly what was going on. But despite that, a lot of the witnesses said it was just chaotic. So they reminded people to take cover, be sure to protect yourself first and then try to be as calm as possible and to write down what it is that you see, anything that might be able to help out investigators, and even write that down on your hand, if you have to. Believe it or not, that will go a long way in helping these investigators perhaps try to track down this killer -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Ed, something I wonder about, having lived in Washington for many years, the Marine Corps marathon is going to be run not this weekend, but next weekend. People are out there training and doing their long runs. Do you think they'll take any precautions or alter the race course in any way?

LAVANDERA: You know, we've been seeing a lot of that over the last two weeks. Many schools in the area, as we've been reporting, have canceled all outdoor activities. Popular high school football games on Friday evenings have been canceled. Driving around the city last night I saw a lot of people outdoors jogging and that sort of thing. So those types of routines haven't seemed totally altered. There's also a big football game in College Park, Maryland between the University of Maryland and Georgia Tech University tonight, which is, of course, security steps and measures will be taken to ensure the protection there.

And we saw heavy security presence at the Washington Redskins football game last Sunday. So different types of precautions are being taken around, are being taken all around the city -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, life goes on.

Thank you, Ed Lavandera.

LAVANDERA: Sure.

COSTELLO: We'll get back to you in a bit.

And we did check the Marine Corps marathon Web site. It's not canceled. It goes on as normal. And, of course, the Marines are there anyway and I'm sure there'll be added security this year.

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