The Beltway Snipers

Objective

• By watching this presentation, you should see that these sniper attacks are devastating and believe it or not, preventable. With stricter gun controls a tragedy like this one may never have even occurred.

Pre-Sniper Attacks

• In early September 2002, a 55 year old pizzeria owner was shot 6 times while locking up his store.

• His laptop was found in Muhammad’s car at the time of Muhammad’s arrest.

• In late September, a liquor store clerk was murdered and her co-worker was injured evidence left at the scene was tied to Malvo and Muhammad.

The Sniper Attacks

• Began October 2nd , 2002 and ended with the arrest of John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo on October 24th.

• The snipers killed 10 people and injured three.

The End of a Month of Terror

• On October 24th an HVAC mechanic tipped the police off to two men sleeping in a 1990 Chevy Caprice.

• The police arrested both men and found a .233 caliber weapon and bi-pod.

• Ballistics was then used to match the bullets from 11 of the 14 sniper attacks to that gun.

The Snipers

John Allen Muhammad

Lee Boyd Malvo

The Malvo Drawings

• Malvo drew a picture of the White House in the cross hairs of a rifle with the words “September 11th we will ensure will look like a picnic to you.”

• Malvo also drew a picture of himself in the crosshairs of a rifle. The words “Allah Akbar and Salaam” were written on it along with Bob Marley’s line from the song Natural Mystic, “Many more will have to suffer, Many more will have to die. Don’t ask me why.”

John Allen Muhammad

• Born December, 31 1960• He was 41 at time of his arrest• Member of the Nation of Islam• Served in the U.S. Army for 15 years• Skilled in handling weapons and hand-to

hand combat• Sentenced to the death penalty• Awaiting execution in Virginia

Lee Boyd Malvo

• Born February 18, 1985 in Kingston, Jamaica• He was 17 at the time of his arrest• Plead not guilty due to insanity• Found guilty and sentenced to life in prison

without parole

Weapon Used

• Malvo and Muhammad used a Bushmaster XM-15 semi-automatic rifle. This gun is not considered a sniper rifle, but is very accurate in the ranges of 50-100 yards.

The End