1 00:00:02,523 --> 00:00:03,785 - Just after 7:00 this morning, 2 00:00:03,829 --> 00:00:05,222 a man killed as he mowed a lawn, 3 00:00:05,265 --> 00:00:07,746 a cab driver gunned down at a gas station, 4 00:00:07,789 --> 00:00:09,704 a woman shot as she sat on a bench, 5 00:00:09,748 --> 00:00:12,446 another woman vacuuming out the back of her car. 6 00:00:12,490 --> 00:00:14,187 - Between the third and fifth shooting, 7 00:00:14,231 --> 00:00:16,058 it became very apparent 8 00:00:16,102 --> 00:00:19,236 that something very sinister was going on. 9 00:00:19,279 --> 00:00:20,846 - One of the most massive manhunts 10 00:00:20,889 --> 00:00:22,239 in the nation's history. 11 00:00:22,282 --> 00:00:24,067 - They put us out patrolling at first. 12 00:00:24,110 --> 00:00:25,416 - Everyone that was available went. 13 00:00:25,459 --> 00:00:26,895 - All around the nation's capital, 14 00:00:26,939 --> 00:00:28,332 police on a hair-trigger alerts 15 00:00:28,375 --> 00:00:30,638 in a desperate search for suspects. 16 00:00:30,682 --> 00:00:32,858 - None of the victims had anything in common. 17 00:00:32,901 --> 00:00:34,251 They were just going out, 18 00:00:34,294 --> 00:00:36,296 doing what they do on an average day. 19 00:00:36,340 --> 00:00:38,342 - The serial sniper has struck again. 20 00:00:38,385 --> 00:00:39,821 The victim is a child. 21 00:00:39,865 --> 00:00:41,823 - That's just a whole 'nother level 22 00:00:41,867 --> 00:00:43,521 of sick, demented terrorist criminal. 23 00:00:43,564 --> 00:00:44,652 - I'm very nervous. 24 00:00:44,696 --> 00:00:46,219 - We're scared coming to work. 25 00:00:46,263 --> 00:00:47,916 - I'm scareder than I've ever been in my life. 26 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:49,962 - The whole region was just gripped by fear, 27 00:00:50,005 --> 00:00:52,921 and it was up to us in law enforcement to stop it. 28 00:00:54,662 --> 00:00:56,142 [dramatic music] 29 00:00:56,186 --> 00:00:59,363 - In the FBI, we make a lot of headlines. 30 00:00:59,406 --> 00:01:02,322 ♪ 31 00:01:02,366 --> 00:01:03,845 Drug busts, 32 00:01:03,889 --> 00:01:06,718 mob stings, 33 00:01:06,761 --> 00:01:08,502 terrorist takedowns. 34 00:01:08,546 --> 00:01:10,635 - Get down! Get down! 35 00:01:10,678 --> 00:01:13,028 - We understand why people want to tell stories about us. 36 00:01:13,072 --> 00:01:14,073 - Mark it. 37 00:01:14,117 --> 00:01:15,553 - Freeze! - FBI. 38 00:01:15,596 --> 00:01:17,207 - FBI! - Action! 39 00:01:17,250 --> 00:01:19,252 - But they don't know the half of it. 40 00:01:19,296 --> 00:01:20,862 [indistinct radio chatter] 41 00:01:20,906 --> 00:01:22,995 What really goes down, 42 00:01:23,038 --> 00:01:25,258 we save that for each other 43 00:01:25,302 --> 00:01:27,347 when we're talking agent to agent. 44 00:01:27,391 --> 00:01:30,350 ♪ 45 00:01:30,394 --> 00:01:33,570 This is "FBI True." 46 00:01:37,749 --> 00:01:40,317 [dramatic music] 47 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,058 ♪ 48 00:01:43,102 --> 00:01:47,193 - Kristy Kottis is a 24-year veteran of the FBI. 49 00:01:47,237 --> 00:01:50,064 She worked gangs, crimes against children, 50 00:01:50,109 --> 00:01:52,329 as well as human and drug trafficking. 51 00:01:52,372 --> 00:01:54,331 Kottis was the supervisor 52 00:01:54,374 --> 00:01:56,507 of the FBI's Threat Response Squad, 53 00:01:56,550 --> 00:01:58,204 overseeing the Bureau's response 54 00:01:58,248 --> 00:02:01,164 to terrorism threats in New York City. 55 00:02:04,384 --> 00:02:06,560 - So the Beltway Snipers, 56 00:02:06,604 --> 00:02:08,997 what was your job when this was unfolding? 57 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:10,302 Where were you? What was happening? 58 00:02:10,347 --> 00:02:11,870 - I was working cold case homicides 59 00:02:11,913 --> 00:02:14,481 in the Washington DC/Virginia area. 60 00:02:14,525 --> 00:02:17,528 And when the first shooting happened... 61 00:02:17,571 --> 00:02:20,444 ♪ 62 00:02:20,487 --> 00:02:24,143 - A 55-year-old man shot in a supermarket parking lot. 63 00:02:24,187 --> 00:02:27,929 ♪ 64 00:02:27,973 --> 00:02:30,280 - James Martin shot Wednesday night. 65 00:02:30,323 --> 00:02:32,456 - It was in Maryland. 66 00:02:32,499 --> 00:02:34,109 No one thought that it was going to evolve 67 00:02:34,153 --> 00:02:36,068 into the major case that it evolved in. 68 00:02:36,110 --> 00:02:39,811 - Melissa Thomas joined the FBI in 1991, 69 00:02:39,854 --> 00:02:42,901 working with the Gang Task Force in San Diego. 70 00:02:42,944 --> 00:02:44,816 She later joined the Counterterrorism Squad 71 00:02:44,859 --> 00:02:46,470 in Washington DC 72 00:02:46,513 --> 00:02:49,124 and the Behavioral Analysis Department at Quantico. 73 00:02:49,168 --> 00:02:51,910 She eventually transferred to International Operations 74 00:02:51,953 --> 00:02:54,956 in Rome where she retired in 2014. 75 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,263 - The DC/Maryland/Virginia area, we have a lot-- 76 00:02:57,307 --> 00:03:00,310 unfortunately a lot of violent crime. 77 00:03:00,353 --> 00:03:01,963 That was the Baltimore division. 78 00:03:02,007 --> 00:03:03,748 Washington field office was not involved. 79 00:03:03,791 --> 00:03:05,445 And then another shooting happened. 80 00:03:05,489 --> 00:03:07,534 - Just after 7:00 this morning, 81 00:03:07,578 --> 00:03:09,710 a man killed as he mowed a lawn. 82 00:03:09,754 --> 00:03:11,799 - James "Sonny" Buchanan killed 83 00:03:11,843 --> 00:03:13,366 behind the Fitzgerald Auto Mall. 84 00:03:13,410 --> 00:03:15,281 - And then another shooting happened. 85 00:03:15,325 --> 00:03:17,849 - A cab driver gunned down at a gas station. 86 00:03:21,156 --> 00:03:23,463 - Later, a woman shot as she sat on a bench 87 00:03:23,507 --> 00:03:25,291 outside a post office. 88 00:03:25,335 --> 00:03:26,640 - It came from right up there. 89 00:03:26,684 --> 00:03:28,076 - And another woman vacuuming out 90 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,296 the back of her car in a gas station. 91 00:03:30,340 --> 00:03:32,733 All were killed by a single shot. 92 00:03:32,777 --> 00:03:34,344 - So far, no one has been connected 93 00:03:34,387 --> 00:03:35,562 to the killing spree. 94 00:03:35,606 --> 00:03:37,434 - It became very apparent 95 00:03:37,477 --> 00:03:39,523 that something very sinister was going on. 96 00:03:39,566 --> 00:03:43,483 - Our homicide rate just increased by 25% in one day. 97 00:03:46,965 --> 00:03:52,144 - When did the FBI and investigators realize 98 00:03:52,187 --> 00:03:54,711 that these shootings may be connected? 99 00:03:54,755 --> 00:03:56,714 - Very early on. ATF took the lead 100 00:03:56,757 --> 00:03:59,804 on the ballistics analysis, 101 00:03:59,847 --> 00:04:01,109 and they quickly identified that it was 102 00:04:01,153 --> 00:04:02,372 coming from the same weapon. 103 00:04:02,415 --> 00:04:06,332 ♪ 104 00:04:06,376 --> 00:04:08,987 - We strongly feel that all of these are connected. 105 00:04:09,030 --> 00:04:11,859 The weaponry seems to be very similar. 106 00:04:11,903 --> 00:04:14,732 That does heighten our concern. 107 00:04:14,775 --> 00:04:16,690 - It's a year after 9/11, 108 00:04:16,733 --> 00:04:20,389 so our investigative brains start clicking. 109 00:04:20,433 --> 00:04:24,872 Is this another terrorist out there shooting Americans? 110 00:04:24,916 --> 00:04:26,657 - Now you don't know if it's an act of terrorism 111 00:04:26,700 --> 00:04:28,093 or if it's just some nut out there 112 00:04:28,136 --> 00:04:29,442 running around shooting people. 113 00:04:29,486 --> 00:04:31,401 - Well, I had to get gas today at a gas station, 114 00:04:31,444 --> 00:04:33,838 and I'm scareder than I've ever been in my life. 115 00:04:33,881 --> 00:04:36,144 - None of the victims had anything in common 116 00:04:36,188 --> 00:04:38,886 other than the fact that they were just going out, 117 00:04:38,930 --> 00:04:41,367 doing what they do on an average day. 118 00:04:41,411 --> 00:04:44,283 Baltimore was taking the lead for the FBI, 119 00:04:44,327 --> 00:04:46,633 working in conjunction with Montgomery County. 120 00:04:46,677 --> 00:04:49,897 But we had our finger kind of in the pie, 121 00:04:49,941 --> 00:04:53,161 because we wanna know, do you all need any help? 122 00:04:53,205 --> 00:04:54,989 - We have called in other resources. 123 00:04:55,033 --> 00:04:57,296 We have members of the Secret Service, 124 00:04:57,340 --> 00:04:59,124 FBI, Maryland State Police. 125 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:02,519 - I was sitting in the office, 126 00:05:02,562 --> 00:05:06,087 and got a call from Montgomery County SWAT. 127 00:05:06,131 --> 00:05:07,785 They said, we don't know what we have yet, 128 00:05:07,828 --> 00:05:09,743 but we may need you to come down. 129 00:05:09,787 --> 00:05:12,180 For us at that time, this was brand-new. 130 00:05:12,224 --> 00:05:15,314 We had never faced anything like this. 131 00:05:15,358 --> 00:05:18,883 - Keith Runk joined the Maryland State Police in 1986, 132 00:05:18,926 --> 00:05:20,972 serving as a SWAT commander 133 00:05:21,015 --> 00:05:24,323 and assistant commander of the Special Operations Division. 134 00:05:24,367 --> 00:05:26,804 Today, he's the lead instructor 135 00:05:26,847 --> 00:05:29,981 for civilian response to active shooter incidents. 136 00:05:30,024 --> 00:05:32,418 - On the second day, we got the call that they needed help, 137 00:05:32,462 --> 00:05:37,292 so we went down to Montgomery County, 138 00:05:37,336 --> 00:05:40,426 where the tactical operations were working out of. 139 00:05:40,470 --> 00:05:41,775 - And, Whit, did you have the same thing? 140 00:05:41,819 --> 00:05:43,124 You got the call? - It was a couple days 141 00:05:43,168 --> 00:05:45,866 after Keith and his guys got involved. 142 00:05:45,910 --> 00:05:49,130 - Whit Darnell spent 30 years in law enforcement, 143 00:05:49,174 --> 00:05:51,959 beginning his career at a state agency in Tennessee 144 00:05:52,003 --> 00:05:54,092 before joining the FBI, 145 00:05:54,135 --> 00:05:56,529 where he served on the Hostage Rescue Team. 146 00:05:56,573 --> 00:05:57,661 - Chief Moose had asked 147 00:05:57,704 --> 00:05:59,097 for help from the federal government. 148 00:05:59,140 --> 00:06:01,229 - Because of the magnitude of the investigation, 149 00:06:01,273 --> 00:06:04,363 I am writing to the attorney general 150 00:06:04,407 --> 00:06:07,410 to initiate a formal request for assistance. 151 00:06:07,453 --> 00:06:08,802 - I give him a lot of credit 152 00:06:08,846 --> 00:06:11,152 because he didn't just say, I need help. 153 00:06:11,196 --> 00:06:13,633 He did an official request for FBI assets, 154 00:06:13,677 --> 00:06:15,592 which means that, under the serial killer act, 155 00:06:15,635 --> 00:06:16,941 the FBI was able to get involved. 156 00:06:16,984 --> 00:06:19,987 ♪ 157 00:06:20,031 --> 00:06:24,296 - They put us out just kind of patrolling at first. 158 00:06:24,339 --> 00:06:25,471 - Everyone that was available went. 159 00:06:25,515 --> 00:06:26,820 - The serial sniper 160 00:06:26,864 --> 00:06:28,605 terrorizing suburban Washington, 161 00:06:28,648 --> 00:06:30,998 defying one of the most massive manhunts 162 00:06:31,042 --> 00:06:32,347 in the nation's history. 163 00:06:32,391 --> 00:06:34,306 - We broke the team down into two shifts. 164 00:06:34,349 --> 00:06:35,481 We had day a shift 165 00:06:35,525 --> 00:06:37,135 and an afternoon/evening night shift. 166 00:06:37,178 --> 00:06:39,529 The whole region was just gripped by fear, 167 00:06:39,572 --> 00:06:43,446 and it was up to us in law enforcement to stop it. 168 00:06:43,489 --> 00:06:46,057 - As morning approaches, there is a growing sense of dread. 169 00:06:46,100 --> 00:06:48,712 - About 7:04, the sniper is still at large. 170 00:06:48,755 --> 00:06:51,192 - Fears that the killing spree is not over 171 00:06:51,236 --> 00:06:53,543 are underscored by two more shootings. 172 00:06:53,586 --> 00:06:55,500 - 72-year-old Pascal Charlot 173 00:06:55,545 --> 00:06:56,894 was killed crossing the street. 174 00:06:56,937 --> 00:06:58,504 - A woman was shot and wounded 175 00:06:58,548 --> 00:07:00,071 at a suburban shopping mall 176 00:07:00,114 --> 00:07:03,074 about 60 miles southwest of Montgomery County. 177 00:07:03,117 --> 00:07:04,641 - If a shooting happened, 178 00:07:04,684 --> 00:07:07,034 the patrol would try to go in and triangulate 179 00:07:07,078 --> 00:07:09,472 and cordon that area off and set up roadblocks, 180 00:07:09,515 --> 00:07:10,777 especially at a major interstate, 181 00:07:10,821 --> 00:07:12,300 on-ramps or off-ramps 182 00:07:12,344 --> 00:07:14,172 that they could have easily used to get away. 183 00:07:16,522 --> 00:07:18,089 And that big law enforcement machine 184 00:07:18,132 --> 00:07:20,874 that was involved is running leads. 185 00:07:20,918 --> 00:07:24,138 And they're getting thousands of tips a day 186 00:07:24,182 --> 00:07:25,357 that they've gotta sort through. 187 00:07:29,927 --> 00:07:32,669 - Call our tip line at 1-888... 188 00:07:32,712 --> 00:07:35,541 - 324-9800. 189 00:07:35,585 --> 00:07:37,717 - The tip line was stood up overnight. 190 00:07:37,761 --> 00:07:39,545 [indistinct chatter] 191 00:07:39,589 --> 00:07:42,417 We had approximately 50 lines in a room, 192 00:07:42,461 --> 00:07:44,202 eight-hour shifts. 193 00:07:44,245 --> 00:07:46,421 That tip line was covered 24/7. 194 00:07:46,465 --> 00:07:49,337 They would triage the tips that would come in, 195 00:07:49,381 --> 00:07:52,515 and then I would review those tips after 196 00:07:52,558 --> 00:07:55,082 and decide, okay, this looks like interesting information. 197 00:07:55,125 --> 00:07:56,301 We'll send it up to the command post. 198 00:08:00,914 --> 00:08:04,962 Every morning, I would get in 5:30, 6:00, 199 00:08:05,005 --> 00:08:07,442 and I would start reviewing tips. 200 00:08:07,486 --> 00:08:12,273 And by then, we had the white van lead coming in. 201 00:08:12,317 --> 00:08:13,579 - Gotten several reports 202 00:08:13,623 --> 00:08:15,581 of a white van being seen in the area. 203 00:08:15,625 --> 00:08:19,193 - We have a lookout for a cream-colored Astro van. 204 00:08:19,237 --> 00:08:22,066 - Can't tell you how many thousands of tips 205 00:08:22,109 --> 00:08:26,679 we had called in about white box trucks and white vans. 206 00:08:34,077 --> 00:08:36,210 - We had no license plate, really no make and model 207 00:08:36,254 --> 00:08:37,690 other than that. 208 00:08:37,734 --> 00:08:39,605 - All day, police have been stopping 209 00:08:39,649 --> 00:08:42,173 and searching every white truck in sight. 210 00:08:42,216 --> 00:08:44,871 - You had to look into every single one of them. 211 00:08:44,915 --> 00:08:46,699 - And every one was suspect 212 00:08:46,743 --> 00:08:48,832 because that's what we had to go off of. 213 00:08:48,875 --> 00:08:52,531 - That created a monster like you cannot even believe. 214 00:08:52,575 --> 00:08:56,448 ♪ 215 00:08:56,491 --> 00:08:58,972 95 North, 95 South, 216 00:08:59,016 --> 00:09:01,105 in the middle of Washington, DC, 217 00:09:01,148 --> 00:09:03,020 shut down for hours. 218 00:09:08,765 --> 00:09:10,636 It was a nightmare. 219 00:09:10,680 --> 00:09:12,377 - The dragnet was very, very quick. 220 00:09:12,420 --> 00:09:14,640 I actually got caught up in it trying to get here. 221 00:09:14,684 --> 00:09:16,163 - What we didn't know at the time 222 00:09:16,207 --> 00:09:19,166 was there's probably 500,000 white panel vans 223 00:09:19,210 --> 00:09:21,342 driving around that area at any given time. 224 00:09:21,386 --> 00:09:23,649 - Thank you. 225 00:09:23,693 --> 00:09:24,955 - It got to the point where the drivers were like, 226 00:09:24,998 --> 00:09:27,522 hey, I was just stopped five minutes ago. 227 00:09:27,566 --> 00:09:29,350 - I think this is the fifth or sixth time, 228 00:09:29,394 --> 00:09:30,830 maybe the seventh time I've been stopped. 229 00:09:32,745 --> 00:09:35,487 - And it wasn't like a typical traffic stop 230 00:09:35,530 --> 00:09:36,836 where you walk up and you're like, 231 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:38,795 hey, I need to see your license and registration. 232 00:09:38,838 --> 00:09:39,883 - Yeah. - Stopped you for speeding. 233 00:09:39,926 --> 00:09:41,493 We approached with guns out. 234 00:09:41,536 --> 00:09:45,671 ♪ 235 00:09:45,715 --> 00:09:48,500 We definitely felt that if we engaged these guys, 236 00:09:48,543 --> 00:09:49,762 it was gonna end in a shoot-out. 237 00:09:52,809 --> 00:09:54,419 - So Melissa, when do we start getting 238 00:09:54,462 --> 00:09:55,768 some breaks in the investigation? 239 00:09:55,812 --> 00:09:57,378 Anything found that was specific 240 00:09:57,422 --> 00:09:59,511 that you could use with your team? 241 00:09:59,554 --> 00:10:02,601 - The school shooting in Bowie, Maryland, 242 00:10:02,645 --> 00:10:05,038 a 13-year-old boy was shot. 243 00:10:05,082 --> 00:10:07,301 - The serial sniper has struck again. 244 00:10:07,345 --> 00:10:11,566 This time, for the first time, the victim is a child, 245 00:10:11,610 --> 00:10:14,221 a child who tonight is fighting for his life. 246 00:10:15,222 --> 00:10:16,833 - That's just a whole 'nother level 247 00:10:16,876 --> 00:10:19,139 of sick, demented terrorist. 248 00:10:19,183 --> 00:10:22,490 No one shoots an innocent child coming out of school. 249 00:10:22,534 --> 00:10:24,275 - It makes you angry. 250 00:10:24,318 --> 00:10:25,406 It pisses you off. 251 00:10:25,450 --> 00:10:28,366 We don't have more to go on. 252 00:10:28,409 --> 00:10:30,237 - There was a note left at the crime scene 253 00:10:30,281 --> 00:10:32,109 at the elementary school, 254 00:10:32,152 --> 00:10:33,110 a tarot card. 255 00:10:35,286 --> 00:10:38,855 - The tarot card is the one that depicts death. 256 00:10:38,898 --> 00:10:42,075 - People started trying to decipher the tarot card. 257 00:10:42,119 --> 00:10:44,251 What does it mean? It's a death card. 258 00:10:44,295 --> 00:10:46,166 People started talking to psychics, 259 00:10:46,210 --> 00:10:47,820 talking to mediums. 260 00:10:47,864 --> 00:10:49,866 - It is a frightening symbol. 261 00:10:49,909 --> 00:10:51,171 - What's the message? 262 00:10:51,215 --> 00:10:52,042 And there was a message written on there. 263 00:10:54,261 --> 00:10:56,002 "Call me God." 264 00:10:57,787 --> 00:10:59,484 - Gave me a little picture, we're dealing 265 00:10:59,527 --> 00:11:02,574 with this psychotic individual way outside the norm 266 00:11:02,617 --> 00:11:05,185 of human thinking and ethics and morals. 267 00:11:08,972 --> 00:11:11,061 - The sniper is still at large. 268 00:11:11,104 --> 00:11:13,672 - And the case has now entered its second week, 269 00:11:13,716 --> 00:11:17,241 and this evening, the sniper or snipers has struck again. 270 00:11:17,284 --> 00:11:19,504 - Myers was just making a quick trip 271 00:11:19,547 --> 00:11:21,158 to a Virginia gas station 272 00:11:21,201 --> 00:11:23,029 when he was shot in the head. 273 00:11:23,073 --> 00:11:24,901 - They were canceling outdoor events. 274 00:11:24,944 --> 00:11:26,554 - Yeah. - They were telling people 275 00:11:26,598 --> 00:11:29,209 not to go out, be alert. 276 00:11:29,253 --> 00:11:31,995 It changed the way people operated. 277 00:11:32,038 --> 00:11:34,127 - I'm very nervous, you know. 278 00:11:34,171 --> 00:11:36,521 - We're scared to come to work. - Everyone is frightened. 279 00:11:36,564 --> 00:11:38,566 - This happened again, and like the other shootings, 280 00:11:38,610 --> 00:11:40,003 the killer got away. 281 00:11:40,046 --> 00:11:41,874 - No afternoon kindergarten Montgomery County, 282 00:11:41,918 --> 00:11:44,616 outdoor school activities suspended. 283 00:11:44,659 --> 00:11:46,836 - For the first time in 56 years, 284 00:11:46,879 --> 00:11:49,273 there will be no bands, no floats, 285 00:11:49,316 --> 00:11:51,928 no kids dressed in their Halloween costumes. 286 00:11:51,971 --> 00:11:55,496 - People pumping gas crouching down beside their cars. 287 00:11:55,540 --> 00:11:56,802 They would, you know, put a little bit in, 288 00:11:56,846 --> 00:11:58,238 and they would get out of there. 289 00:11:58,282 --> 00:11:59,979 Gas stations putting big blue tarps up 290 00:12:00,023 --> 00:12:02,155 to hide people, give them a little bit of concealment 291 00:12:02,199 --> 00:12:03,896 while they were pumping gas, things like that. 292 00:12:03,940 --> 00:12:05,463 - Not having a pattern. 293 00:12:05,506 --> 00:12:09,075 Not knowing who, what, why-- 294 00:12:09,119 --> 00:12:10,511 the why of why this was happening. 295 00:12:10,555 --> 00:12:12,296 We were all in fear of our life 296 00:12:12,339 --> 00:12:14,472 living in that area at the time. 297 00:12:14,515 --> 00:12:17,780 And then when we found out Linda Franklin had been shot, 298 00:12:17,823 --> 00:12:19,956 that ramped it up another notch. 299 00:12:19,999 --> 00:12:21,871 - Linda Franklin was a wife, a mother, 300 00:12:21,914 --> 00:12:25,091 and an FBI employee. 301 00:12:25,135 --> 00:12:27,267 Her life ended inside a Home Depot 302 00:12:27,311 --> 00:12:29,008 parking garage last night. 303 00:12:41,281 --> 00:12:43,283 - Not only did we have this chaos going on 304 00:12:43,327 --> 00:12:45,329 outside of our offices, 305 00:12:45,372 --> 00:12:48,854 but now here was our own family member. 306 00:12:48,898 --> 00:12:50,769 I did not feel protected. 307 00:12:50,813 --> 00:12:52,292 It was just fear. 308 00:12:56,949 --> 00:13:00,735 ♪ 309 00:13:00,779 --> 00:13:03,086 - No one has seen the face of the killer 310 00:13:03,129 --> 00:13:05,958 or even has a firm description of the getaway vehicle. 311 00:13:06,002 --> 00:13:07,655 - When does the next big break come? 312 00:13:07,699 --> 00:13:10,745 - After the shooting in Hanover County 313 00:13:10,789 --> 00:13:12,225 in Ashland at the Ponderosa. 314 00:13:16,316 --> 00:13:18,362 - A man and his wife were walking from the restaurant 315 00:13:18,405 --> 00:13:20,233 to their car when she heard 316 00:13:20,277 --> 00:13:22,018 what sounded like a car backfiring. 317 00:13:22,061 --> 00:13:23,889 - Her husband took about three steps 318 00:13:23,933 --> 00:13:25,848 and then began to collapse in the parking lot. 319 00:13:25,891 --> 00:13:27,327 - Thankfully, the victim survived. 320 00:13:27,371 --> 00:13:31,201 The crime scene search revealed not only a shell casing, 321 00:13:31,244 --> 00:13:34,552 but there was also a note tacked to a tree. 322 00:13:34,595 --> 00:13:36,467 It was found in a little Halloween bag, 323 00:13:36,510 --> 00:13:39,078 and it had stars on it. 324 00:13:39,122 --> 00:13:41,776 It was a very bizarre note, if you will. 325 00:13:41,820 --> 00:13:42,908 - Childlike, to me. 326 00:13:42,952 --> 00:13:44,910 - There were demands for money 327 00:13:44,954 --> 00:13:47,870 and information that they were going to call 328 00:13:47,913 --> 00:13:49,480 these phones at a certain time. 329 00:13:52,831 --> 00:13:55,399 But we had already missed that deadline. 330 00:13:55,442 --> 00:13:57,531 - To the person who left us a message 331 00:13:57,575 --> 00:13:59,272 at the Ponderosa last night, 332 00:13:59,316 --> 00:14:02,188 we do want to talk to you. 333 00:14:02,232 --> 00:14:05,235 Call us at the number you provided. 334 00:14:05,278 --> 00:14:08,760 - It also referred to children. 335 00:14:08,803 --> 00:14:11,067 - What did it say about children? 336 00:14:11,110 --> 00:14:14,113 - It is in the form of a postscript. 337 00:14:16,072 --> 00:14:22,034 "Your children are not safe anywhere at any time." 338 00:14:22,078 --> 00:14:23,079 - Wow. 339 00:14:23,122 --> 00:14:24,123 - And it was like, 340 00:14:24,167 --> 00:14:26,430 oh, my God, now what? 341 00:14:29,999 --> 00:14:31,478 [dramatic music] 342 00:14:31,522 --> 00:14:33,828 - And they referred to a priest that was called 343 00:14:33,872 --> 00:14:36,962 in Ashland in Virginia. 344 00:14:37,006 --> 00:14:39,617 And that priest told us that, 345 00:14:39,660 --> 00:14:41,836 yeah, he had received this really weird phone call 346 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,752 talking about a shooting in Montgomery. 347 00:14:44,796 --> 00:14:48,452 And from the information that the priest provided, 348 00:14:48,495 --> 00:14:50,193 the caller to the priest was not talking 349 00:14:50,236 --> 00:14:52,630 about Montgomery County, Maryland. 350 00:14:52,673 --> 00:14:54,937 He was talking about Montgomery, Alabama. 351 00:14:57,809 --> 00:15:00,507 Somebody picked up the phone and called Montgomery, Alabama, 352 00:15:00,551 --> 00:15:02,031 and said, do you have any unsolved shootings 353 00:15:02,074 --> 00:15:03,597 that we could look at? 354 00:15:03,641 --> 00:15:05,382 The response back from Montgomery, Alabama, 355 00:15:05,425 --> 00:15:07,558 was, oh, yeah, we do. 356 00:15:07,601 --> 00:15:09,342 - On September the 21st, 357 00:15:09,386 --> 00:15:11,649 one Alabama State Liquor Board employee was killed 358 00:15:11,692 --> 00:15:13,868 and another wounded by a single gunman 359 00:15:13,912 --> 00:15:16,045 in the parking lot outside their store. 360 00:15:16,088 --> 00:15:18,090 - And they had a magazine, 361 00:15:18,134 --> 00:15:20,788 and I mean a magazine like a periodical. 362 00:15:20,832 --> 00:15:21,920 But it had a fingerprint on it. 363 00:15:23,661 --> 00:15:26,185 The fingerprint from the magazine was identified 364 00:15:26,229 --> 00:15:27,926 to Lee Boyd Malvo. 365 00:15:30,233 --> 00:15:32,713 Malvo was 17 years old, 366 00:15:32,757 --> 00:15:35,107 a Jamaican citizen. 367 00:15:35,151 --> 00:15:38,110 Okay. What's his background? 368 00:15:38,154 --> 00:15:40,939 And things started to get put together. 369 00:15:40,983 --> 00:15:42,854 There was a tip that had come in 370 00:15:42,897 --> 00:15:46,118 to our Seattle division from someone who said, 371 00:15:46,162 --> 00:15:51,210 listen, I am a friend of John Muhammad. 372 00:15:51,254 --> 00:15:53,212 And I know that he's traveling around the country 373 00:15:53,256 --> 00:15:57,782 with a younger man, who his nickname is Sniper. 374 00:15:57,825 --> 00:16:00,785 And he said John Muhammad's ex-wife lived 375 00:16:00,828 --> 00:16:02,961 in the DC area with their children. 376 00:16:03,005 --> 00:16:05,833 And he told us that John Muhammad 377 00:16:05,877 --> 00:16:10,534 used to target practice in a backyard with a rifle. 378 00:16:10,577 --> 00:16:14,146 And then we quickly find out that Malvo's mother 379 00:16:14,190 --> 00:16:15,974 had met John Muhammad in the Caribbean. 380 00:16:18,759 --> 00:16:20,848 And so it was like, oh, okay, 381 00:16:20,892 --> 00:16:22,633 this probably is Lee Boyd Malvo, 382 00:16:22,676 --> 00:16:25,462 and he probably is traveling with John Muhammad. 383 00:16:25,505 --> 00:16:27,159 Background information on John Muhammad 384 00:16:27,203 --> 00:16:29,161 was that he was former Army, 385 00:16:29,205 --> 00:16:32,077 had been stationed in Washington. 386 00:16:32,121 --> 00:16:34,906 Quickly ran down information about his ex-wife, 387 00:16:34,949 --> 00:16:36,560 where they lived. 388 00:16:36,603 --> 00:16:37,952 Your head would spin 389 00:16:37,996 --> 00:16:40,694 how fast this information was coming in. 390 00:16:40,738 --> 00:16:42,957 - Do we have a vehicle associated with them? 391 00:16:43,001 --> 00:16:44,655 - They weren't driving a white box truck. 392 00:16:44,698 --> 00:16:46,961 We quickly found out that John Muhammad was registered 393 00:16:47,005 --> 00:16:50,878 to an older model Chevy Caprice 394 00:16:50,922 --> 00:16:52,402 that had New Jersey license plates. 395 00:16:54,665 --> 00:16:57,015 So we have the vehicle, and we have the license plates. 396 00:16:57,059 --> 00:16:59,322 - A federal arrest warrant has been issued 397 00:16:59,365 --> 00:17:02,934 for John Allen Muhammad, a Black male, 42 years of age. 398 00:17:02,977 --> 00:17:05,023 He may be in the company of a juvenile. 399 00:17:05,066 --> 00:17:07,330 - They are also looking for a vehicle 400 00:17:07,372 --> 00:17:09,287 which these two are believed to be driving, 401 00:17:09,332 --> 00:17:12,465 a 1990 Chevy Caprice, New Jersey license plates, 402 00:17:12,508 --> 00:17:16,034 NDA-21Z. 403 00:17:16,078 --> 00:17:18,993 ♪ 404 00:17:19,036 --> 00:17:22,431 - Within hours, we had someone whose commute took him 405 00:17:22,475 --> 00:17:25,651 along I-70 in northwestern Maryland. 406 00:17:25,696 --> 00:17:27,524 He decided to pull over to take a break. 407 00:17:27,566 --> 00:17:29,700 And because he heard that BOLO, 408 00:17:29,743 --> 00:17:31,397 he was like, oh, my God, 409 00:17:31,441 --> 00:17:33,138 there's this car right here. 410 00:17:49,328 --> 00:17:53,985 - The information was not even 12 hours old. 411 00:17:54,028 --> 00:17:56,422 I mean, it was happening so fast. 412 00:17:58,076 --> 00:18:00,122 - And they said to stop what you're doing 413 00:18:00,165 --> 00:18:01,645 and head up to the rest stop. 414 00:18:01,688 --> 00:18:04,648 Helicopter was waiting. We lifted off, 415 00:18:04,691 --> 00:18:07,259 and we started our planning what we're gonna do. 416 00:18:10,349 --> 00:18:12,656 They had shut 70 down in both directions. 417 00:18:12,699 --> 00:18:15,180 So there was no traffic moving. 418 00:18:15,224 --> 00:18:17,878 - Staging area was two or three miles 419 00:18:17,922 --> 00:18:19,315 from the rest stop. 420 00:18:19,358 --> 00:18:21,317 Once we got there, we got the verbal briefing 421 00:18:21,360 --> 00:18:24,537 from Keith and the other leadership. 422 00:18:24,581 --> 00:18:27,366 So the idea was to smash the windows out of the car, 423 00:18:27,410 --> 00:18:29,325 speed, surprise, violence of action. 424 00:18:29,368 --> 00:18:31,457 Overwhelm them with force and surprise 425 00:18:31,501 --> 00:18:32,850 and hopefully win the day. 426 00:18:32,893 --> 00:18:35,853 ♪ 427 00:18:35,896 --> 00:18:37,507 We'd park on the side of the interstate, 428 00:18:37,550 --> 00:18:40,292 and we had to basically climb up a grassy hill 429 00:18:40,336 --> 00:18:43,252 into the wood line to approach the car from the rear. 430 00:18:43,295 --> 00:18:45,123 And the car was backed in. 431 00:18:45,167 --> 00:18:48,561 It was approximately 20 yards of open space 432 00:18:48,605 --> 00:18:50,694 between the wood line and the back of the car. 433 00:18:50,737 --> 00:18:53,349 - We really felt that we were going into a shoot-out. 434 00:18:53,392 --> 00:18:55,133 That's what we were gearing up for. 435 00:18:55,177 --> 00:18:57,091 We came out single file. We split. 436 00:18:59,877 --> 00:19:02,880 - We sprinted from the wood line to the back of the car 437 00:19:02,923 --> 00:19:05,665 fully expecting the shots to start at any moment. 438 00:19:05,709 --> 00:19:07,711 The car had very dark tinted windows, 439 00:19:07,754 --> 00:19:10,496 so we really couldn't see inside. 440 00:19:10,540 --> 00:19:12,455 I went to the passenger side of the car. 441 00:19:12,498 --> 00:19:16,241 My job was to breach out the rear window, which I did. 442 00:19:16,285 --> 00:19:18,765 [glass shatters] 443 00:19:18,809 --> 00:19:21,115 As soon as I did, my partner and I looked in, 444 00:19:21,159 --> 00:19:23,466 and Muhammad was in the back seat setting up, 445 00:19:23,509 --> 00:19:24,815 and his eyes were about this big. 446 00:19:26,512 --> 00:19:27,774 And we gave him commands, 447 00:19:27,818 --> 00:19:29,298 put your hands up, which he did. 448 00:19:29,341 --> 00:19:30,995 And he's sitting there like a deer in the headlights. 449 00:19:31,038 --> 00:19:32,823 So I reached in, grabbed him by the wrist, 450 00:19:32,866 --> 00:19:36,000 and just as hard as I could pulled him through the window. 451 00:19:36,043 --> 00:19:37,393 Simultaneously, this is going on 452 00:19:37,436 --> 00:19:39,482 with Malvo in the front seat. 453 00:19:40,787 --> 00:19:43,703 - It's like being sucked out by a huge vacuum. 454 00:19:43,747 --> 00:19:45,096 - So once you had them cuffed, 455 00:19:45,139 --> 00:19:46,445 did they try to talk to each other? 456 00:19:46,489 --> 00:19:47,751 Did they look at each other? 457 00:19:47,794 --> 00:19:48,882 - We kept them separated 458 00:19:48,926 --> 00:19:50,406 on opposite sides of the vehicle. 459 00:19:50,449 --> 00:19:52,190 Muhammad was very quiet, never said a word. 460 00:19:52,234 --> 00:19:53,887 - Malvo, was he chatty or no? 461 00:19:53,931 --> 00:19:55,889 - They didn't say a word. 462 00:19:55,933 --> 00:19:57,717 The one thing that stands out to me 463 00:19:57,761 --> 00:20:00,764 is that they just had that blank, unemotional stare. 464 00:20:04,507 --> 00:20:06,291 Their eyes said it all. 465 00:20:06,335 --> 00:20:08,380 They knew the gig was up. 466 00:20:10,295 --> 00:20:11,514 During that whole three weeks, 467 00:20:11,557 --> 00:20:13,080 even at the point of takedown, 468 00:20:13,124 --> 00:20:14,995 I don't think we realized 469 00:20:15,039 --> 00:20:17,302 that they were shooting from the back of that trunk. 470 00:20:17,346 --> 00:20:21,437 ♪ 471 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:22,568 [gunshot] 472 00:20:24,309 --> 00:20:28,661 I remember my blood just going cold because, 473 00:20:28,705 --> 00:20:33,405 had they been on watch and been in that position, 474 00:20:33,449 --> 00:20:34,798 they would have had the jump on us, 475 00:20:34,841 --> 00:20:36,452 and we would have had no idea. 476 00:20:39,672 --> 00:20:41,631 - Good evening. It's over. They got 'em. 477 00:20:41,674 --> 00:20:44,590 - A joint tactical SWAT team of federal, state, 478 00:20:44,634 --> 00:20:47,506 and local police captured 41-year-old John Muhammad 479 00:20:47,550 --> 00:20:49,900 and 17-year-old John Lee Malvo, 480 00:20:49,943 --> 00:20:53,077 suspects in the sniper shooting. 481 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:54,339 - Now our work has started, 482 00:20:54,383 --> 00:20:56,341 because now we've got to figure out 483 00:20:56,385 --> 00:20:58,125 how to convict them so that they never see 484 00:20:58,169 --> 00:21:00,171 the light of day anymore. 485 00:21:00,214 --> 00:21:03,653 Well, we wanted to find out the story. 486 00:21:03,696 --> 00:21:05,176 You know, how did these two meet? 487 00:21:07,091 --> 00:21:10,834 Malvo lived with Muhammad and his children in the Caribbean. 488 00:21:10,877 --> 00:21:12,705 Muhammad had taken his children there-- 489 00:21:12,749 --> 00:21:14,403 illegally because he was going 490 00:21:14,446 --> 00:21:16,056 through a divorce with the wife. 491 00:21:17,754 --> 00:21:21,192 That leads us to the why of all this 492 00:21:21,235 --> 00:21:24,195 that we have been looking for. 493 00:21:24,238 --> 00:21:26,980 John Muhammad had to give his children back to his wife. 494 00:21:27,024 --> 00:21:29,113 She took them to live in Maryland. 495 00:21:29,156 --> 00:21:31,071 He was not seeing his children. 496 00:21:31,115 --> 00:21:33,204 That is our motive, unbelievably enough, 497 00:21:33,247 --> 00:21:36,250 that he was just furious 498 00:21:36,294 --> 00:21:37,643 that he couldn't see his kids, 499 00:21:37,687 --> 00:21:39,732 and eventually wanted to kill his ex-wife 500 00:21:39,776 --> 00:21:41,517 and get his children back. 501 00:21:43,257 --> 00:21:45,129 - Muhammad started his shooting spree 502 00:21:45,172 --> 00:21:47,261 to try to blend her in 503 00:21:47,305 --> 00:21:49,307 as just one of the unfortunate victims. 504 00:21:49,351 --> 00:21:51,614 - If he killed various people, 505 00:21:51,657 --> 00:21:53,616 it wouldn't get right back, you know, that maybe 506 00:21:53,659 --> 00:21:55,487 it was the ex-husband that killed the wife. 507 00:21:55,531 --> 00:21:58,316 - You know, he's not a natural-thinking human. 508 00:22:01,450 --> 00:22:03,582 - Good evening. With a possible death penalty 509 00:22:03,626 --> 00:22:06,542 looming if he is convicted, the first defendant on trial 510 00:22:06,585 --> 00:22:09,501 in the DC area serial sniper case 511 00:22:09,545 --> 00:22:11,460 pulled a last-minute surprise today. 512 00:22:11,503 --> 00:22:13,331 - Part that amazed all of us was, 513 00:22:13,375 --> 00:22:14,724 he wanted to represent himself. 514 00:22:16,378 --> 00:22:18,467 This is a capital murder case, 515 00:22:18,510 --> 00:22:19,946 you're facing the death penalty, 516 00:22:19,990 --> 00:22:22,253 you're not a lawyer, and you say, 517 00:22:22,296 --> 00:22:24,647 I'm gonna represent myself because I know better 518 00:22:24,690 --> 00:22:27,954 than anybody else, because that was who he is--he was. 519 00:22:27,998 --> 00:22:30,827 - A psychologist might say this is a death wish for him. 520 00:22:30,870 --> 00:22:34,265 - Muhammad will also be able to face down his accusers, 521 00:22:34,308 --> 00:22:37,529 including survivors, and that is a chilling prospect 522 00:22:37,573 --> 00:22:41,490 for those who were terrorized around this time last year. 523 00:22:41,533 --> 00:22:43,883 - For me personally, I've never been cross-examined 524 00:22:43,927 --> 00:22:45,232 by a subject of one of my case. 525 00:22:45,276 --> 00:22:47,452 And he--he did. He cross-examined me 526 00:22:47,496 --> 00:22:49,802 after I testified for the prosecution, 527 00:22:49,846 --> 00:22:51,804 and he asked me just basic question. 528 00:22:53,502 --> 00:22:56,026 - And whether it was an HRT guy, 529 00:22:56,069 --> 00:22:58,420 whether it was a survivor, 530 00:22:58,463 --> 00:23:00,770 or whether it was a family member, 531 00:23:00,813 --> 00:23:02,902 he didn't get any satisfaction from them. 532 00:23:02,946 --> 00:23:05,601 They answered his questions, 533 00:23:05,644 --> 00:23:08,691 and they didn't break down and cry in front of him, 534 00:23:08,734 --> 00:23:11,433 and I think that's probably something he was looking for. 535 00:23:32,932 --> 00:23:34,891 - I was very proud just to have been a part of it. 536 00:23:34,934 --> 00:23:36,501 I also felt lucky, 537 00:23:36,545 --> 00:23:38,285 because there were other guys out there like us... 538 00:23:38,329 --> 00:23:39,852 - Yeah. - And everybody wanted 539 00:23:39,896 --> 00:23:42,028 to be the ones to do the arrest 540 00:23:42,072 --> 00:23:43,943 or do the takedown, and we just happened to be 541 00:23:43,987 --> 00:23:46,468 in the right place at the right time. 542 00:23:46,511 --> 00:23:48,644 - When he was given the death penalty, 543 00:23:48,687 --> 00:23:49,862 of course, you know, 544 00:23:49,906 --> 00:23:52,386 we're supposed to keep it together, right? 545 00:23:52,430 --> 00:23:56,913 But there was a investigator who turned around 546 00:23:56,956 --> 00:24:00,307 and looked at me and was just in tears, 547 00:24:00,351 --> 00:24:01,613 because that's how we felt. 548 00:24:01,657 --> 00:24:03,267 Like, okay, you know, we did it. 549 00:24:03,310 --> 00:24:06,531 We did justice for, you know, this set of victims. 550 00:24:06,575 --> 00:24:08,533 I don't know if there was a dry eye in the courtroom, 551 00:24:08,577 --> 00:24:11,754 because it was like, okay, all of this work, 552 00:24:11,797 --> 00:24:15,061 all of this emotion, not only from the investigators 553 00:24:15,105 --> 00:24:16,323 but the family members 554 00:24:16,367 --> 00:24:19,936 who courageously testified every day 555 00:24:19,979 --> 00:24:23,766 or sat in that courtroom and listened and watched. 556 00:24:23,809 --> 00:24:25,594 It felt good.