Military Might Be Involved in Sniper Hunt

Newsweek magazine reported that the FBI has asked the U.S. Department of Defense to provide information about Fort Bragg's sniper school, specifically about students who were rejected or flunked out.

Anna Taylor, Fort Bragg media relations officer, said officials at the army base are researching media inquiries about snipers and sniper schools but said she could not comment on government requests.

Capt. Kostal, commander of the U.S. Army Sniper School at Fort Benning, Ga., said law enforcement officials have not requested records of former students.

Kostal estimated that 50 percent of those accepted into the school flunk out each year but would not comment on the total number accepted annually.

But he said there is no concern about those who fail out because all candidates must take three psychological exams before enrolling.

Law enforcement officials investigating the latest sniper shooting are not seeking information assistance from the military, said Officer John Carney of the Fairfax County, Va., Police Department.

"(The department) is taking information from anyone but is not actively soliciting any military assistance," he said.

But Carney, who described the Fairfax County Police Department as "frantic," said local law enforcement agencies still are in control of the investigations because these are local crimes.

"We are not at a point where the federal agency has taken over," Carney said.

But because of the unusual circumstances of the homicides, local, state and federal agencies are sharing all information and tips on leads, he said.

Special Agent Joe Green, of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, said that since the killings started the FBI and ATF have set up headquarters in Maryland at the Montgomery County Police Department.

Several news outlets also reported Tuesday that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has agreed to allow the use of military surveillance planes in the manhunt.

Green said investigators are following thousands of leads in an attempt to rule out the irrelevant and concentrate on fruitful ones. He said he was unaware of any research into Fort Bragg records.

Green said he thinks the sniper might not be a professional because his skill level appears to be that of an ordinary citizen. He said he did not wish to comment further.

According to the Newsweek article, hobby shooters also have questioned the skill level of a person who shoots targets in the neck and chest from relatively close distances. They state that the snipers' actions do not coincide with professional sniper practices, which consist of shooting from farther distances and aiming for the head.

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.