Police suspect single shooter in three West Virginia killings

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Three people have been shot to death outside convenience stores in and around West Virginia's capital in the past week, and authorities said yesterday that a single shooter might be responsible. "We are now investigating into what could be a possible serial-type murder," said Kanawha County Sheriff Dave Tucker.

Kanawha County Chief Deputy Phil Morris said he was concerned that the Charleston shootings resembled last year's sniper shootings in the Washington, D.C., area. The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives joined state and local authorities in the hunt for the shooter.

In the West Virginia slayings, two victims were shot in the head and another was hit in the neck, Tucker said. The shooter was more than 30 yards away from each victim, officials said, and they believe a rifle was used in the attacks.

All three were gunned down outside convenience stores, including a man killed while talking on a pay phone and a woman killed while pumping gas.

snip>

Morris said police believe a rifle was used in each shooting because the shot that killed Meadows was fired from 60 to 70 yards away, while Patton was shot from about 30 to 40 yards away.

Boston Globe