WASHINGTON — 2002 · Serial Murder
The Beltway Sniper Attacks
Over three weeks in October 2002, people chosen at random around Washington D.C. were shot from a distance with a rifle. The attacks began on 2 October in Wheaton and Aspen Hill, Maryland, and five more people were killed the next day. Shootings at petrol stations and car parks left 10 dead and 3 wounded and brought daily life in the region almost to a halt. A joint investigation by dozens of local and federal agencies identified the perpetrators through fingerprint and ballistic evidence, and two men were arrested on 24 October 2002 while asleep in their car at a highway rest stop. The adult perpetrator was executed in 2009; his accomplice, a minor at the time, was sentenced to life imprisonment.
- Date
- 2002
- Place
- Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia, USA, Washington, US
- Category
- Serial Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 39.0390, -77.0550 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 2 October 2002The first fatal shooting took place in Maryland.
- 3 October 2002Five more people were killed in a single day.
- 24 October 2002The two perpetrators were arrested at a Maryland rest stop.
- 2003-2004They were tried and convicted in Virginia.
- 10 November 2009The adult perpetrator was executed in Virginia.
Sources
- Britannica — Beltway sniper attacks britannica.com ↗
- CNN — DC Area Sniper Fast Facts edition.cnn.com ↗
- NLEOMF — The Beltway Sniper Case nleomf.org ↗
- Britannica
- CNN
- National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.