Dc Sniper

OUTLINE

DC SNIPER: JOHN ALLEN MUHAMMAD

Introduction

I. Opening Statement/Quote

Thesis: The arrests of John Muhammad and John Malvo, have ended the search for the sniper who has been terrorizing Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia in the United States since Oct. 2 2002.

II. Background Information

a. Who is John Mohammad?

b. What did he do?

III. Military Background

a. How Muhammad's military background justifies his sharp shooting skills?

IV. Muhammad and Malvo

a. Who is John Lee Malvo?

b. What is his relation with Muhammad?

V. Personal Life

a. What was his personal lifelike?

VI. Case Proceedings

a. Why did he take so many lives?

b. How was he caught?

c. Is he found guilty or innocent?

d. What is current update on with his case?

John Mohammad

"While every country has its own psychopathic killers, the stress

and strain of life in the United States tends to produce more of them"

(World Press)

These words were written by a foreign newspaper editor right after the first occurrence of sniper shooting in Washington D.C. area. Although harsh and criticizing, these words are very true in a sense that numbers for these identified murderers are outstandingly high in United States. The most prominent and recent act of serial killing is the beltway sniper case where two snipers were caught killing 12 people in 2002. The arrests of John Allen Muhammad and his stepson, John Lee Malvo, have ended the search for the sniper who has been terrorizing Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia in the United States since Oct. 2 2002.

John Allen Muhammad, who is convicted of sniper shootings in DC metropolitan area, is not a foreign terrorist; he is a United States national by birth. He was born on the 31st Day of December 1960 as John Allen Williams (Mayhem). He changed his last name to Muhammad in October 2001, exactly a year before his rampage. All over the United States there are stories floating around about the early life of this person. What made him so frustrated that he thought had no other choice but to go around and take 12 other human lives and wounding three?

At 6 feet 1 inch tall and about 180 pounds, 44-year-old, as of today, John Allen Muhammad is a United States Army veteran. His background from Army is said to have a lot to do with his acts of shooting. He is a former Gulf War soldier who was stationed in the 1980s at Fort Lewis, an Army base outside Tacoma, Washington. He was later stationed at Fort Ord. California. Muhammad's training in the Army was as a machinist. During his nine year enlistment in the army, Muhammad did receive a Marksmanship Badge with expert rating Ð'- the highest of three ratings in the U.S. ArmyÐ'- in use of the M-16 rifle, according to a senior defense official, hitting 36 out of 40 targets from firing at a distance of 50 to 300 meters. Award of the "expert" badge in Army is not uncommon, and in no way qualifies a soldier as a military sniper. While he was stationed at Fort Lewis, he was receiving intensive sniper training. Some Defense Department officials have said that he was an "expert" marksman who had won awards for his rifle skills. He also was trained as a metal worker and a water transport specialist. After leaving active duty, he served in the Oregon National Guard until 1995. Prior to coming on active duty he served in the Louisiana National Guard from 1978 to 1985. His highest ranking on active duty was sergeant (Mayham).

John Allen Muhammad is thought to have lived in Tacoma, MD with his fellow sniper buddy John Lee Malvo . Relationship between Muhammad and Malvo is still unsure among police authorities. According to The Washington Post issue of November 2002, Malvo referred to Muhammad as his father and Muhammad called him his son. Malvo who is said to be a Jamaican National has been convicted along with his step-father for carrying out the sniper shootings (Branigin). According to some of the reports from 9 March 2004 coverage, both of them were very close to each other (Meserve). According to a cafÐ"© manager both of them would often spend hours playing chess. The exact words of another cafÐ"© owner at Bellingham in Washington State where both personnel were often seen together are,

"[Muhammad and Malvo] were kind of a weird pair,

always keeping very much to themselves." (BBC News)

Sheron Norman, a former sister-in-law, said Muhammad and Malvo, 17, came to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in July 2001 for a three-day visit. It was the first time family members had seen Malvo. Muhammad introduced him as his son. Neighbors reportedly said they often saw both of them hanging out together shortly before the shootings. According to an online BBC news report,