Maryland sniper 'could strike again'

Police chief Charles Moose urged people to stay calm

Police fear the gunman who went on a day-long killing spree around Washington DC may attack again.

Local and federal officers are checking 2,500 leads received by police since the sniper started shooting people - apparently at random - on Wednesday night.

At least four of the six lethal bullets came from the same attack rifle

Six deaths have been linked and police are currently investigating the shooting of a woman in nearby Virginia to see if it could also be connected. She is being treated in hospital.

The police chief of Maryland's Montgomery County where five of the victims died said he was searching for a man reported to be missing by his wife who said he had easy access to guns.

But Chief Charles Moose urged residents of the US capital and its Maryland and Virginia suburbs to try to continue with their weekend as normal.

Long-range shots

All six victims were killed by a single shot which police believe may have been fired from 100 yards or more across car parks.

Four of the deaths - which took place in a 24-hour period from Wednesday night - were caused by a .223 bullet from a high-velocity assault or hunting rifle.

Forensics tests are continuing on bullet fragments from the two other killings, and from the Friday night shooting of the woman in Virginia, who was seriously wounded in the back.

Even if the bullets do not match, police say she could be a victim of a copycat who acted as news of the earlier shootings gripped local communities.

Police concern 'high'

Mr Moose said: "My level of concern about the ability of the suspect to strike again is high.

"This brings us to a higher degree of recklessness by this suspect or suspects.

"We implore him to surrender, stop this madness."

Victim: Lori Ann Lewis-Rivera, shot while cleaning her car

So far, there appears to be little pattern between the victims - men and women aged from 25 to 72, of white, black, Hispanic and Indian origin.

About 100 local police officers and 50 agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are now working on the case, Mr Moose said.

Some 600 of 2,500 leads received are believed to be credible, he said.

Sniper, driver sought

Among them was a report from a woman who said her husband - who had easy access to guns - was missing.

"We want to talk to him," Mr Moose said, though adding the unnamed man was not a formal suspect.

Police said earlier they were searching for a gunman and the driver of a white van who may have taken him from killing to killing, but have not ruled out there being more than one shooter, or copycat criminals.

A reward of $50,000 has been offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Mr Moose said: "This case remains our highest priority and people certainly still have high anxiety," he said.

Nevertheless the community "is safe at this moment," he added.

Death toll

The victims were:

• James Martin, 55, killed in the car park of a grocery store in Wheaton on Wednesday evening
• 

  Victim: James "Sonny" Buchanan, shot while riding a lawnmower
  
  James "Sonny" Buchanan, 39, killed around 0745 on Thursday as he was mowing grass in the White Flint area
• Taxi driver Prenkumar Walekar, 54, shot dead while putting petrol in his car at 0815 in the Aspen Hill area
• Sarah Ramos, 34, killed 30 minutes later outside a post office in Silver Spring
• Lori Ann Lewis-Rivera, 25, shot dead at a petrol station in Kensington
• Pascal Charlot, 72, shot in the chest as he walked in Washington DC on Thursday night