Sniper inquiry yields '100 leads'

The shootings occurred outside petrol stations

Police investigating three sniper killings in the American state of West Virginia in the past week say they are pursuing 100 leads.

Speaking at a news conference, Kanawha County Sheriff Dave Tucker said police had a good response from the public and now wanted to talk to a number of suspects - although no one had yet been arrested.

Preliminary findings indicate the three victims were shot in the head or neck at a range of about 30 metres (100 feet), with a single bullet fired from a small-calibre rifle.

The shootings have sparked fears that a gunman may be copying the sniper attacks which caused panic in the Washington area last year.

FBI agents who worked on the Washington sniper shootings have joined the West Virginia investigation.

All of the West Virginia victims were killed after dark near convenience stores.

1. 10 Aug: Gary Carrier Jr, 44, shot in the head while using a payphone at Go-Mart store on Bigley Avenue
2. 2230, 14 Aug: Jeanie Patton, 31, shot in the head while filling car at Speedway petrol station in Campbells Creek
3. Approx 2330, 14 Aug: Okey Meadows Jr, 26, shot in the neck at Go-Mart in Cedar Grove

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The first killing was of a 44-year-old man who was shot in the head on 10 August, while using a public phone outside a petrol station near the state capital, Charleston.

Four days later two more people, a 26-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, were shot in the same area - both in petrol stations.

"What we've had so far, which is a big break for us, is we have a 100 leads and in these 100 leads we have suspects," Mr Tucker said.

"So we've narrowed it down. We were getting probably 400 to 600 calls a day."

Mr Tucker said the police could not as yet link the shootings, although the bullets recovered showed similarities.

Police are looking for a dark pick-up truck, possibly a blue or maroon-coloured Ford F-150, which some witnesses reported seeing near two of the crime scenes.

Mr Tucker did not rule out the presence of a killer trying to copy the Washington snipers, and urged the local population to be extra vigilant.

"We've told this individual to get in contact with us. Let's talk. Let's find out what the problem is," Mr Tucker said.

Ten people died and three were wounded in October, 2002, around the Washington DC area.

Two men are facing charges relating to the attacks.

West Virginia police are also being helped by the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.