103-755: The D.C. sniper attacks (also known as the Beltway sniper attacks ) were a series of coordinated shootings that occurred during three weeks in October 2002 throughout the Washington metropolitan area , consisting of the District of Columbia , Maryland , and Virginia , and preliminary shootings, that consisted of murders and robberies in several states, and lasted for six months starting in February 2002. Seven people were killed, and seven others were injured in
206-487: A Cherokee fable. Trooper First Class D. Wayne Smith of the Maryland State Police was the first to arrive at the scene and immediately used his light blue unmarked police vehicle to block off the exit by positioning the car sideways between two parked tractor-trailers. As more troopers arrived, they effectively sealed off the rest area at both the entrance and exit ramps without the suspects being aware of
309-517: A .22-caliber pistol in Atlanta, Georgia . Waldemariam was helping the owner of a Sammy's Package Store close up for the night when the shooting occurred. Nineteen hours later on the same day, Claudine Parker, a 52-year-old liquor store clerk in Montgomery, Alabama , was shot in the chest and killed during a robbery. Her coworker, 24-year-old Kellie Adams, was critically wounded with a shot through
412-462: A bag in Muhammad's car. Ballistics tests later conclusively linked the seized rifle to 11 of the 14 shootings, including one in which no one was hurt. The attacks were carried out with a stolen Bushmaster XM-15 semi-automatic .223 caliber rifle equipped with a Bushnell holographic weapon sight effective at ranges of up to 300 meters (1,000 feet), which was found in the vehicle. The trunk of
515-629: A blue Chevrolet Caprice rather than a white box truck. The police initially believed that all of the murders were carried out with a .223 caliber rifle. At this point, Malvo and Muhammad started covering a wider area and taking two or three days between shootings: By this point due to public concerns about safety, gas stations had begun to put tarps up to conceal their customers (see below ). Some people crouched over to pump gas, while others waited in their cars. Malvo and Muhammad did not commit any more shootings for five days before striking again. On October 19 at 8:00 p.m., 37-year-old Jeffrey Hopper
618-467: A code blue alert, keeping children indoors. He said that the schools were safe. Many parents picked up their children early at school, not allowing them to take a school bus or walk home. Montgomery County Public Schools , District of Columbia Public Schools , and private schools went into a lockdown , with no recess or outdoor physical education classes. Other school districts in the area also took precautionary measures, keeping students indoors. During
721-685: A dark blue Chevrolet Caprice parked near the Jones Falls Expressway at 28th Street in Baltimore with a person sleeping inside it. The officers were concerned that the driver's license was from Washington state while the vehicle was registered in New Jersey. Although the vehicle was suspicious enough for them to investigate, and it fit the description of a vehicle associated with the shooting in Washington, D.C. five days earlier,
824-411: A divorce. On March 19, 2002, Jerry Taylor, 60, was killed by a single shot to the chest fired from long range as he practiced chip shots at a Tucson, Arizona , golf course. Muhammad's sister lived near the golf course, and he was visiting her at the time of the shooting. Two deaths and four injuries followed in other states from March through July 2002. On August 1, 2002, John Gaeta, 51, was changing
927-501: A jury pool by doing this." Change of venue requests by defense attorneys were granted, and the first trials were held in the independent cities of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach in southeastern Virginia, more than 100 miles (160 km) from the closest alleged attack (in Ashland, Virginia). Washington metropolitan area Washington–Arlington–Alexandria MSA The Washington metropolitan area , also referred to as
1030-403: A motive. Nonetheless, in at least one of the ensuing murder trials, a Virginia court found Muhammad guilty of killing "pursuant to the direction or order" of terrorism . At the 2006 trial of Muhammad, Malvo testified that the aim of the killing spree was to kidnap children for the purpose of extorting money from the government and to "set up a camp to train children how to terrorize cities," with
1133-577: A presence in the area include Fortrea , IQVIA , Charles River Laboratories , and ICON plc . The area's medical research is driven by government and non-profit health institutions, such as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute , J. Craig Venter Institute , and the National Institutes of Health . Local consumer goods companies include Nestle USA and Mars, Incorporated . Many defense contractors are based in
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#17328014197411236-435: A previous arrest in Washington state. After further research into Malvo's background, the police found he had close ties to John Allen Muhammad . Despite an apparent lack of progress publicly, federal authorities were making significant headway in their investigation and developed leads in Washington state, Alabama, and New Jersey. They learned that Muhammad's ex-wife, who had obtained a protective order against him, lived near
1339-697: A previous unsolved murder in "Montgomery". This was identified as the September 21 shooting at a liquor store in Montgomery, Alabama . On October 17 authorities said they matched Malvo's fingerprint found at the Benjamin Tasker Middle School site with one lifted from the Montgomery liquor store scene. After confirming the link between these two crime scenes, the FBI was able to link these fingerprints to Malvo due to his fingerprinting during
1442-495: A rambling one that demanded $ 10,000,000 and threatened the lives of children in the area. A telephone call from the shooter(s) was traced to a pay telephone at a gasoline station in Henrico County, Virginia . Police missed the suspects by a matter of a few minutes and initially detained occupants of a van at another pay telephone at the same intersection. On the phone call, the sniper, boasting of his cleverness, mentioned
1545-457: A significant biotechnology industry; companies with a major presence in the region as of 2011 include Merck , Pfizer , Human Genome Sciences , Martek Biosciences , and Qiagen . Additionally, many biotechnology companies such as United Therapeutics , Novavax , Emergent BioSolutions , Parabon NanoLabs and MedImmune have headquarters in the region. The area is also home to branch offices of many contract research organizations . Firms with
1648-582: A significant shuffling of military, civilian, and defense contractor employees in the Washington metropolitan area. The largest individual site impacts of the time are as follows: BRAC 2005 was the largest infrastructure expansion by the Army Corps of Engineers since World War II , resulting in the Mark Center , tallest building they have ever constructed, as well as National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Campus East, which at 2.4 million square feet
1751-438: A time. Police canvassed the area, talking to people, and collected surveillance tapes. By Friday night, October 4, the five shootings on October 3 and two on October 2 were forensically linked to the same gun. Eyewitness accounts of the attacks were mostly confused and spotty. Hotlines set up for the investigation were flooded with tips. Early tips from eyewitnesses included reports of a white box truck with dark lettering on
1854-481: A tire slashed by Malvo at a parking lot in Hammond, Louisiana . Malvo then shot him in the neck. The bullet exited through Gaeta's back, and he pretended to be dead while Malvo stole his wallet. Gaeta ran to a service station after Malvo left and discovered that he was bleeding; he went to a hospital and was released within an hour. On September 5, 2002, at 10:30 p.m., Paul LaRuffa, a 55-year-old pizzeria owner,
1957-472: A white van, outside a gas station. The men turned out to be undocumented immigrants with no connection to the shooter. The pair were subjected to cavity searches and remanded into federal custody (what was then the Immigration and Naturalization Service , which subsequently deported them). On the next day, October 22, Ride On bus driver Conrad Johnson, 35, was shot at 5:56 a.m. while standing on
2060-484: Is a local news provider available only to cable subscribers. Radio stations serving the area include: WETA-FM , WIHT , WSBN , and WTOP . 38°53′24″N 77°02′48″W / 38.89000°N 77.04667°W / 38.89000; -77.04667 Aspen Hill, Maryland Aspen Hill is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Montgomery County , Maryland , United States. It
2163-508: Is a significant industry in the Washington metropolitan region. In 2015, more than 74,000 tourism-sector jobs existed in the District of Columbia, a record-setting 19.3 million domestic tourists visited the city, and domestic and international tourists combined spent $ 7.1 billion. The convention industry is also significant; in 2016, D.C. hosted fifteen "city-wide conventions" with an estimated total economic impact of $ 277.9 million. Tourism
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#17328014197412266-659: Is also significant outside the District of Columbia; in 2015, a record-setting $ 3.06 billion in tourism spending was reported in Arlington , Virginia, and $ 2.9 billion in Fairfax County , Virginia. A 2016 National Park Service report estimated that there were 56 million visitors to national parks in the National Capital Region, sustaining 16,917 and generating close to $ 1.6 billion in economy impact. The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure resulted in
2369-602: Is in Aspen Hill CDP. As of the census of 2010, there were 48,759 people, 16,697 households, and 11,959 families living in the community. The population density was 4,799.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,853.0/km ). There were 16,697 housing units at an average density of 1,590.2 per square mile (614.0/km ). The racial makeup of the area was 50.60% White , 21.70% Black or African American , 0.60% Native American , 10.9% Asian , 0.00% Pacific Islander , 11.5% from other races , and 4.6% from two or more races. 27.9% of
2472-494: Is included – and 23rd in the entire United States. 12.2% of Northern Virginia's 881,136 households, 8.5% of suburban Maryland's 799,300 households, and 8.2% of Washington's 249,805 households have an annual income in excess of $ 200,000, compared to 3.7% nationally. According to a report by the American Human Development Project , women in the Washington metropolitan area are ranked as having
2575-545: Is less than half the size of L.A., but both cities have around 100,000 Ph.D.'s." The Washington metropolitan area has held the top spot in the American College of Sports Medicine 's annual American Fitness Index ranking of the United States' 50 most populous metropolitan areas for two years running. The report cites, among other things, the high average fitness level and healthy eating habits of residents,
2678-412: Is located 6 miles north of Washington D.C. Its population as of the 2020 census was 51,063. The community name is derived from aspen trees that once were found near the first post office in the area. The post office was located in a general store on what was then known as the Washington - Brookeville Pike (now the intersection of Connecticut and Georgia Avenues ) and opened circa 1864. In
2781-495: Is made up of periodicals such as National Affairs , those by The Slate Group , Foreign Policy , National Geographic , The American Prospect , and those by Atlantic Media , including The Atlantic . There are also many smaller regional publications present, such as The Washington Diplomat , The Hill , Hill Rag , Roll Call , Washington City Paper and the Washington Examiner . Anchored by
2884-459: Is surrounded by Interstate 495 with the locations inside of it referred to as Inside the Beltway . Washington, D.C., which is at the center of the area, is sometimes referred to as the District because of its status as a federal district, which makes it not part of any state. The Virginian portion of the region is known as Northern Virginia . The Maryland portion of the region is sometimes called
2987-856: Is the largest building the Corps have constructed since the Pentagon . "WMATA"-indicated systems are run by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and always accept Washington Metro fare cards; others may or may not. Listing of the professional sports teams in the Washington metropolitan area: The Washington metropolitan area is home to DCTV , USA Today , C-SPAN , PBS , NPR , Politico , BET , TV One and Discovery Communications . The two main newspapers are The Washington Post and The Washington Times . Local television channels include WRC-TV 4 (NBC), WTTG 5 (FOX), WJLA 7 (ABC), WUSA 9 (CBS), WDCA 20 (MyNetworkTV), WETA-TV 26 (PBS), WDCW 50 (CW), and WPXW 66 ( Ion ). WJLA 24/7 News
3090-413: Is the third-largest combined statistical area in the country. The Washington metropolitan area is one of the most educated and affluent metropolitan areas in the U.S. The metro area anchors the southern end of the densely populated Northeast megalopolis with an estimated total population of 6,304,975 as of 2023 estimates, making it the seventh-most populous metropolitan area in the nation, as well as
3193-682: The Aspen Hill Civic Association, Inc. (AHCA) (2021), have their own definitions. For the most accurate boundaries and geographical map of the AHCA visit Aspen Hill Civic Association, Inc., Boundaries & Map (AHCA) (2021). This an archived website from the early 2000's Aspen Hill Civic Association, Inc. . The Aspen Hill Civic Association, Inc. has been serving the community since 1985 for over 35 years in Aspen Hill, Montgomery County, Maryland. Other local resources such as
D.C. sniper attacks - Misplaced Pages Continue
3296-639: The D.C. area , Greater Washington , the National Capital Region , or locally as the DMV (short for District of Columbia , Maryland , and Virginia ), is the metropolitan area centered around Washington, D.C. , the federal capital of the United States . The metropolitan area includes all of Washington, D.C. and parts of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia . It is part of the larger Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area , which
3399-667: The Dulles Technology Corridor , the telecommunications and tech industry in DC spans a diverse range of players across internet infrastructure, broadcasting, satellite communications, and datacenters. Firms headquartered in the area include Cogent Communications , GTT Communications , Hughes Network Systems , iCore Networks , Iridium Communications , Intelsat , Ligado Networks , NII Holdings , Oceus Networks , OneWeb , Tegna Inc. , Transaction Network Services , Verisign , WorldCell , and XO Communications . Tourism
3502-533: The FBI , the U.S. Secret Service , the Virginia Department of Transportation , and police departments in other jurisdictions where shootings took place provided assistance in the investigation. Police responded within minutes to reports of attacks during the three weeks of the sniper attacks, cordoning off nearby roads and highways and inspecting all drivers, thereby grinding traffic to a halt for hours at
3605-636: The Montgomery Gazette and the Washington Post use a more broad definition. Generally speaking, if it is not a part of Manor Country Club or Leisure World , and is south of Norbeck Road and north of Veirs Mill Road, east of Rock Creek and west of Bel Pre Creek or Matthew Henson State Park or Matthew Henson Greenway, the local media consider it to be Aspen Hill . According to the United States Census Bureau ,
3708-447: The U.S. Senate , and the U.S. House of Representatives . MWCOG provides a forum for discussion and the development of regional responses to issues regarding the environment, transportation, public safety, homeland security, affordable housing, community planning, and economic development. The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board , a component of MWCOG, is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for
3811-829: The United States Institute of Peace , and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts representing nearly 300,000+ students. The consortium facilitates course cross registration between all member universities, and universalizes library access across some of its member universities through the Washington Research Library Consortium . It additionally offers joint procurement programs, joint academic initiatives, and campus public safety training. Formed in 1967 as an interstate compact between Maryland , Virginia, and
3914-569: The 10th fatality in the Beltway shootings. Second, in a yard in Takoma Park, Maryland , police searched with metal detectors for bullets, shell casings, or other evidence that might provide a link to the shooters. A tree stump believed to have been used for target practice was seized. With seven shooting victims, including six deaths, in the first 15 hours of the D.C. area spree, the North American media soon devoted extensive coverage to
4017-665: The 1920s and 1930s, Aspen Hill was known as being the location of Aspin Hill Memorial Park , one of three pet cemeteries then operating on the East Coast of the United States . Burials at Aspen Hill Cemetery included dogs that had served the during World War I as well as the pets of area residents. Memorial ceremonies honoring pets were often held there on World Day for Animals . In July 1950, Louis M. Denit sold 517 acres (2.1 km ) of land in Aspen Hill to Gelman Construction Company for about $ 300,000. Denit
4120-552: The AHCA boundaries area is served by both Rockville and Wheaton High Schools located outside the civic association boundaries. Other special or magnet schools serve residents as well. Aspen Hill is also served by Bel Pre, Flower Valley, and Strathmore elementary schools. Older students living in Aspen Hill generally attend Earle B. Wood Middle School , Parkland Middle School, or Argyle Middle School . Rockville High School , Wheaton High School , and Kennedy High School serve Aspen Hill's teenagers. Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy
4223-646: The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Claritas Inc., and other sources. The Washington metropolitan area was ranked as the second best High-Tech Center in a statistical analysis of the top 100 Metropolitan areas in the United States by American City Business Journals in May 2009, behind the Silicon Valley and ahead of the Boston metropolitan area . Fueling the metropolitan area's ranking was the reported 241,264 tech jobs in
D.C. sniper attacks - Misplaced Pages Continue
4326-639: The Capital Beltway in Clinton , an unincorporated community in suburban Prince George's County, Maryland , adjacent to Montgomery County. Information was also developed about an automobile purchased in New Jersey by Muhammad. Police discovered that the New Jersey license plate number issued for Muhammad's 1990 Chevrolet Caprice had been checked by radio patrol cars several times near shooting locations in various jurisdictions in several states, but
4429-542: The Chevrolet Caprice was modified to serve as a "rolling sniper's nest". The back seat was modified to allow a person access to the trunk. Once inside, the sniper could lie prone and take shots through a small hole created for that purpose near the license plate. Investigators and the prosecution suggested during pre-trial motions that Muhammad intended to kill his second ex-wife Mildred, who he felt had estranged him from his children. According to this hypothesis,
4532-616: The District of Columbia , the WMATA is a tri-jurisdictional government agency with a board composed of representatives from Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and the United States Federal government that operates transit services in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) is a multi-jurisdictional independent airport authority, created with
4635-594: The Latino population. As of the census of 2000, there were 50,228 people, 18,187 households, and 13,076 families living in the community. The population density was 4,799.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,853.0/km ). There were 18,565 housing units at an average density of 1,773.9 per square mile (684.9/km ). The racial makeup of the area was 55.60% White , 20.98% Black or African American , 0.33% Native American , 11.51% Asian , 0.06% Pacific Islander , 7.48% from other races , and 4.04% from two or more races. 15.44% of
4738-676: The Maryland-National Capital Region by local authorities but rarely by the general public. The U.S. Census Bureau divides the Washington metropolitan statistical area into three (formerly two) metropolitan divisions: Founded in 1957, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) is a regional organization of 21 Washington-area local governments, as well as area members of the Maryland and Virginia state legislatures,
4841-464: The United States. "I have been accused on my mission. Allah knows I'm gonna suffer now," he wrote. Because his rants and drawings featured not only such figures as Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein , but also characters from the film series The Matrix , these musings were dismissed as immaterial. Some investigators reportedly said they had all but eliminated terrorist ties or political ideologies as
4944-432: The Washington metropolitan area. The metropolitan area includes the following principal cities (not all of which are incorporated as cities; one, Arlington, actually is a county, while Bethesda and Reston are unincorporated census-designated places). The Washington metropolitan area is considered a Democratic stronghold. The last Republican to win it was Richard Nixon in his 1972 landslide reelection. Since Bill Clinton
5047-563: The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (MSA) was $ 561,027,941,000. Changes in house prices for the Washington metropolitan area are publicly tracked on a regular basis using the Case–Shiller index ; the statistic is published by Standard & Poor's and is also a component of S&P's 10-city composite index of the value of the U.S. residential real estate market. McLean ZIP code 22102 had
5150-521: The amount of time children spent in the open. Extra police officers were placed in schools because of this fear. Joel Schumacher 's film Phone Booth was deemed potentially upsetting enough that its release was delayed until April 2003. The investigation was publicly headed by the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) and its chief, Charles Moose . The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF),
5253-402: The average family size was 3.18. In the area the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males. The median income for a household in the area
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#17328014197415356-791: The awnings over the fuel pumps, so people would feel safer. Also, many people with access tried to fuel their vehicles at the naval base of the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland , as they felt it was safer inside the guarded fence. Government buildings such as the White House , U.S. Capitol , and the Supreme Court building and memorial tourist attractions at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. , also received heightened security. For
5459-536: The car had not been stopped because law enforcement computer networks did not indicate that it was connected to any criminal activity and they were focused exclusively on the "white van". On October 3, 2002, police in Washington, D.C., stopped the Caprice for a "minor traffic infraction" two hours prior to the shooting of Pascal Charlot. Witnesses later reported seeing a Caprice near the scene of his shooting. On October 8, 2002, Baltimore Police Department investigated
5562-480: The community has a total area of 10.5 square miles (27 km ), of which 10.5 square miles (27 km ) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km ) (0.57%) is water. For the most accurate listing of schools visit the Aspen Hill Civic Association, Inc., Public Schools (AHCA) (2021). The Aspen Hill Civic Association, Inc. has been serving the community since 1985 for over 35 years in Aspen Hill, Montgomery County, Maryland. The Aspen Hill Civic Association, Inc. serves
5665-703: The consent of the United States Congress and the legislature of Virginia to oversee management, operations, and capital development of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport . Founded in 1889, the Greater Washington Board of Trade is a network of regional businesses that work to advance the culture, economy, and resiliency of the Washington metropolitan area. The Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington (CAGW) works to increase appreciation, support, and resources for arts and culture in
5768-517: The course of the shootings, law enforcement agencies from neighboring states became embedded in the investigation through telephone tips. Police had only a few pieces of evidence to work with. One initial report said that right after the Silver Spring attack someone had reportedly heard a popping noise and had seen a white box truck hurriedly leaving the scene. After the murder in Washington, D.C., witnesses began telling police that they had seen
5871-501: The duration of the attacks, United States Senate pages received a driven police escort to and from the United States Capitol every day and were not allowed to leave their residence hall for any reason except work. Drivers of white vans and box trucks were viewed with suspicion from other motorists as initial media reports indicated the suspect might be driving such a vehicle. After the specific threat against children
5974-417: The federal city of Washington, D.C., the county (and census-designated place ) of Arlington , and the independent city of Alexandria . The Office of Management and Budget also includes the metropolitan statistical area as part of the larger Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area , which has a population of 9,546,579 as of the 2014 Census Estimate. The Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia portions of
6077-406: The following elementary schools within the AHCA boundaries: Wheaton Woods Elementary School, Rock Creek Valley Elementary School, Brookhaven Elementary School, Lucy Barnsley Elementary School, and Harmony Hills Elementary School. The Aspen Hill Civic Association, Inc. serves the following middle schools within the AHCA boundaries: Earle B Wood Middle School, and Parkland Middle School. Students within
6180-623: The highest income and educational attainment among the 25 most populous metropolitan areas in the nation, while Asian American women in the region had the highest life expectancy, at 92.3 years. The Washington metropolitan area has the largest science and engineering work force of any metropolitan area in the nation in 2006 according to the Greater Washington Initiative at 324,530, ahead of the combined San Francisco Bay Area work force of 214,500, and Chicago metropolitan area at 203,090, citing data from U.S. Census Bureau,
6283-480: The highest median home prices among ZIP codes within the Washington metropolitan area as of 2013. The economy of the Washington metropolitan region is characterized by significant wealth disparities , which were heightened by the Great Recession and the 2007–09 housing crisis , which adversely affected black and Hispanic households more than other households. A 2016 Urban Institute report found that
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#17328014197416386-568: The highest-educated metropolitan area in the nation for four decades. As of the 2006–2008 American Community Survey , the three most educated places with 200,000 people or more in Washington–Arlington–Alexandria by bachelor's degree attainment (population 25 and over) are Arlington , Virginia (68.0%), Fairfax County , Virginia (58.8%), and Montgomery County , Maryland (56.4%). Forbes magazine stated in its 2008 "America's Best- And Worst-Educated Cities" report: "The D.C. area
6489-480: The hospitality and hotel industries. Major companies with headquarters in the region include Marriott International , The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company , Hilton Worldwide , Park Hotels and Resorts , Choice Hotels , Host Hotels and Resorts , and HMSHost . The media industry is a significant portion of metropolitan Washington's economy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Washington DC region has
6592-489: The killing. At 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday, October 2, 2002, a shot was fired through the window of a Michaels craft store in Aspen Hill, Maryland . The bullet narrowly missed Ann Chapman, a cashier at the store. Since no one was injured, the shot was assumed to be random, and no serious alarms were raised. However, approximately one hour later, at 6:30 p.m., James Martin, a 55-year-old program analyst at NOAA ,
6695-403: The land. Prices for the homes started at $ 15,000 each. Aspen Hill was one of the locations in which a fatal shooting took place in October 2002 as part of the Beltway sniper attacks . As a census-designated place, Aspen Hill's boundaries are defined by the U.S. Census Bureau . The United States Postal Service does not accept “Aspen Hill” as a place name; addresses in the community must use
6798-492: The median net worth (i.e., assets minus debt) for white households in the D.C. region was $ 284,000, while the median net worth for Hispanic–Latino households was $ 13,000, and for African American households as $ 3,500. Asian Americans had the highest median net worth in the Washington area ($ 220,000 for Chinese American households, $ 430,000 for Vietnamese American households, $ 496,000 for Korean American households, and $ 573,000 for Indian American households). Although
6901-521: The median net worth for white D.C.-area households was 81 times that of black D.C.-area households, the two groups had comparable rates of business ownership (about 9%). The Urban Institute report suggests that this "may be driven by the presence of a large federal government and a local district government whose membership and constituents have been largely Black, coupled with government policies designed to increase contracting opportunities for minority-owned businesses." The Washington metropolitan area has
7004-666: The metropolitan Washington area. Chartered in 1964, the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area is a regional organization of 20 colleges and universities in the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the Smithsonian Institution , the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),
7107-410: The metropolitan area are sometimes referred to as the National Capital Region, particularly by federal agencies such as the military, Department of Homeland Security , and some local government agencies. The National Capital Region portion of the Washington metropolitan area is also colloquially known by the abbreviation "DMV", which stands for the "District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia." The region
7210-533: The nation. The median household income of the region is US$ 72,800. The two highest median household income counties in the nation – Loudoun and Fairfax County , Virginia – are components of the MSA (and No. 3 is Howard County , officially in Baltimore 's sphere but strongly connected with Washington's); measured in this way, Alexandria ranks 10th among municipalities in the region – 11th if Howard
7313-519: The neck but survived. Evidence found at the crime scene eventually tied this killing to the Beltway attacks and allowed authorities to identify Muhammad and Malvo as suspects, although this connection was not made until October 17, almost four weeks later. On September 23, 2002, at 6:30 p.m., 45-year-old Hong Im Ballenger was shot in the head and killed with a Bushmaster rifle in Baton Rouge, Louisiana . Muhammad and Malvo were later linked to
7416-424: The officers did not question the occupants extensively, nor did they search the vehicle. Authorities were quick to issue a media alert to the public to be on the lookout for a dark blue Chevrolet Caprice sedan. For the public, as well as for law enforcement agencies throughout the region, this was a major change from the mysterious "white box truck" earlier sought based upon reported sightings. The Chevrolet Caprice
7519-425: The other shootings were intended to cover up the motive for the crime. Muhammad believed that the police would not focus on an estranged ex-husband as a suspect if Mildred appeared to be a random victim of a serial killer. During the attacks, Muhammad frequented the neighborhood where she lived, and some of the incidents occurred nearby. Additionally, he had earlier made threats against her. Mildred herself said that she
7622-634: The outside and two men inside speeding away from the Leisure World shopping center. Police across the area and the state of Maryland were pulling over white vans and trucks. A gray car was spotted speeding away after the October 4 shooting in Spotsylvania. The shooter attempted to engage the police in a dialogue, compelling Moose to tell the media cryptic messages intended for the sniper. At several scenes of shootings, Tarot cards were left as calling cards , including one Death card upon which
7725-620: The place names Rockville , Silver Spring , or Wheaton . Some addresses use Wheaton (20906), notably in the Aspen Hill Shopping Center, while immediately across Aspen Hill Road at the Northgate Plaza Shopping Center, the addresses use Silver Spring (20906). Immediately to the west across Connecticut Avenue, addresses use Rockville (20853). As a result, crime statistics which are reasonably considered as belonging to Aspen Hill are buried in
7828-1018: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 37.2 of the population were non-Hispanic whites and 13.4% were White Latinos . 20.9% were non-Hispanic African-Americans and less than 1% were Afro-Latino . As of 2010, the Hispanic and Latino community in Aspen Hill was predominantly Central American, especially Salvadoran . 40% of Aspen Hill's Latino community was Salvadoran, 6% Honduran , 6% Guatemalan and 3% Nicaraguan . 8% of Latinos were of Mexican descent . Less than 2% were of Spaniard descent. 22% of Aspen Hill's Latinos were of South American descent, with 8% being Peruvian American , 4% being Colombian American , and 4% being Bolivian American . 3% of Latinos were Puerto Rican , 3% were Dominican American , 2% were Chilean American , 2% were Ecuadorian American , and 1% were Cuban American . Costa Ricans , Panamanians , Argentines , Paraguayans , Uruguayans and Venezuelans each constituted 1% or less of
7931-632: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 9% of Aspen Hill's residents were Irish , 9% German , 7% English , 4% Central American, 4% Italian , 4% Subsaharan African 3% Chinese , 3% South American, 3% West Indian , 3% Korean , 3% Polish , 3% Salvadoran , 2% Russian , 2% Indian , 2% Scottish and 2% Jamaican . People of Vietnamese , Arab , Mexican , French , Greek , Filipino , Scotch-Irish , Welsh , Brazilian , Ukrainian , Peruvian , Haitian , Dutch , Bolivian , Swedish , Puerto Rican , Thai , Guatemalan , Hungarian , Colombian and French-Canadian descent each comprised 1% of
8034-410: The population. There were 18,187 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and
8137-403: The preliminary shootings, and ten people were killed and three others were critically wounded in the October shootings. In total, the snipers killed 17 people and wounded 10 others in a 10-month span. The snipers were two men, John Allen Muhammad (41 years old at the time) and Lee Boyd Malvo (17 years old at the time), who traveled in a blue 1990 Chevrolet Caprice sedan. In 2003, Muhammad
8240-456: The rapidly growing police presence. Later, as truck driver Ron Lantz was attempting to exit the rest area, his tractor-trailer was commandeered by troopers who used the truck, in place of the police car, to complete the roadblock at the exit. With the suspects' escape route sealed off, the SWAT officers moved in to arrest them. A stolen Bushmaster .223-caliber weapon and bipod were found in
8343-545: The region to be close to the Pentagon in Arlington. Local defense contractors include Lockheed Martin , the largest, as well as General Dynamics , BAE Systems Inc. , Northrop Grumman , Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) , Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) , CACI , ManTech International , DynCorp , and Leidos . The Washington metropolitan area contains the headquarters of numerous companies in
8446-609: The region, a total eclipsed only by New York , Los Angeles , and the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as the highest master's or doctoral degree attainment among the 100 ranked metropolitan areas. A Dice.com report showed that the Washington–Baltimore area had the second-highest number of tech jobs listed: 8,289, after the New York metro area with 9,195 jobs. In 2020, the total gross domestic product for
8549-497: The resignations of the newspaper's two top editors, Howell Raines and Gerald Boyd . During the weeks when the attacks occurred, public fear mounted of the apparently random shootings, especially in relation to such sites as service stations and parking lots of large stores, where many had taken place. People pumping gasoline at gas stations kept moving, hoping to present a smaller target. Lisa Notgrass of Lake Jackson, Texas, recommended to media that gas stations put up tarps around
8652-431: The rest stop. Four hours earlier, Montgomery County police chief Charles Moose had relayed this cryptic message to the sniper: "You have indicated that you want us to do and say certain things. You have asked us to say, 'We have caught the sniper like a duck in a noose.' We understand that hearing us say this is important to you". Moose asked the media "to carry the message accurately and often." This statement may refer to
8755-487: The second largest concentration of journalists and media personnel in the United States after the New York metropolitan area . Washington's industry presence includes major publications with national audiences such as The Washington Post , U.S. News & World Report , and USA Today , as well as new media publishers such as Vox Media , RealClearPolitics , Axios , and Politico . A secondary portion of this market
8858-481: The second-largest metropolitan area in the Census Bureau's South Atlantic division, following Metro Atlanta . The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines the area as the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV metropolitan statistical area, a metropolitan statistical area used for statistical purposes by the United States Census Bureau and other agencies. The region's three largest cities are
8961-555: The shooting. The shooting was officially linked to Muhammad and Malvo by the Montgomery County Police Department. On September 15, 2002, Muhammad Rashid was shot while closing Three Roads Liquors in Brandywine, Maryland . Rashid later identified Malvo as the shooter in court. On September 21, 2002, at 12:15 a.m., 41-year-old Million A. Waldemariam was fatally shot in the head and back with
9064-532: The shootings. By the middle of October 2002, all news television networks provided live coverage of the aftermath of each attack, with the coverage often lasting for hours at a time. The Fox show America's Most Wanted devoted an entire episode to the shooters in hopes of aiding in their capture. Much of the coverage of the case in The New York Times was written by Jayson Blair and subsequently found to be fabricated. The ensuing scandal resulted in
9167-526: The statistics of three different areas. Aspen Hill straddles a corner where three statistical areas meet in what locals consider the commercial heart of Aspen Hill. The United States Census Bureau , defines Aspen Hill as a census-designated place located at 39°6' North, 77°5' West. In the 2000 Census Bureau Gazetteer, Aspen Hill was located at 39°5′19″N 77°4′49″W / 39.08861°N 77.08028°W / 39.08861; -77.08028 (39.088525, −77.080267). Other organizations, such as
9270-400: The steps at the 14100 block of Grand Pre Road in Aspen Hill, Maryland . Johnson died of his injuries. On the same day, Chief Moose released part of the content of one of the shooter's letters, in which he declares, "Your children are not safe, anywhere, at any time." While no shootings occurred on October 23, the day is significant for two events. First, ballistics experts confirmed Johnson as
9373-750: The ultimate goal being to "shut things down" across the United States. Malvo also stated that Muhammad was driven by his hatred for white people, and his belief that "the white man is the devil". His plan was to kill six white people per day for thirty days, and he told Malvo he wanted him to shoot pregnant white women. Before the trial, Chief Moose engaged in a publicity tour for his book on the sniper investigation, including appearances on Dateline NBC , The Today Show , and The Tonight Show . Assistant Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney James Willett told The Washington Post , "Personally, I don't understand why someone who's been in law enforcement his whole life would potentially damage our case or compromise
9476-407: The victims were killed by a single bullet fired from some distance, and, in each case, the killers struck and vanished. This pattern was not detected until after the October 3 shootings occurred. Fear quickly spread throughout the region as news of the shootings spread. At a press conference meeting, Chief of Police for Montgomery County, Charles Moose , informed parents that schools were on
9579-480: The widespread availability of health care and facilities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, and parks, low rates of obesity and tobacco use relative to the national average, and the high median household income as contributors to the city's community health. In the 21st century, the Washington metropolitan area has overtaken the San Francisco Bay Area as the highest-income metropolitan area in
9682-680: Was sentenced to death , and in 2009, he was executed by lethal injection . Malvo, a juvenile, received six life sentences in Maryland and three in Virginia. In 2017, Malvo's life sentences in Virginia were vacated without parole on appeal . On February 16, 2002, 21-year-old Keenya Nicole Cook was shot and killed by Lee Malvo at the front door of her aunt's home in Tacoma, Washington . Cook's aunt, Isa Nichols, had been good friends with John Allen Muhammad's ex-wife Mildred and had encouraged her to seek
9785-553: Was a well-known attorney who specialized in banking and trust law. Gelman Construction Company bought the land to build 2,450 three-bedroom ramblers , a shopping center, schools, playgrounds, and churches. The homes were priced at less $ 10,000 each. In January 1955, Minnie Goodman sold 268 acres (1.1 km ) of land in Aspen Hill to Metropolitan Homes, Inc. The land was the last vacant tract of land of its size between Rockville and Wheaton . Metropolitan Homes planned to build 12,000 homes, schools, shopping centers, and churches on
9888-695: Was delivered, many school groups curtailed field trips and outdoors athletic activities based upon safety concerns. At the height of the public fear, some school districts, such as Henrico County Public Schools and Hanover County Public Schools, after the Ponderosa shooting, closed school for the day. Other schools, such as the MJBHA , canceled all outdoor activities after the shooting at the Connecticut and Aspen Hill intersection. Others changed after-school procedures for parents to pick up their kids to minimize
9991-407: Was elected in 1992, Democratic candidates have easily won the area by double-digits. The area has been a magnet for international immigration since the late 1960s. It is also a magnet for internal migration (persons moving from one region of the U.S. to another). Racial composition of the Washington metropolitan area. Source: Census Reporter The Washington metropolitan area has ranked as
10094-405: Was his intended target, claiming that when the police first approached her, one officer said, "Ms. Muhammad, didn't you know you were the target?" However, Judge LeRoy F. Millette Jr. prevented prosecutors from presenting that theory during the trial, saying that a link had not been firmly established. While imprisoned, Malvo wrote a number of erratic diatribes about what he termed "jihad" against
10197-490: Was later discovered to have formerly been used as an undercover police car in Bordentown, New Jersey . The crime spree came to a close at 3:15 a.m. on October 24, 2002, when Muhammad and Malvo were found sleeping in their car at a rest stop off Interstate 70 near Myersville, Maryland , and were arrested on federal weapons charges. Police were tipped off by two 911 calls from refrigerator mechanic Whitney Donahue at
10300-508: Was shot and killed at 2201 Randolph Road, in the parking lot of a Shoppers Food Warehouse grocery store located in Wheaton . On the morning of October 3, four people were shot dead within a span of approximately two hours in Aspen Hill and other nearby areas in Montgomery County . Another was killed that evening in the Takoma neighborhood of the District of Columbia : In each shooting,
10403-602: Was shot in a parking lot near the Ponderosa Steakhouse at State Route 54 in Ashland, Virginia , about 90 miles (140 km) south of Washington, near Interstate 95. His wife Stephanie called out to passersby, who phoned for an ambulance, enabling Hopper to survive his injuries. Authorities discovered a four-page letter from the shooter in the woods that demanded $ 10 million and made a threat to children. On October 21, Richmond-area police arrested two men, one with
10506-547: Was shot six times at close range while locking up his Italian restaurant in Clinton, Maryland . LaRuffa survived the shooting, and his laptop computer was found in Muhammad's car when he and Malvo were arrested. On September 14, 2002, 22-year-old Rupinder "Benny" Oberoi, an employee of the Hillandale Beer & Wine liquor store in Silver Spring, Maryland , was shot in the back outside the store. Oberoi survived
10609-410: Was written "Call me God" on the front and on the back, on three separate lines, the words "For you mr. Police." "Code: 'Call me God'." "Do not release to the press." This information was leaked to the press and misquoted often as "I am God" or some similar misquote of the actual words on the tarot card. At later scenes of crimes the shooter left long, handwritten notes sealed inside plastic bags, including
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