Text of email

Unfortunately, the author of this lengthy tome on how to avoid being the victim of a sniper attack didn't see fit to sign his or her name to the document, so we have no way of verifying its authenticity or the author's credentials. We do know that it began circulating, both as a plain text email and as a Word document, on or about October 11, 2002, as the so-called "Beltway sniper" continued to terrorize the Washington, D.C. area with random shootings.

• Maintain a heightened awareness of your surroundings. Take note of any suspicious vehicles or persons.
• Try to keep protective cover between yourself and open areas.
• Keep moving if you find yourself outside in an unprotected, well-lit space. Walk briskly in a zigzag pattern.

However, we can't vouch for the rest of the anonymous writer's recommendations, some of which exceed the level of caution advised by known experts and others of which seem like simple commonsense measures requiring no special expertise to conceive.

In general, police and security experts advise that citizens in the region where the random attacks are occurring go about their daily lives as routinely as possible while maintaining a heightened level of alertness and caution — for Americans, an all-too-familiar state of affairs ever since the events of September 11, 2001.

Last updated: 10/16/02

Your comments:

• "There is a movie called 'The In-Laws'..."
• "Was this written by a school boy?"
• "Some serious concerns I have about its authenticity..."

Sources and further reading:

Experts Suggest Ways to Avoid Being Target
Washington Post, 11 October 2002

Sniper Experts Give Safety Tips
Associated Press, 11 October 2002

Be Afraid of Being Very Afraid
Washington Post, 20 October 2002

Sniper Shootings - News Updates
Ongoing coverage compiled by About's Crime/Punishment Guide