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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Aug. 15) - Three people have been shot to death outside convenience stores in and around West Virginia's capital in the past week, and authorities said Friday that a single shooter might be responsible.
``We are now investigating into what could be a possible serial-type murder,'' said Kanawha County Sheriff Dave Tucker.
Kanawha County Chief Deputy Phil Morris said he was concerned that the Charleston shootings resembled last year's sniper shootings in the Washington, D.C., area. The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives joined state and local authorities in the hunt for the shooter.
In the West Virginia slayings, two victims were shot in the head and another was hit in the neck, Tucker said. The shooter was more than 30 yards away from all three, officials said, and they believe a rifle was used in the attacks.
All three were gunned down outside convenience stores, including a man killed while talking on a pay phone and a woman killed while pumping gas.
In addition, authorities are not ruling out a possible connection a March shooting in which the victim was shot twice in the chest and killed outside a supermarket.
Police advised residents Friday not to travel alone to convenience stores and to be watchful.
Police said Jeanie Patton, 31, of Campbells Creek and Okey Meadows, 26, of Cedar Grove were killed at different stores outside Charleston Thursday. Gary Carrier Jr., 34, of South Charleston was shot in the head and killed Sunday night at a pay phone outside a convenience store on Charleston's west side.
``The investigation so far is that they did not know one another,'' Tucker said.
Patton was shot while pumping gas in Campbells Creek, less than 10 miles east of Charleston. Meadows was killed about an hour later and 10 miles further east outside a convenience store in Cedar Grove on U.S. 60.
Morris said police believe a rifle was used in each shooting because the shot that killed Meadows was fired from 60 to 70 yards away, while Patton was shot from about 30 to 40 yards away.
``That was a difficult shot, no question about it,'' Morris said about Meadows' slaying. ``It's unlikely a handgun would be used. We do feel it was a smaller type caliber.''
Carrier was shot from a similar distance, officials said.
Witnesses told police that a black pickup truck was parked partially on the lot at the Cedar Grove store, and beforehand had moved from one side of the lot to another.
``Something just didn't seem right about that pickup,'' Morris said. ``Right after the shooting it sped out from the parking lot, spinning its tires.''
A black pickup also was seen in the Campbells Creek area, Morris said.
Tucker said all police agencies in the county have increased patrols, and authorities were scrutinizing surveillance camera video from both stores.
``We're a quiet, peaceful town of 862 people and nothing ever happens,'' said Carolyn Greene Bennett, Cedar Grove's town recorder. ``U.S. Route 60 is the only road through town, but we usually just watch the traffic go on by. Nothing ever happens here.''
``We are now investigating into what could be a possible serial-type murder,'' said Kanawha County Sheriff Dave Tucker.
Kanawha County Chief Deputy Phil Morris said he was concerned that the Charleston shootings resembled last year's sniper shootings in the Washington, D.C., area. The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives joined state and local authorities in the hunt for the shooter.
In the West Virginia slayings, two victims were shot in the head and another was hit in the neck, Tucker said. The shooter was more than 30 yards away from all three, officials said, and they believe a rifle was used in the attacks.
All three were gunned down outside convenience stores, including a man killed while talking on a pay phone and a woman killed while pumping gas.
In addition, authorities are not ruling out a possible connection a March shooting in which the victim was shot twice in the chest and killed outside a supermarket.
Police advised residents Friday not to travel alone to convenience stores and to be watchful.
Police said Jeanie Patton, 31, of Campbells Creek and Okey Meadows, 26, of Cedar Grove were killed at different stores outside Charleston Thursday. Gary Carrier Jr., 34, of South Charleston was shot in the head and killed Sunday night at a pay phone outside a convenience store on Charleston's west side.
``The investigation so far is that they did not know one another,'' Tucker said.
Patton was shot while pumping gas in Campbells Creek, less than 10 miles east of Charleston. Meadows was killed about an hour later and 10 miles further east outside a convenience store in Cedar Grove on U.S. 60.
Morris said police believe a rifle was used in each shooting because the shot that killed Meadows was fired from 60 to 70 yards away, while Patton was shot from about 30 to 40 yards away.
``That was a difficult shot, no question about it,'' Morris said about Meadows' slaying. ``It's unlikely a handgun would be used. We do feel it was a smaller type caliber.''
Carrier was shot from a similar distance, officials said.
Witnesses told police that a black pickup truck was parked partially on the lot at the Cedar Grove store, and beforehand had moved from one side of the lot to another.
``Something just didn't seem right about that pickup,'' Morris said. ``Right after the shooting it sped out from the parking lot, spinning its tires.''
A black pickup also was seen in the Campbells Creek area, Morris said.
Tucker said all police agencies in the county have increased patrols, and authorities were scrutinizing surveillance camera video from both stores.
``We're a quiet, peaceful town of 862 people and nothing ever happens,'' said Carolyn Greene Bennett, Cedar Grove's town recorder. ``U.S. Route 60 is the only road through town, but we usually just watch the traffic go on by. Nothing ever happens here.''
