CO - Possible Serial Shooter Has Colorado Drivers on Edge #3

[margarita25]

rsbm

Who is Phoenix freeway shooting suspect? Leslie Merritt Jr. has faced criminal charges before
Dave Biscobing, ABC15 AZ looks into his varied "criminal past"
10:53 PM, Sep 18 15

Any documents on these out there?

:websleuther:

All these fairly recent run ins with the law...could have contributed to not only his stress level, but dislike for Law Enforcemement, Gov't...

*Has our Colorado shooter(s) been recently arrested and gone through the system a few times, perhaps helping contribute to his mindset....remember the firing on the jail van was on the same day as CR and one of the first few shootings...we have talked about this before, the obvious likely possibility of hatred law enforcement, etc...

Foxfire, in your experience studying killers (nevermind, come back to that).

*eta: iirc a paintball gun was suspected in the jail van incident

 

[FindHG]

Any documents on these out there?

:websleuther:

All these fairly recent run ins with the law...could have contributed to not only his stress level, but dislike for Law Enforcemement, Gov't...

*Has our Colorado shooter(s) been recently arrested and gone through the system a few times, perhaps helping contribute to his mindset....remember the firing on the jail van was on the same day as CR and one of the first few shootings...we have talked about this before, the obvious likely possibility of hatred law enforcement, etc...

Foxfire, in your experience studying killers (nevermind, come back to that).

*eta: iirc a paintball gun was suspected in the jail van incident

Yep. Exactly! There seemed to have been an impression left by the shatterings/shootings that the perp/s taunted LE. I took that to be part of the reason the Task Force changed HQ's.

Mo Money Pawn Facebook page - read comment/s
https://www.facebook.com/momoneypawn

:floorlaugh:

Oh dear... where do you go from there?

 

[margarita25]

Lol on the sugar. His profile pic is of DeNiro but his gf/wife looks cute.

Remember, perps fbs usually go poof quickly, so screenshot as necessary!

It may go "poof" from Facebook but there's always a cache somewhere, like Google cache.

pappa rob, welcome to the thread. I can't pull up his facebook this morning. How does that Google cache work? TYIA.

rsbm
His FB page was gone before I saw it. Thanks for the posts with info from it.

DANGit!!! I knew I should've taken screenshots, especially that pic with the AR and the tags. I did not even take my own advice.

I thought it was interesting he tagged someone on the AR pic from Algiers. (Algiers is also a hookah bar in Ft Collins....Unrelated I'm sure, but had to mention it).

He also had a photo of Macauley Caulkin holding a rifle.

He also had/shared a picture of the burning Twin Towers that had a caption; at the time I took it to be some sort of Anti Muslim caption, can't be sure on that.

I did not have time to see more if he had any noted possible affiliations with Colorado, nor look into his gaming and fb acquaintances/affiliations. Dang it. There was so much I wanted to look at today. Crap.

 

[FindHG]

DANGit!!! I knew I should've screen shotted that pic with the AR and the tags.

I thought it was interesting he tagged someone on it from Algiers. (Algiers is also a hookah bar in Ft Collins....Unrelated I'm sure but had to mention it)

I did not have time to see more if he had any noted possible affiliations with Colorado, nor look into his gaming and fb acquaintances/affiliations. Dang it. There was so much I wanted to look at today. Crap.

hmm. yes, I'm sure LE having followed him for a whole day before his arrest would be on it and it may have something to do with the charges too, if intent is obvious through his interests and actions. The world of drugs/guns/messed-up-politics or causes/money never cease to overlap it seems, nor the tools and creeps who seem to want to populate it.

 

[margarita25]

Trying to catch up here but in response to this, at the press conference David Moore said that the reward might be increased further if it turns out the shootings of the buildings can be linked to the other shootings...

I'm glad you brought this back up bc this statement automatically stood out to me (maybe I should watch it and it will be different in context, etc; I only read it) but notice how it was not an automatic rule out as usual, like "isolated incident", "do not think its related..."...I guess they can't blame those on road debris...). In other words, the fact that they say they COULD up the reward IF they find out its related seems to me like they are not automatically dismissing a possible relation...it reminds me of Connole...

Which, back to the most recent medical facility and school building incidents, that we have not yet really discussed at length (again, who knows what else we don't know about)...Did you guys say its possible those were from an automatic? They fired at buildings (while unoccupied iirc?), so its either vandalism or taunting, right?

If it was an automatic, then it has again that gang like feel, and as I've mentioned before, Denver has its problems with gangs and gang related shootings...My point, I can tell you from experience that gangs do come out here to the suburbs to commit their crimes, as they hit my neighborhood in a string of robberies (they were later caught, that's how I know this).

But if its one of our guys, then the use of an automatic, as well as shots on a school, well, troubling to say the least. Maybe its not a gang thing, maybe the shooter(s) has and actively uses all different weapons, and this is an example of it (and point towards possible future escalation). His MO varies on victims (driver, cyclist, pedestrian), so why not on the weapons.

Also, there was mention upstream re: LAM of a shooting range. Maybe we need to go back to these, which we have discussed.

*Brainstorming / thinking out loud.

 

[FindHG]

Trying to catch up here but in response to this, at the press conference David Moore said that the reward might be increased further if it turns out the shootings of the buildings can be linked to the other shootings...

I'm glad you brought this back up bc this statement automatically stood out to me (maybe I should watch it and it will be different in context, etc; I only read it) but notice how it was not an automatic rule out as usual, like "isolated incident", "do not think its related..."...I guess they can't blame those on road debris...). In other words, the fact that they COULD up the reward IF they find out its related seems to me like they are not automatically dismissing it as being possibly related...it reminds me of Connole...


Which, back to the most recent medical facility and school bjuilding incidents, that we have not yet really discussed at length (again, who knows what else we don't know about)...Did you guys say its possible those were from an automatic? They fired at a building (while unoccupied iirc?), so its either vandalism or taunting, right?

If it was an automatic, then it has again that gang like feel, and as I've mentioned before, Denver has its problems with gangs and gang related shootings...My point, I can tell you from experience that gangs do come out here to the suburbs to commit their crimes, as they hit my neighborhood in a string of robberies (they were later caught, that's how I know this).

But if its one of our guys, then the use of an automatic, as well as shots on a school, well troubling to say the least.

In any given populated area there are a limits to interdiction resources. So, if it could be a strategy to focus LE attention on a given stretch of road, it may give a criminal element more freedom to operate elsewhere, but this doesn't seem that organized.

It feels youthful, gamish, steroidal somehow. Given all the arrests so far in AZ are youngish guys doing this sort of thing, I'm crossing my finger it's not a gang/youth/gaming craze or something, however motivated or enabled, because that would mean you'd have to change a cultural dynamic as opposed to individual nuts.

Maybe there would be similar testing activities with a variety of weapons and methods, such as

- from perches or from passing cars,

- shatterings/shootings with evidence of pellets/BB's/frangibles/other projectile

- possibly from pistols/rifles/automatic assault weapons/wrist sling shots etc...

so, do the perps compare and compete?

if yes, is it in a connected or in an organized way or individual/group driven across locations?

 

[margarita25]

Photos of Leslie Merritt, Jr., AZ Shootings Suspect:

*more photos at link:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...r-randomly-targeted-shot-11-cars-freeway.html

 

[margarita25]

Col. Frank Milstead (center), Director of the Department of Public Safety speaks during a press conference on Friday, September 18. He is flanked by ATF Special Agent in Charge Tom Atteberry (left) and U.S Marshall for the District of Arizona David Gonzales (right)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...r-randomly-targeted-shot-11-cars-freeway.html

"The man arrested in the Phoenix freeway shootings told a judge during his first court appearance on Saturday that authorities have 'the wrong guy.'

The judge set bail at $1 million for Leslie Allen Merritt Jr. after a prosecutor said he presents a danger to the community. (Comment by me: uh, yeah, talk about a case where a release could present a danger to the community!)

Merritt, a 21-year-old landscaper, then asked the judge if he could speak.

After the judge warned him that anything he says could be used against him, Merritt said he's not the shooter and that he had no access to his gun because it's been in a pawn shop for two months."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...r-randomly-targeted-shot-11-cars-freeway.html

 

[margarita25]

This photo is also posted upstream for reference:

One of the vehicles hit by the shooter. (Arizona Department of Public Safety Photo)



"3. A Car Connected to Merritt Had “Criminal Control” Bumper Stickers On It":

*He had the Pawn shop sticker on his vehicle?! Mo Money?!


"Witnesses told AZCentral that they saw a gold Saturn being fingerprinted before it was loaded onto a tow truck. The car had bumper stickers on the back that read “Criminal Control Not Gun Control” and “Mo Money Pawn.” It’s unclear if that is the same pawn shop where Merritt was seen pawning the gun that was later connected to the shootings.

Merritt also apparently has a criminal history. ABC15 reported that in 2013, he was charged twice by the Phoenix Municipal Court, once for failing to stop at a scene involving a damaged vehicle, for which he pleaded guilty. The second was assault and criminal damage; the charges were later dismissed. He also had three cases in family court in 2012 and 2013. In one he filed for an order of protection against a redacted name, and the 2013 cases involved his children. No additional details were available."

http://heavy.com/news/2015/09/lesli...stic-terrorism-bullets-cars-trucks-dps-ducey/

 

[Foxfire]

Col. Frank Milstead (center), Director of the Department of Public Safety speaks during a press conference on Friday, September 18. He is flanked by ATF Special Agent in Charge Tom Atteberry (left) and U.S Marshall for the District of Arizona David Gonzales (right)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...r-randomly-targeted-shot-11-cars-freeway.html

"The man arrested in the Phoenix freeway shootings told a judge during his first court appearance on Saturday that authorities have 'the wrong guy.'

The judge set bail at $1 million for Leslie Allen Merritt Jr. after a prosecutor said he presents a danger to the community. (Comment by me: uh, yeah, talk about a case where a release could present a danger to the community!)

Merritt, a 21-year-old landscaper, then asked the judge if he could speak.

After the judge warned him that anything he says could be used against him, Merritt said he's not the shooter and that he had no access to his gun because it's been in a pawn shop for two months."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...r-randomly-targeted-shot-11-cars-freeway.html

<BBM for Focus>

LAM told the Judge, that authorities have 'the Wrong Guy'.. Seems, based on the photos above of Leslie Allen Merritt Jr., posted by margarita25, he has many faces, and at least two selves; a good LAM and an evil LAM.. Where have we seen these faces before? Maybe a better question would be, 'how many times have we seen these faces before'..

Call me a moron, but there's much more to this story... Yes, they do have the Wrong Guy. They have the good LAM, the defeated LAM.. jmo

 

[katydid23]

DANGit!!! I knew I should've taken screenshots, especially that pic with the AR and the tags. I did not even take my own advice.

I thought it was interesting he tagged someone on the AR pic from Algiers. (Algiers is also a hookah bar in Ft Collins....Unrelated I'm sure, but had to mention it).

He also had a photo of Macauley Caulkin holding a rifle.

He also had/shared a picture of the burning Twin Towers that had a caption; at the time I took it to be some sort of Anti Muslim caption, can't be sure on that.

I did not have time to see more if he had any noted possible affiliations with Colorado, nor look into his gaming and fb acquaintances/affiliations. Dang it. There was so much I wanted to look at today. Crap.

I didn't screenshot either. But I did notice about three comments on the picture of the sniper rifle by middle eastern muslim sounding names. One was something like Ajir Khan Aleef or very similar sounding, and tthere were 3 names like that. I noticed because it stood out from the rest of the comments posted.

 

[Montjoy]

I didn't screenshot either. But I did notice about three comments on the picture of the sniper rifle by middle eastern muslim sounding names. One was something like Ajir Khan Aleef or very similar sounding, and tthere were 3 names like that. I noticed because it stood out from the rest of the comments posted.

I am hoping you're not suggesting he was at all sympathetic with Islamic terrorists/Muslims/etc.; his FB had many anti-Muslim memes.

 

[FindHG]

I didn't screenshot either. But I did notice about three comments on the picture of the sniper rifle by middle eastern muslim sounding names. One was something like Ajir Khan Aleef or very similar sounding, and tthere were 3 names like that. I noticed because it stood out from the rest of the comments posted.

I followed it to there too. It seemed like a gateway site to more radical stuff.

 

[Sunset]

Well, Hello everyone, I've been following this story every day because I live in Arizona (recently moved here). I don't travel much and my husband does not use the I-10 but ofcourse the fear was lurking in my heart.
I read a lot about serial killers, spree killers etc. I really wanted to contribute something instead of just reading, so I joined websleuths.

Has anyone collectively written the timings of all the 11 shootings in AZ? The father mentioned that the suspect was working and we should ask the boss to get the confirmation on that.
I remember the first shooting at 5:50 am. Do landscapers really work that early?

Then there was a shooting at around 11am and then in the evening too. How can a guy switch from work and shooting like that?

 

[Foxfire]

I am hoping you're not suggesting he was at all sympathetic with Islamic terrorists/Muslims/etc.; his FB had many anti-Muslim memes.

I am hoping you're not suggesting that he was at all anti-Muslim, because we have no idea what his motive/s were, and one of his targeted victims/vehicles had a visible cross hanging on the rear view mirror..

 

[Forager]

I'm glad you brought this back up bc this statement automatically stood out to me (maybe I should watch it and it will be different in context, etc; I only read it) but notice how it was not an automatic rule out as usual, like "isolated incident", "do not think its related..."...I guess they can't blame those on road debris...). In other words, the fact that they say they COULD up the reward IF they find out its related seems to me like they are not automatically dismissing a possible relation...it reminds me of Connole...

Which, back to the most recent medical facility and school building incidents, that we have not yet really discussed at length (again, who knows what else we don't know about)...Did you guys say its possible those were from an automatic? They fired at buildings (while unoccupied iirc?), so its either vandalism or taunting, right?

If it was an automatic, then it has again that gang like feel, and as I've mentioned before, Denver has its problems with gangs and gang related shootings...My point, I can tell you from experience that gangs do come out here to the suburbs to commit their crimes, as they hit my neighborhood in a string of robberies (they were later caught, that's how I know this).

But if its one of our guys, then the use of an automatic, as well as shots on a school, well, troubling to say the least. Maybe its not a gang thing, maybe the shooter(s) has and actively uses all different weapons, and this is an example of it (and point towards possible future escalation). His MO varies on victims (driver, cyclist, pedestrian), so why not on the weapons.

Also, there was mention upstream re: LAM of a shooting range. Maybe we need to go back to these, which we have discussed.

*Brainstorming / thinking out loud.

And good, brave brainstorming, IMO. We need to consider the possibility that the kind of serial random shootings we have been seeing in recent months on the various interstates * might involve groups of people.

There were hints of that theme in AZ DPS' out loud musings about a variety of MO's. They also made some comments about the possibility of additional people being involved in the I-10 attacks. Might DPS be preparing people for the possibility that the I-10 attacks might continue? If side window shatterings from natural cause are as common along I-10 as they seem to have been recently, we should at least expect some false alarms about the series continuing.

The good news is that groups of people are often easier to catch than solo operators.

*I-10 AZ, I-25 CO, C-470 CO, Hwy 71 AZ, I-94 MI; I-69 MI, I-435 MO, and I-77 OH. See "Hwy. Shootings Clusters" layer of the case map.

 

[Foxfire]

Well, Hello everyone, I've been following this story every day because I live in Arizona (recently moved here). I don't travel much and my husband does not use the I-10 but ofcourse the fear was lurking in my heart.
I read a lot about serial killers, spree killers etc. I really wanted to contribute something instead of just reading, so I joined websleuths.

Has anyone collectively written the timings of all the 11 shootings in AZ? The father mentioned that the suspect was working and we should ask the boss to get the confirmation on that.
I remember the first shooting at 5:50 am. Do landscapers really work that early?

Then there was a shooting at around 11am and then in the evening too. How can a guy switch from work and shooting like that?

Welcome to the thread Sunset.. Thanx for joining.. It is always great to have a local's input...
Guess, it would depend on a landscapers scheduled jobs, the distance from the business location, time of year<weather>, neighborhood or commercial district rules, etc.

:welcome6: :welcome4: :welcome5:

 

[angelainwi]

I believe with it being the hot end of summer in Phoenix that landscapers would work as early as able to.

 

[Foxfire]

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news...x-freeway-shootings-suspect-custody/72439462/

DPS: Phoenix freeway shootings probe not over despite arrest
The investigation into the Phoenix freeway shootings is not yet over, the Arizona Department of Public Safety said Saturday afternoon, just hours after its suspect made his first court appearance and was ordered held on $1 million bond.

The state charged 21-year-old landscaper Leslie Allen Merritt Jr. with multiple felonies, including intentional acts of terrorism. Merritt told a judge at his initial appearance Saturday morning that "I'm the wrong guy."

At a press conference, DPS said that a $50,000 reward and freeway signs soliciting tips will remain in place despite Merritt's arrest.

"This piece of the pie has been solved, but we are working on all of the loose ends," DPS spokesman Bart Graves said.

Graves said that investigators matched the bullets from the first four shootings in late August with the gun they believe Merritt sold to a local pawn shop. But questions remain about seven later incidents.

"This case is still ongoing. Nothing has been wrapped up," Graves said.

He refused to be drawn into questions about the courtroom statements made earlier in the day by Merritt. Merritt told Maricopa County Superior Court Commissioner Lisa Roberts at his initial appearance that he sold the gun to a pawn shop two months ago &#8212; before the shootings began.

<snipped - read more - 60 comments>

 

[Forager]

I didn't screenshot either. But I did notice about three comments on the picture of the sniper rifle by middle eastern muslim sounding names. One was something like Ajir Khan Aleef or very similar sounding, and tthere were 3 names like that. I noticed because it stood out from the rest of the comments posted.

I am hoping you're not suggesting he was at all sympathetic with Islamic terrorists/Muslims/etc.; his FB had many anti-Muslim memes.

Relax, this is a very sober, responsible thread. I haven't caught a wiff of racial or religious insensitivity on it. Try devoting that penchant for judgement to understand the case at hand.