About the Exhibit
When people hear the term “Beltway Snipers,” most think back to those two weeks in October of 2002 when a series of attacks left residents of the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area in terror. Police warned residents to stay indoors when possible, gas stations put up tarps and barricades to protect patrons, and schools canceled all outdoor activities while sending home information sheets with students warning parents of the danger. The case initially caught the attention of the entire country due to the random nature and rapid succession of the attacks—15 shootings in 22 days—and grew in infamy after the perpetrators were caught and law enforcement realized the length to which the attackers had been active.
The shooters, identified by police as 41-year-old John Allen Muhammad and 17-year-old Lee Boyd Malvo, began their attacks across the country in Washington state in early 2002. From there they made their way across the country, leaving destruction in their wake until reaching the greater Washington, DC area in late September. It was during the investigation of the DC attacks that law enforcement began to piece together the scope of the crimes the attackers had committed from evidence at earlier crime scenes and other reports about similar shootings that occurred before the DC attacks.
The coordination of multiple law enforcement jurisdictions, both in the larger DC area and across the county, ultimately led to the capture of Muhammad and Malvo. The ability of law enforcement to share information, get evidence where it needed to go, and work with federal agencies would also prove crucial to preparing for the trials of the snipers after their capture.
In this digital exhibit, the National Law Enforcement Museum invites you to explore all the aspects of the case now, 20 years after the events have occurred. The "Timeline of Events" can be viewed chronologically, or you can jump from event to event in any order you choose. "Examining the Evidence" highlights the prominent pieces of evidence used to identify the snipers and explains how that evidence helped lead to their capture. "Trial and Conviction" briefly covers how law enforcement and the prosecution set up the sniper case for trial and the results of the main and subsequent trials. Lastly, "In Memoriam" remembers the snipers' victims.
Special thanks to the Prince William County Police Department.