The Griffin: volume 73, issue 06 - Oct. 25, 2002

              COURTESY OF YAHOO NEWS Montgomery County forensic officers search a local playground after a shooting on Tuesday, Oct. 22 in Aspen Hill, MD. Two suspects were recently apprehended with 10 victims dead. A truck driver spotted the suspected vehicle and police with combat gear, supported by helicopter cover closed in on the two suspects, who were sleeping in the car, and arrested them. Muhammad, 41, a Gulf War veteran was arrested on We understand that hearing us say this is important to you," Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose said Police were tipped off by a supposed call from the sniper to check a shooting case in Montgomery, AL, on Sept 21. Washington-area police were able to issue a photo of the suspected sniper in the Alabama case as well as a car description and license plate number. Ballistics proved that the rifle is the same rifle that fired all but three of the bullets that killed 10 and wounded three people since Oct 2. A Bushmaster .233-caliber rifle, a scope, a tripod and a "sniper platform" were found in the car along with the man. The car was also altered so that the back seat could be lowered so that a persoh could aim and shoot a rifle through a hole drilled into the trunk. Two men were arrested early yesterday morning in Baltimore, MD, as suspects in the Washington-area sniper case. John Allen Muhammad, also known as John Allen Williams and John Lee Malvo were found at a rest stop sleeping in a parked blue 1990 Chevrolet Caprice. r You asked us to say, 'We have caught the sniper like a duck in a noose.' Wednesday night, after they released this information, police also made a statement directed toward the sniper. "You have indicated that you want us to do and say certain things. charges of firearms violations and Malvo, 17, a Jamaican citizen, was arrested as a materia] witness in the sniper case. The truck driver stated that he plans to split any reward he receives with the families of the sniper victims. In addition to possessing the murder weapon, fingerprints matching those Malvo were lifted from a piece of paper found at one of the Washington-area crime scenes. The two appeared separately before the court yesterday-becausc Malvo is a juvenile his was a closed hearing at a U.S. District court ill Baltimore before Judge James Bredar, Muhammad appeared before federal Magistrate Beth Gesner. A letter left by the sniper requested contact via phone with police enforcement. The sniper revealed frustration after trying to contact authorities five times and being hung It was also revealed that the letters left by the sniper contained Jamaican colloquialisms and references to a Jamaican band. Buffalo Police chased him into a nearby alleyway where a shot was fired. The suspect was later found to have two loaded handguns, one Safety responded to the call, a bar fight which spilled out onto the street. Officers rounded up the participants in the brawl, but one suspect, Gerard C. Morton, Jr., 22, of Buffalo, fled the scene. Public Safety officers assisting Buffalo Police early Saturday morning on Delavan Avenue arrested a suspect who drew gunfire, which narrowly missed a child sleeping in a nearby house. Officers Daniel Bluff and Andrew Nowak of Canisius Public return fire. The bullet missed the suspect and hit a house in the alley. It entered the child's bedroom, grazing the 7- year-old boy's leg. He was taken to Children's Hospital as a precaution and released later without injury. Morton eluded the officer in pursuit but was later located by Nowak and Bluff on the porch of a nearby Daisy Place home. The suspect told the officers he was waiting for a taxi. When the owner of the home told police this was not true they brought him back to the scene of the crime. Further investigation found the two handguns the suspect had pointed at police hidden in the bushes of the home. The suspect was identified by police as the one fleeing the scene and was arrested. "We're proud of officers Nowak and Bluff for, without regard for their own safety, assisting Buffalo Police, finding the suspect and turning him over," Gary Everett, director of See Capture page 4 of which was pointed at the officer during the pursuit, prompting the The volleyball team picked up wins over Rider and Niagara in MAAC contests. The Griffs also concluded the non-conference schedule with a match against Syracuse. See page 14 for the whole story. Canisius takes a big step towards it academic and physical goals witht the purchasing of BlueCross BlueShield's building, but some work is still required Read TheGriffiris take in the Editorial on page 6. George Carlin took the stage at Shea's Performing Arts Center Oct. 12. Read Rich Howard's review on page 8. See if you can relate to the stories in Student Body Shots, the way our reviwer did, also on page 8. Over the summer, the College will host a major conference for student leaders from many of the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the country. See page 2 for all the details. Canisius College. Buffalo. NY Friday, October 25, 2002 College acquires new property Plans to buy BlueCross BlueShield building Volume LXXIII. Number 6 By David Hill Assistant News Editor DAN FALKNER The College plans to turn the BlueCross BlueShield building into a state-of-the-art science facility. The agreement includes the parking ramp, which will give the College 950 parking spaces. in the Wehle Technology Center. Moreover, Cooke said that some administrative departments will also make the move to the building. These include the College Relations division (in Lyons Hall), the office of the vice president for Business and Finance and Information Technology Services. A revised master plan will be devisd in order to make use of the vacated space resulting from the moves. Vice President for Business and Finance, Dr. Laurence W. Franz, said in an interview that the College is in "the last stages" of completing its plan for the next capital campaign, and fundraising for the new building is the centerpiece of it. I On top of the $18.45 million : to purchase the BlueCross ; BlueShield property, Franz said the College estimates that renovating the building will run about $31 million, meaning roughly $50 million will be needed to buy and fix up the building. Franz stressed that the College director. Cooke said the building will be turned into a "state-of-the-art science center" that will house the biology and psychology departments, currently located in the Health Science Building, along with the chemistry,biochemistry and physics departments from the Horan O'Donnell Science Building. Also included will be the mathematics, computer science and bioinformatics programs, presently The building is being purchased from The Uniland Partnership of Delaware, L.P., of which Carl Montante '64, former Chair of the Board of Trustees, is the managing At a news conference Tuesday morning in the Grupp Fireside Lounge, College President Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J. announced that the College's Board ofTrusteesapproved the purchase of the BlueCross BlueShield building on Main Street for $18.45 million. Though the contract will be signed immediately, the sale will not close until sometime between Jan. 2006 and Jan. 2009, when BlueCross BlueShield's current lease for the property expires, Cooke said. See Building Page 2 Suspects arrested in sniper shootings By Eric DuVall Managing Editor Officers capture suspect Public Safety assists Buffalo police Editor in Chief By Danielle Haynes See Sniper page 5 DAN FALKNER Stroke of Genius Agustin Rolando Rojas has created a permanent, unique etching for the College. "ConuEl Mismo Ritmo" depicts dance and music, which are important to any culture's identity. His work is on permanent diplay at the Andrew L. Bouwhis Library. COURTESY OF PUBLIC SAFETY Officers Andrew Nowak (left) and Daniel Bluff (right) were awarded for their efforts in the neighborhood by director Gary Everett. INSIDE TODAY'S ©tiffin m i MOM 6 mbm s mm 16