Attack: Oct. 2, 2002
Sniper fire in the Washington Beltway area kills 10 and injures several others over the course of three weeks. Schools take precautions and cancel outdoor events when gas stations and other outdoor locations become the frequent sites of the shootings.
Breakthrough: October 2002
Authorities find notes, including Tarot cards, that the shooter(s) left at the crime scene and gather other clues from ballistic evidence. The public keeps an eye out for various kinds of vans and trucks.
Capture: Oct. 24, 2002
Suspects John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo are found sleeping in a blue 1990 Chevrolet Caprice. Muhammad was executed in 2009, and Malvo is serving a life sentence.