*sigh*
Small caliber semi-auto handgun.
Probably from the stands to his right rear (viewers left). We'll have to wait for video from or of that location (and there will be at least some) to confirm what happened to the flurry of follow up rounds that were fired. It's possible those were fired as the shooter was being tackled by bystanders.
Not a professional.
*sigh**sigh*
It was a rifle.
From a rooftop just outside of the event.
Witness saw the shooter on the roof before he fired. Told police and Secret Service. They did not arrive at the scene in time to prevent the first shot.
The flurry of follow up shots was law enforcement killing the shooter.
The reason why it sounded like small caliber fire is the distance from the recording microphones.
50 to 65 meters ??
@corlin 125 meters (400ft).
Everybody that has completed basic training in the US military can (supposedly) shoot an M-16 accurately out to 500 meters.
Depending on optics/practice 600 to 800 meters is expected from designated marksmen.
The 2nd sentence may be dated, I'm not sure what the Designated Marksman expected ranges are these days, it might be more.
The assassin was not accurate. He missed everybody until he fired into the crowd.
This does not imply the shooter had any training at all.
Some time in the future, when more confirmed evidence comes in. I will share my thoughts, from the perspective of a long rifle competitive shooter. Right now is not the time, nor the place.
Me I could even at 73, run hard for 100 meters, fall, set, and shoot. And hit a 1 inch group at 125 meters…but I have had years of practice. Muscle memory.
So I don’t know what happened.
My current weapon for long distance competitive shooting is a
Barrett MRAD in .338 Lapua.
I dunno about the run hard part these days. Best I can do is a brisk walk.
Also, I'm sticking with 30-06 because after several hundred thousand rounds (guessing at that) I know exactly where every round is going to go, and what it will do when it arrives.
Understood.
30-06 much cheaper, and can be found at any WallMart, in quantity.
.338 L very expensive, But much more reliable at 1,200 to 2,000 meter range.