The sniper who killed six people and wounded two others in the Washington area in the past week left a message to police at the scene of his last shooting claiming, "I am God," The Washington Postreported today.
"Dear policeman, I am God," said the message, scribbled on a Tarot card dubbed the Death card, police sources told the daily.
Montgomery County, Maryland police chief Mr Charles Moose, however, refused to confirm the report this morning and slammed the media and former law enforcement officials for discussing and speculating about the details of the case.
"We're approaching interference. It's unacceptable," Mr Moose told reporters.
"Disclosures in this category have tremendous potential to damage the investigation. We may not see the fallout, but it's a matter of 'Why take the chance; what's the advantage of having it out there when it didn't come from me, when it's not authorised,'" he said.
The message was found 150 yards from the school entrance in Prince George's County, Maryland, where a 13-year-old boy was shot and seriously wounded on Monday as he was being dropped off at school.
The playing card was found in a wooded area, where police also found a shell casing and a matted area of grass where they suspect the killer lay in wait for his victim.
The 13-year-old, who remains in critical condition in a Washington hospital, was the latest victim of the shooter who has killed six apparently random victims in serial sniper attacks.
AFP