Elusive sniper strikes again as cops try to crack message

But it appeared the shooter once again evaded capture, despite the rapid deployment of law enforcement agents, backed by helicopters and dog teams.

‘‘The person shot was the driver of the (commuter) bus. He was transported to Suburban Hospital where he succumbed to the injury,’’ Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose told a news conference.

The latest incident, at around 6 a.m., shattered the morning rush-hour routine of the nation’s capital, raising havoc just a day after investigators’ hopes were dashed for a major break in the case. Investigators had yesterday detained of two men near Richmond, Virginia, but later announced that the two taken into custody were illegal aliens with no connection to the case. Quoting law enforcement sources, The Washington Post said police had started such a dialogue with a man they believe is the serial gunman.

The newspaper said police began delivering messages through the media after they found a handwritten letter at the scene in Ashland, Virginia, 80 miles south of Washington.

On Monday, the head of the task force investigating the serial shootings urged the caller to phone again, saying an earlier communication had not been clear. ‘‘The person you called could not hear everything you said; the audio was unclear and we want to get it right,’’ Moose said. ‘‘Call us back so that we can clearly understand.’’ Moose provided no details about who the caller might be and has not said whether the caller is the sniper.

The shooting spree has cast a pall of fear and anger over the region. Schools have kept hundreds of thousands of students inside for two weeks and sports events and other outdoor activities have been cancelled. (Reuters)