300 Interviewed in Tucson Shooting Probe

[jakeXT]

Source: CBS, Washingtonpost.com

TUCSON - A team of 250 federal investigators and 130 local detectives trying to understand why Jared Lee Loughner went on his alleged killing spree has conducted more than 300 interviews with family, friends and neighbors since the shooting. But they remain stumped about what ultimately prompted the 22-year-old's descent into violence.


...

On Thursday, he said, another FBI agent came to his house and asked to look at his silver 2003 Toyota 4Runner. The agent explained that he was looking for lodged bullets because there were 31 rounds in the magazine clip from the gun involved in the shooting, but police could only find 20-some casings, Salzgeber said. The agent spent about 30 minutes inspecting the vehicle and left without telling him whether he found anything, he said.

Rayle, the witness, said he told investigators that Loughner "seemed very enthusiastic about shooting people. The way he went about it, he was really just enthusiastic about shooting bullets into people."

Rayle's companion, Tennen, said that unlike many witnesses who stayed at the site for hours, she and Rayle left the Safeway parking lot shortly after medical personnel arrived. Sheriff's deputies were guarding the parking lot exits to catch witnesses, she added, and she gave the deputy their names, addresses and phone numbers.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/18/politics/washingtonpost/main7257436.shtml

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I'm not sure what this means, aren't casings what remains and is ejecting to the side when you fire a gun ? Why does he know that he had 31 rounds if he can only find 20 something casings?

Or have they found 31 bullets in people and objects and therefore think he had 31 rounds in his magazine, but only 20 something shells have been found ?

[Lurks Often]

1. The article is vague and poorly written

It seems more probable (presuming the magazine was fully loaded) that they found 31 empty cases, but only 20 bullets so far. A Glock (and most other Western European and American handguns) in good working order is likely to eject the empty case no more then 10 feet away from where it was fired although the case may bounce and roll further on hard, flat surfaces.

[jakeXT]

2. I always thought they held 33 rounds, are there 3rd party magazines for Glock 19's ?

MAG. CAPACITY
Standard: 15
OPTIONAL
17 / 19 / 33

http://www.glock.com/english/glock19_tech.htm

More interesting tidbits from the article are :

...

Rivas said Loughner came inside the store and bought a bottle of water, then left from the south entrance and placed the water bottle in a grocery cart before approaching the main entrance where Giffords was greeting constituents.

...

He(Salzgeber) helped subdue the shooter before police arrived and recalls Loughner wearing glasses and a tight-fitting black knit cap.

[Lurks Often]

3. There are after market/third party manufacturers

The magazine is nominally 33 rounds, however you'll find that with some of the larger capacity magazines, the spring tension becomes so strong that it is extremely difficult to impossible to get the last couple of rounds in. It varies from maker to maker.

As an aside the quality of the third party magazine manufacturers can vary widely to very good to junk.

[jakeXT]

4. Looks like he used a 30 or 31 rounds magazine

He put another magazine with 31 rounds into the weapon, but the mechanism failed, authorities said. Two other men then jumped him. U.S. Marshal David Gonzales said a total of 31 shots were fired: a complete 30-round clip with an additional round in the chamber.http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20110110/NEWS01/101100325/FBI--Shooting-planned

[jakeXT]

5. now 32 shot were fired, when they get above 33 it becomes unbelievable

In all, sources said Loughner allegedly fired 32 rounds before he was tackled by participants in Giffords' public event.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/jared-loughners-alleged-rampage-caught-tape-fbi-reviews/story?id=12644306&page=1

[Duer 157099]

6. Sorry but this seems like a waste of precious resources

Over 300 government employees spending time trying to understand this??? There aren't some actual unsolved crimes they might be spending that time on?

Sorry, I object.