This article thinks so, and lists all the school closures as evidence of the effect this has had. However, I remember the hysteria that greeted past cases like this (Hillside Strangler, Manson Family, etc. etc.) I don't think the reaction to this case is that much different.

It is certainly interesting that this happened near DC. It's also interesting that he's apparently using the same ammo as NATO. Could this be an attempt by the New World Order to force us even closer to a police state? In addition to those cameras pointing at the Wal*Mart parking lot, they could add cameras pointing at the surrounding streets, or, better yet, a camera on each corner. Or, joking about the WaPo story aside, what does the fact that the sniper's victims look like a diverse cross-section of the community mean? Is the sniper making a homocidal comment on the MultiCultiCult? Is the sniper doing it to throw people off on the sniper's real target(s)? Is the sniper doing it as part of terrorism to show that everyone's at risk? Or, was it just a coincidence, and those who were shot were in the wrong place at the wrong time?

In any case, DC is surrounded by rural areas in which live people who are used to hunting and killing animals. Does that make them more likely to kill people? No, it just means they're used to guns and the fact that guns can be used to kill. One of the people the cops wanted to talk to was supposed to be a drug user, in addition to other media-friendly stereotypes. However, based on the timing, I don't think the sniper was using meth at the time. If the sniper had been, the shooting probably would have continued through the night.

I still think this is just a psycho, thrill killin' good ol' boy who finally flipped his lid.