Thread: Shootings if Ransom isn't paid: Las Cruces, N.M.

Las Cruces, N.M., Police Investigate Threat of Random Shootings if Ransom Isn't Paid
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LAS CRUCES, N.M. Sep 16, 2006 (AP)— Police warned Las Cruces residents that they've received two letters threatening random shootings if city leaders fail to hand over a "substantial" ransom.

Police had received some information from the public Saturday but there had been no break in the case, Lt. Randy Lara said.

"Someone knows something out there, and hopefully this will generate more information for the case," he said.

The city received the second of two threatening letters Friday, but police remained tightlipped about details of the demand, including how much money was involved. They did say the demand called for a "substantial amount."

At a news conference late Friday, Lara said he didn't want to alarm residents but he urged them to watch for any suspicious activity.

"The letter did reference that Las Cruces residents will be shot at random if the city didn't comply with the extortion," Lara said.

The letter the second sent to the city in recent weeks was hand written with an unusual style of printing.

Authorities were taking the threat seriously, Lara said, but cautioned that officials don't know the intentions of the writer.

"Frankly we still don't know if we are dealing with a hoax or not," Lara said Saturday. "But after the second correspondence we felt it was necessary to go ahead and put the information out there with the caveat that people should still go about their daily business."
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2452957

I am curious whether the letters were written in English and if so who are they targeting? This is an interesting case and I would like to hear the ending.
The media never gives you a full story in situations that the polcie are investigating. They purposely leave out things that only the purpetrator would know and also in many situations they do not want to freak out the residents which may resort to vigilanteism.