FBI agents who hunted the Washington sniper attackers today joined theinvestigation into three shootings in West Virginia which are feared to becopycat killings.
Police are interviewing more than 100 suspects following the attacks, whichhave terrorised the state capital, Charleston.
The three victims - two men and a woman - were each killed after dark by asingle shot from about 30 yards.
Tests indicate that the same rifle was used in each shooting.Kanawha County Sheriff Mr Dave Tucker said the FBI agents who helped track thealleged Washington DC snipers were in the "front line" of the newinvestigation.
"They're on board with us and giving us some good advice, which we'refollowing," he told a news conference.
The victims were all gunned down outside convenience stores - one was a womanwho was filling her car with petrol, and another a man who was talking on apayphone. Two were shot in the head, the third was hit in the neck.
Mr Tucker said it was not certain that the killings were linked, but therewere similarities."They're connected by the site ... that they were shot at a conveniencestore, shot in one single hit, the fact they were shot at a distance, and Ithink the most important thing, that the bullets that we recover, they havesimilar characteristics."
Police were stopping dark utility vans after witnesses reported seeing onenear two of the killings.
Investigators believe the attacker might have fired from inside the van as itwas seen speeding off immediately after one shooting.