Shooting On or Near The Trail

The web site of WDBJ channel 7 television reports on 29 May 2007 under the headline "Authorities name person of interest in Rockbridge County shootings" that the

"Rockbridge County authorities now have a person of interest in a shooting that sent a camper to the hospital.

"They're looking for 25-year-old Kevin Anthony Howard of Toano, that's near Williamsburg."

It isn't clear to me exactly where in Virginia the shooting took place. The article describes it as

"a campsite shooting in the Jefferson National Forest yesterday morning [i.i., 28 May]. The shooting was one of two that took place yesterday near the Arnold's Valley section of Rockbridge County.

"The sheriff says the man,who was shot in the hand and the leg, is recovering from surgery. He's expected to be okay. But today we learned the suspect, Kenneth Howard, was also a camper who had set up just 20-yards away from the victims. It's news that's unnerving to a lot of hikers coming through the area."

Then the article quotes some Appalachian Trail hikers -- "Catchup" and "TK Express".

"In her past life, she was a teacher in New Hampshire. Now as a retiree', "Catchup", as she's called, is hiking the Appalachian Trail making her way through an area where a camper was shot.

"'I think the main thing is we need to stick together as a community of hikers and really look out for one another,''" says "Catchup."

"It was early Monday morning when investigators say a man pulled open the flap of a tent on Petite's Gap Road and fired inside. News of the event is filtering down the trail, but hikers aren't fazed. They say there are things they do to stay safe.

"'We do have a radio to keep up with the outside world. But we're out here to hike and that's our plan,' says "TK Express."

"They also use handles or nicknames. Most folks have cell phones. There are also logs along the trails to keep track of a person's comings and goings. Hikers says this is a close knit community that sticks together. When they camp for the night, they stick to specifically designated sites that are well off the main road.

"Sheriff R.W. Day says they're still looking for Kenneth Howard and the red work truck authorities believe he's in. If anyone sees Howard or the vehicle, they're asked to call their local police."

There's a photo of suspect Howard on the web page.