THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 1, 1995 TAG: 9501010108
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DEBRA GORDON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
Why Norfolk?
Why would a 22-year-old hairdresser drive 562 miles from Boston to Norfolk, bypassing dozens of abortion clinics along the way, to fire shots at a storefront clinic here?
One national leader in the pro-choice movement believes John C. Salvi III was drawn to Norfolk because of its high profile among anti-abortion activists.
``We believe there is a loose network out there pursuing a murder strategy,'' said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority in Washington and former president of the National Organization for Women.
``I'm just hoping that more people ask why would a man have shot and killed people in Massachusetts, get in a car, travel to Norfolk, Va., and just happen to pick out a clinic that has been heavily targeted by people advocating justifiable homicide.''
This region is notable in the anti-abortion movement because David Crane, of Norfolk, and Donald Spitz, of Chesapeake, signed a petition in 1993 supporting the use of force to protect unborn children.
``There's got to be some communication nerve center that directed him to this clinic that has been firebombed and arsoned and had so many other problems,'' Smeal said.
But federal law officials announced Friday that a four-month investigation has uncovered no solid evidence of a nationwide plot against clinic workers.
Smeal's concern now is that authorities will assume Salvi acted alone, and will halt any search for other conspirators.
``Until this loose network or whatever is behind this is brought to justice, we're just going to have more shootings and more innocent people killed,'' she said.
KEYWORDS: ABORTION CLINICS ANTI-ABORTION SHOOTING ARREST by CNB