What motivates highway snipers?

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - In the last 13 years, at least 10 men have been convicted in seven separate highway sniper cases in which at least 15 people were killed. But it's unclear if those incidents can tell police anything as they try to stop a sniper terrorizing motorists in southeast Michigan.

Their motives are as varied as where they happened.

In sheer number, this case is most similar to an Ohio case in 2003, both with 24 motorists targeted. One Ohio victim died.

So far, a Delton man was shot in the buttocks Saturday as he drove to the World Series in Detroit. He's out of the hospital, but the bullet remains lodged inside his body. Surgeons said it's too risky to remove the bullet.

"What motivates somebody to do something this crazy is anybody's guess, and that's why I say it's a nut," Ingham County Sheriff Gene Wrigglesworth told 24 Hour News 8. "I use that term in a general sense. It's a person that's got some kind of issue, something happened in their life to trigger this. Exactly what that is? Who knows?"

The Ohio gunman, Charles McCoy , had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and hoped the shootings would stop the coverage of Michael Jackson.

Others opened fire out of anger, for thrills or for revenge.

The Beltway sniper attacks in 2002 killed 10, injured three and paralyzed the Washington, DC area for weeks. In that case, the possible motives ranged from domestic terrorism to targeting white people to a plot to kill an ex-wife.

"These are separate incidents, and I don't know that you can compare them to the Beltway sniper or any other sniper," Wrigglesworth said. "It's just different and people do crazy things for different reasons, and that's what we're trying to find out."

The Ingham County sheriff said 100 state, local and federal investigators are working the Michigan case. They've received more than 1000 tips -- helped by a $102,000 reward.

"We put that reward out yesterday (Monday) and it really lit up the lines," he said.

The shooter is using a handgun, investigators said, and at least in some cases is firing shots while in a moving car at vehicles going in the opposite direction.

"It's pretty risky business to shoot a car and think you're not going to kill somebody."

Police said their composite drawing was based on the desciption from one victim in a passing car.

Asked about the reliability of that sketch, Wrigglesworth said, "Well, it's as reliable as the person's memory who saw something happen at night."

Driving in that area is safe, authorities said, but recommend motorists be vigilant. If you have any information, you're asked to call Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 1.800.773.2587.