Washington Snipers: who were Lee Malvo and John Allen Muhammad, and what were Beltway Sniper Attacks in DC?

Channel 4 documentary I, Sniper: The Washington Killers charts the story of the 2002 Beltway Sniper Attack.

The six-part documentary was developed over a fifteen-year period, and offers unprecedented access to Lee Malvo, the surviving shooter.

Here is everything you need to know about the Washington Killers, as well as the documentary about them.

What is it about?

The documentary I, Sniper: The Washington Killers is about a series of murders that took place across a three-week period in 2002. Ten people were killed and three more were injured.

Given how random the attacks seemed, public fear reached unprecedented levels.

What were the Beltway killings?

The Beltway killings were a series of coordinated shootings that occurred during three weeks in October 2002.

The “Beltway” refers to the highway that surrounds Washington DC.

Malvo and Muhammed drove a blue 1990 Chevrolet Caprice sedan. The pair first killed in February 2002, before their infamous October killing spree; over ten months, the pair shot and killed 17 people.

Their first victim was 21-year-old cashier Keenya Nicole Cook; Cook’s aunt had been a friend of Muhammad’s ex-wife, and had encouraged her to seek a divorce.

Who are Lee Malvo and John Allen Muhammad?

Lee Malvo and John Allen Muhammad were the two shooters.

John Allen Muhammad was a Gulf War veteran, and Lee Malvo was a 17-year-old.

Though Muhammad has been executed for his role in the attacks, Malvo is still alive today, and he gave a number of interviews from a high security prison cell for this documentary.

When is it on and how can I watch it?

I, Sniper will air on Channel 4 on January 24 at 9pm and continue weekly at the same time.

The full six-part series will be available as a box-set on All4 immediately.

Who made the documentary?

Ursula Macfarlane directed I, Sniper: The Washington Killers. Macfarlane is an award-winning documentarian, having previously made Untouchable, Charlie Hebdo: Three Nights in Paris, and West Side Stories.

Mary-Jane Mitchell served as Series Producer. She took calls from Malvo in prison around the clock for two years, carrying recording equipment at all times to accommodate for the lack of structure to Malvo’s phone access.

Why should I watch the documentary?

It looks like a very thoroughly researched and meticulously constructed documentary, likely to offer a great deal of insight into the case.

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