Actually, about that sniper... apparently he is using an AK74. All that hype about civilian sniper courses, and highly-trained ex Green Beret guys and what not, and he's using an assault rifle!
He's a good shot, no doubt about it, but he's no sniper; when this first started happening they made out he was killing people from half a mile away with a high-powered rifle and scope; as it is it is probably more like 100 yds, all the more embarrassing for the poor police.
How he GOT an AK74 is another question, but if he is talented he wouldn't need any specialist training at all to do what he is doing. He just needs some basic firearms knowedge and to be patient.
So a bit of an example there of how misdirection and paranoia can have people blaming the wrong things...