[T Y L E R]

Too late ...

About 100 investigators from North and South Carolina were working the case, Blanton said.

"I think our community has a right to be concerned," he said. "We're concerned. We're dealing with a man that's killed four people."

He urged residents to check on relatives, especially those who live alone. "We're asking the people in our community to be vigilant, to report anything."

But he cautioned against taking that too far. "Our concern is that people are going to start shooting at shadows," he said.

In a separate incident, police looking for the shooter tried to stop a dark SUV Chevrolet Blazer and wound up with yet another killing, this one apparently self-inflicted.

"The driver, who the officer didn't know at the time was a female, pulled over," Blanton said. "The passenger door opened; two children got out with their hands up."

The children were in their early teens, he said. "The mother takes off. The officer gives chase thinking maybe she's the suspect. Shots were fired during the chase."

As police cars converged on the SUV, "Somewhere in the middle she takes her own life," he said. "Right now, we're working it as a self-inflicted gunshot wound, suicide."

Blanton said narcotics were found in the car driven by the woman, whom he identified as a 35-year-old woman from nearby Blacksburg, South Carolina.