Bus driver shot today dies in hospital

A 40-year-old bus driver shot today near Washington has died from his wounds. Police believe he may be the latest victim of the US sniper.

Officials cautioned it was still too early to tell whether it was the work of the sniper who has terrorised Washington's suburbs since October 2.

The shooting occurred near the site of five other sniper attacks.

Montgomery County Fire Department spokesman Pete Piringer said a man suffered a chest wound and was airlifted to hospital.

The victim was believed to have been shot after he had got off a commuter bus close to a wooded park in Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland.

Police put a widespread dragnet into place immediately after the shooting, clogging traffic on one of the main arteries into Washington, as the morning commute began.