Amid claims that the two men arrested in Maryland early yesterday morning are connected to the sniper shootings which have claimed the lives of ten people in the Washington D.C. area, two Bermudians living in Maryland said they are not ready to let their guards down yet.

Since October 2, 13 people, including a 13-year-old school boy, have been shot randomly while they doing such things as pumping gas and mowing the lawn.

There appeared to be no motives or patterns for the shootings. According to American news reports, Gulf war veteran John Allen Muhammad and his 17-year-old step-son John Lee Malvo, were arrested around 3.30 a.m. yesterday as they slept in a van which matched the description of the vehicle Police were looking for. It was reported that a rifle was found in the van which shot the same type of bullets used to kill the sniper's victims.

So far, neither man has been charged in connection with the shootings but Susannah Vesey, who lives in Bethesda, Maryland with her husband and two children said she was pleased that the men have been arrested.

"I'm very hopeful that this is over," she said. "I am relieved and very happy.

"It looks like they have the right guy."

But she said she will not be able to live her life the way she did before until officials can confirm that indeed these two men were the snipers.

"Once (Montgomery County) Police Chief Moose says it was them, I'll feel a lot better.

"There are things that I've wanted to do, such as going to a strip mall, that I haven't done since this began."

However, Germantown resident Duane Wellman, who spoke to The Royal Gazette days after the shooting began, yesterday said that he was still sceptical to completely relax.

"Whose to say that these are the right guys," he asked.

"When they get ballistics information that links the bullets used in the shootings to these men, then I'll be okay."