Complete story — includes the ending
The start of 1996 brings a clean board that is soon covered with red names when a series of sniper attacks leaves nine people dead and puts the entire department on red-ball alert. A game of hangman is found drawn in chalk at every scene. A handwriting expert identifies the suspect, leading the detectives to his house where Bayliss attempts to reason with him. Finishing his game of hangman, the suspect kills himself even while his house is surrounded and filled with policemen. Dissatisfied with Russert's handling of the case, Colonel Barnfather demotes her from Captain to Detective and sends her home; she is barely through the door before another sniper attack claims three more lives. During the course of the investigation, Bayliss takes a few too many muscle relaxants for his chronic back pain and ponders having surgery. Jay Leno visits the Waterfront only to be driven away by the reticence of Bayliss and Munch.
Sources and content license
Source and revision history · Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Homicide: Life on the Street season 4. HTML formatting and reference markers removed. · Content license