Shadows of Doubt: How to Catch a Sniper (How Snipers Work)

Shadows of Doubt

By Thomas Hawkins

Published May 2, 2024

When playing Shadows of Doubt after the Sharpshooter Assassin Update, players will inevitably encounter a Sniper at some point. This new type of killer utilizes a long-range rifle to execute their targets from a vantage point outside the initial crime scene, making them harder to track down. With their weapon of choice putting them far from their target, players now need to identify vantage points and seek out a secondary crime scene if they want to succeed.

The Sharpshooter Assassin Update for Shadows of Doubt adds a variety of useful features and new elements to your crime solving adventures. With Social Credit Perks to unlock and a new Auto-Travel mechanic to make city navigation easier, the update has plenty to offer to returning players. This guide will focus on how to track down snipers, discussing useful strategies and good investigative practices.

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Step 1: Understanding Bullet Paths and Locating the Secondary Crime Scene

One of the most important things to consider when working a Sniper case is where the shot came from. Snipers will generally try to shoot from a position 1-3 floors above their victim, from a nearby building. To determine the direction the shot came from, you should look for a bullet hole in nearby windows or walls, though this won't always be possible. Since the Sniper must have been able to see their target, you can also narrow down the directions you'll need to consider by looking at where the windows at the crime scene are.

Once you've identified the direction(s) the shot could have come from, you'll need to do a bit of footwork. Look at the buildings across the street from the Crime Scene in that direction and identify the apartments and rooms in those buildings that face the primary crime scene and are 1-3 floors above the primary crime scene. Your City Map will be incredibly useful for this, try standing where the Victim is and draw lines to possible Sniper Nests. You'll need to head to each of these rooms and search them for any evidence that shows where the Sniper took the shot from. There's a way to narrow this down a little, though. Search the victim's home and look for any notes or information about stalking, such as a letter from the landlord explaining why they can't review the security footage. These can contain clues about the identity of the shooter, such as details about their appearance or a location where they were seen by the victim. See if the tenants at any of the possible apartments you noted match this description, perhaps by knocking on doors and inspecting the people who answer, and it can hugely aid you in narrowing down a location.

You can also head to any locations where the victim saw their stalker and see if anyone matching the description shows their face. Once you've got a name, you can use the City Directory or Government Database to track down their residence and see if it lines up with a possible Secondary Crime Scene. To identify the Secondary Crime Scene, look for evidence that the shot was taken from there (such as the bullet casing and/or the murder weapon.)

Step 2: Investigating the Secondary Crime Scene and Locating the Murder Weapon

When searching the Secondary Crime Scene, you'll need to locate two crucial pieces of evidence. The first of these is the Murder Weapon, a rifle. This may be hidden at the Secondary Crime Scene, at the murderer's workplace, or carried by the murderer. Finding the Murder Weapon isn't always easy, especially if they're carrying it, but it's crucial to solving the case properly. The second piece of evidence you'll need to look for is the shell casing(s). These indicate that a weapon was fired in the Secondary Crime Scene and are your best way of identifying the Secondary Crime Scene. They'll often be found on the floor near where the shot was taken, so check near windows.

Take Fingerprints from the Weapon and the shell casings, and make sure you can show that the suspect was at the Secondary Crime Scene. Acquire the suspect's fingerprints and use them to figure out who took the shot, then it's time to file a report.

Step 3: Identifying the Killer and Filling Out the Report

Now that you've found your killer, located the murder weapon, and identified the Secondary Crime Scene, it's time to put it all together. The first question you have to answer to resolve the case is "What is the Full Name of the Killer?" You'll also have the bonus objective of actually arresting them, which is perfectly doable if you buy handcuffs and catch them off guard.

The trickiest question is "Do you have Evidence that Places the Killer at a Crime Scene?" since they shot their target from well outside what Shadows of Doubt usually considers "the crime scene." As of the Sharpshooter Assassin Update, however, the location the shot was taken from is now treated as a Crime Scene too, so what you need to do is prove they were in the room the shot was taken from. This can be accomplished by using fingerprints found at the Secondary Crime Scene. Next, you'll need the suspect's home address, which you should be able to track down by now if you've made it far enough to know their name and identify them as the murderer. Finally, you'll need to show that you've located the murder weapon, which is all but essential to solving a Sniper case anyway.

Fill in the form, hand it in at City Hall, and congratulate yourself on another job well done.