Suspect apprehended for serial killings of homeless individuals
Police Arrest Suspect in Serial Killings of Homeless People
A Los Angeles man already in custody in connection with another shooting investigation has been identified as the suspect in three recent killings of homeless men, police said Saturday.
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore announced that Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, was identified as the suspect in the three killings after authorities determined a firearm found in a vehicle he was driving when he was arrested earlier was linked to the shootings.
Powell was apprehended this week by Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies for investigation of the shooting death and robbery of a 42-year-old man late Tuesday.
The assailant had followed the man to his home in the community of San Dimas about 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
The arrest announcement came a day after Los Angeles authorities said they were searching for a suspect in the shootings of three homeless men and urged homeless individuals to not sleep alone.
The shootings took place at the end of November during early morning hours while the victims were sleeping or preparing to turn in for the night.
Victims of the Serial Killings:
- Jose Bolanos, 37, found dead with a gunshot wound about 3 a.m. on Nov. 26 in an alley in South Los Angeles.
- Mark Diggs, 62, shot and killed while pushing a shopping cart about 5 a.m. near downtown the following day.
- A 52-year-old man found dead in the Lincoln Heights area on Wednesday about 2:30 a.m.
Police did not publicly identify the third victim pending notification of family.
Los Angeles County is the nation’s most populous, with about 10 million people, and was home to more than one in five of the nation’s homeless people, according to a 2022 federal tally.
As of January, the last official count, more than 75,000 were homeless across the county on any given night.
After the San Dimas shooting, detectives identified Powell’s vehicle through surveillance footage and tracked it to the city of Beverly Hills, where police stopped him Wednesday and found the firearm inside, authorities said.
“I am grateful that this suspect in this case is in custody and no longer a threat to this community,” Moore told reporters.
Powell is due to appear in court Monday. Online jail records show he was arrested Thursday and is being held on $2 million bail.
Moore asked the public to come forward with any additional information. He said authorities did not believe there was any connection between Powell and the victims.
He emphasized that authorities worked quickly across agencies to identify the suspect, aided by surveillance technology.
“Had they not had access to those tools, this individual, I am convinced, would still be moving about the city and the region, and killing individuals,” Moore said.
The announcement came after five homeless people were shot in Las Vegas on Friday, one of them fatally. Police there were searching for a lone suspect, authorities said.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
The post Police Arrest Suspect in Serial Killings of Homeless People appeared first on The Western Journal.
How did the discovery of a firearm linked to the shootings help identify Powell as the suspect?
The recent arrest of Jerrid Joseph Powell in connection with the serial killings of homeless people in Los Angeles has brought some relief to the community and shed light on the issue of homelessness in the city.
The Los Angeles Police Chief, Michel Moore, announced on Saturday that Powell, a 33-year-old man already in custody for another shooting investigation, has been identified as the suspect in three recent killings of homeless men. This breakthrough in the case came after police discovered a firearm linked to the shootings in a vehicle that Powell was driving at the time of his arrest.
Powell was apprehended earlier this week by Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies on suspicion of the shooting death and robbery of a 42-year-old man. The assailant had followed the victim to his home in the community of San Dimas, located about 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
The announcement of Powell’s arrest came after authorities in Los Angeles revealed that they were searching for a suspect in a series of shootings targeting homeless individuals. As a precaution, they urged homeless people to avoid sleeping alone.
The serial killings occurred at the end of November, during the early morning hours while the victims were either asleep or preparing to sleep for the night. The victims identified so far include Jose Bolanos, 37, who was found dead with a gunshot wound in an alley in South Los Angeles; Mark Diggs, 62, who was shot and killed while pushing a shopping cart near downtown; and another man, aged 52, who was found dead in the Lincoln Heights area. The third victim has not yet been publicly identified pending notification of the family.
These killings highlight the vulnerability of the homeless population, particularly in a city like Los Angeles, which has a significant homeless population. According to a 2022 federal tally, Los Angeles County is home to more than one in five of the nation’s homeless people, making it the most populous county in the country with approximately 10 million people.
The arrest of Jerrid Joseph Powell brings hope that justice will be served for the victims and their families. It also serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by the homeless community and the need for efforts to address homelessness in Los Angeles and other cities across the nation.
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