LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police in Los Angeles have identified a man already in custody for another shooting investigation as the suspect in three recent killings of homeless men. Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore announced on Saturday that 33-year-old Jerrid Joseph Powell was linked to the three killings after a firearm found in a vehicle he was driving during his arrest earlier was determined to be connected to the shootings.
Powell was arrested by Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies earlier this week for the shooting death and robbery of a 42-year-old man in San Dimas, a community located about 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
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The announcement comes just a day after authorities in Los Angeles revealed that they were searching for a suspect in the shootings of three homeless men and warned homeless individuals to avoid sleeping alone for their own safety. The shootings occurred at the end of November, during the early morning hours while the victims were sleeping or preparing to sleep.
The victims have been identified as Jose Bolanos, 37, Mark Diggs, 62, and an unidentified 52-year-old man. Bolanos was found dead with a gunshot wound in an alley in South Los Angeles on November 26. Diggs was shot and killed while pushing a shopping cart near downtown Los Angeles on November 27. The third homeless shooting took place on November 29 in the Lincoln Heights area, where the body of the 52-year-old man was found.
Los Angeles County has the highest population in the United States, with approximately 10 million people, and is home to more than one in five of the nation’s homeless people, according to a 2022 federal count. As of January, there were over 75,000 homeless individuals in the county on any given night.
After the San Dimas shooting, detectives used surveillance footage to identify Powell’s vehicle and tracked it to Beverly Hills. Police stopped Powell in Beverly Hills on Wednesday and discovered the firearm in his possession.
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Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore expressed his gratitude that Powell is now in custody, stating that he is no longer a threat to the community. Powell is scheduled to appear in court on Monday and is currently being held on $2 million bail.
Moore urged the public to provide any additional information they may have. He also confirmed that authorities do not believe there is any connection between Powell and the victims. Moore credited the quick identification of the suspect to the collaborative efforts of multiple agencies and the use of surveillance technology.
The announcement comes after five homeless people were shot in Las Vegas on Friday, with one fatality. Authorities in Las Vegas are currently searching for a lone suspect in that case.
