Police in Los Angeles have named the suspect responsible for the recent murders of three homeless individuals in the city. The suspect has been identified as Jerrid Joseph Powell, a 33-year-old Black male and resident of Los Angeles. Authorities also suspect Powell to be involved in a fatal shooting during a robbery in San Dimas, located about 28 miles east of Los Angeles. Powell was already in custody in connection with the San Dimas shooting.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department arrested Powell on Wednesday evening during a vehicle stop, which was the same day as the death of the third homeless victim. The vehicle believed to have been used in the San Dimas robbery was also identified as the same vehicle connected to the three homicides.
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Officials have stated that there appears to be no connection between Powell and the victim of the robbery. Investigators are yet to determine the motive behind the murders.
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore expressed relief that the suspect is now in custody and no longer a threat to the community. The first killing in the city occurred in an alley early Sunday morning, followed by the second killing on Monday and the third on Wednesday. The victims include two Hispanic men aged 37 and 52, as well as a 62-year-old Black man.
Police believe that a single individual approached each victim while they were sleeping, opened fire, and then walked away. Each victim was homeless, alone, and killed in an open area such as a sidewalk or alley.
The locations of the killings varied, with one incident occurring near Skid Row, a downtown area known for its large homeless population. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass highlighted the dangerous conditions faced by the city’s homeless community, emphasizing that four to five unhoused people die each day for various reasons, including violence.
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In response to the threat facing the unhoused community, the mayor’s office convened a meeting with over 400 representatives from different departments, agencies, and elected officials to address the issue. Meanwhile, a shooting at a homeless encampment in Las Vegas on Friday afternoon does not appear to be related to the fatal shootings in Los Angeles.
