Los Angeles police have identified Jerrid Joseph Powell, a 33-year-old man already in custody for a separate shooting, as the suspect in three recent killings of homeless men. The authorities linked a firearm found in Powell’s vehicle to the shootings. The announcement comes after five homeless people were shot, one fatally, in Las Vegas. WRTV Indianapolis reported
A Los Angeles man, Jerrid Joseph Powell, has been identified as the suspect in the recent killings of three homeless men, according to the Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore. Powell, who was already in custody for another shooting investigation, was linked to the killings after a firearm found in a vehicle he was driving during his arrest was connected to the shootings. He was apprehended this week for the shooting death and robbery of a 42-year-old man in San Dimas.
The announcement of Powell as the suspect in the homeless killings came one day after authorities in Los Angeles revealed that they were searching for a suspect involved in the shootings and advised homeless individuals not to sleep alone for their own safety. The three shootings occurred in late November while the victims were sleeping or preparing to sleep.
The victims of the shootings have been identified as Jose Bolanos, 37, who was found dead in an alley in South Los Angeles on November 26, Mark Diggs, 62, who was shot and killed while pushing a shopping cart near downtown, and an unidentified 52-year-old man whose body was discovered in the Lincoln Heights area. Los Angeles County has a substantial homeless population, with over 75,000 people homeless on any given night, according to a 2022 federal tally.
After the San Dimas shooting, detectives used surveillance footage to identify Powell’s vehicle and tracked it to Beverly Hills, where he was stopped by police. The firearm used in the killings was found inside the vehicle. Chief Moore expressed gratitude that Powell is now in custody and 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.
Authorities are urging the public to provide any additional information they may have. Chief Moore stated that there is no known connection between the suspect and the victims. He credited the swift identification of the suspect to the collaboration and use of surveillance technology across different agencies.
In a separate incident, five homeless people were shot in Las Vegas on Friday, with one fatality. Police there are also searching for a lone suspect..