A Los Angeles man, Jerrid Joseph Powell, has been identified as the suspect in the recent killings of three homeless men. Powell was already in custody for another shooting investigation, and a firearm found in his vehicle was linked to the killings. The announcement came after Los Angeles authorities urged homeless individuals to not sleep alone for their safety. Powell is due to appear in court on Monday. Associated Press reported
Los Angeles Man Arrested in Connection with Three Homeless Killings
A Los Angeles man, Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, has been identified as the suspect in three recent killings of homeless men, according to Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore. Powell was already in custody in connection with another shooting investigation when he was identified as the suspect in the three killings. The authorities linked a firearm found in a vehicle he was driving during his arrest to the shootings.
Powell was arrested earlier this week by Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies for investigation of the shooting death and robbery of a 42-year-old man in the community of San Dimas, located about 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
The announcement of Powell being identified as the suspect in the homeless killings came a day after Los Angeles authorities had revealed their search for a suspect and advised homeless individuals not to sleep alone for their own safety. The shootings occurred at the end of November while the victims were either sleeping or preparing to rest for the night.
The victims of the shootings include Jose Bolanos, 37, who was found dead with a gunshot wound in an alley in South Los Angeles on November 26. The following day, Mark Diggs, 62, was shot and killed near downtown while pushing a shopping cart. The third homeless shooting occurred in the Lincoln Heights area, where the body of a 52-year-old man was found on Wednesday at around 2:30 a.m. The police have not yet released his identity pending notification of his family.
According to a 2022 federal tally, Los Angeles County is the most populous in the nation, with about 10 million people, and had over one in five of the nation’s homeless population. As of January, there were more than 75,000 homeless individuals across the county on any given night.
After the shooting in San Dimas, detectives were able to identify Powell’s vehicle through surveillance footage and tracked it to Beverly Hills, where the police stopped him and discovered the firearm inside.
Los Angeles Police 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 he is currently being held on $2 million bail. It is not yet known who his attorney is.
Moore urged the public to provide any additional information they may have, although authorities currently do not believe there is any connection between Powell and the victims. He also highlighted the swift cooperation between different agencies and the use of surveillance technology in identifying the suspect.
The announcement of Powell’s identification as the suspect came after five homeless people were shot in Las Vegas on Friday, with one of them succumbing to their injuries. The Las Vegas police are currently searching for a lone suspect in that case.
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