A Los Angeles man, Jerrid Joseph Powell, has been identified as the suspect in the recent killings of three homeless men. Powell was arrested in connection with another shooting investigation, and a firearm found in his vehicle was linked to the shootings. Los Angeles County has a high homeless population, and authorities are urging homeless individuals to take precautions for their safety. AP reported
A Los Angeles man named Jerrid Joseph Powell, age 33, has been identified as the suspect in the recent killings of three homeless men, according to the Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore. Powell was already in custody in connection with another shooting investigation when he was linked to the three killings. The authorities discovered that a firearm found in Powell’s vehicle during his arrest earlier was 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. The incident occurred when the victim returned to his home, located about 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The announcement of Powell’s identification as the suspect came a day after the authorities in Los Angeles revealed that they were searching for a suspect in the shootings of three homeless men. They also urged homeless individuals not to sleep alone for their own safety. The shootings took place in late November during the early morning hours while the victims were either sleeping or preparing to sleep for the night.
The first victim, Jose Bolanos, age 37, was found dead with a gunshot wound in an alley in South Los Angeles on November 26 at around 3 a.m. The following day, Mark Diggs, age 62, was shot and killed around 5 a.m. near downtown Los Angeles while pushing a shopping cart. The third homeless shooting occurred on Wednesday at approximately 2:30 a.m. in the Lincoln Heights area. The identity of the 52-year-old man found dead has not been revealed pending notification of his family.
Los Angeles County, which has a population of about 10 million people, is home to more than one in five of the nation’s homeless individuals, as per a 2022 federal count. The county has over 75,000 homeless people on any given night, according to the last official count in January.
Following the shooting in San Dimas, detectives were able to identify Powell’s vehicle through surveillance footage. They tracked the vehicle to Beverly Hills, where Powell was stopped by the police on Wednesday. The firearm connected to the shootings was found inside the vehicle. Los Angeles Police Chief Moore expressed his gratitude that Powell is now in custody and no longer a threat to the community.
Powell is due to appear in court on Monday, but his attorney has not been identified yet. Online jail records indicate that Powell was arrested on Thursday and is being held on $2 million bail.
Chief Moore urged the public to provide any additional information they may have. He stated that there is currently no evidence linking Powell to the victims. The authorities collaborated across agencies and utilized surveillance technology to quickly identify the suspect. Chief Moore emphasized that access to these tools was crucial in preventing further harm and ensuring the arrest of the suspect.
The announcement of Powell’s identification as the suspect came shortly after a shooting incident in Las Vegas, where five homeless individuals were shot, one of them fatally. The Las Vegas police are currently searching for a lone suspect in that case..