Los Angeles police have identified Jerrid Joseph Powell, a 33-year-old black male, as the suspect responsible for the recent murders of three homeless individuals who were shot while sleeping. Powell is also suspected in a fatal shooting during a robbery in San Dimas. He was apprehended by authorities and is currently in custody. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed concern for the homeless community, which already faces dangerous conditions and a high mortality rate. The shooting in Las Vegas does not appear to be connected to the Los Angeles homicides. CNN reported
Police in Los Angeles have identified the suspect believed to be responsible for the murders of three members of the city’s homeless community who were shot and killed as they slept. Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore made the announcement on Saturday. The suspect has been identified as Jerrid Joseph Powell, a 33-year-old black male who is a resident of Los Angeles. Powell is also suspected in a fatal shooting during a robbery in San Dimas, which is about 28 miles east of Los Angeles. Authorities have stated that Powell was already in custody in connection with the San Dimas shooting.
Powell was arrested on Wednesday evening by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department during a vehicle stop, which happened on the same day as the death of the third homeless victim. Police have determined that the vehicle used during the San Dimas robbery is the same vehicle connected to the three homicides. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna stated that there is no known connection between Powell and the victim of the robbery.
Currently, no motive has been determined for the killings. Chief Moore expressed gratitude that Powell is now in custody and no longer a threat to the community. The first killing in Los Angeles occurred in an alley around 3 am on Sunday, followed by the second killing on Monday shortly before 5 am, and the third killing on Wednesday around 2:30 am. The victims include two Hispanic men aged 37 and 52, and a 62-year-old black man.
Each of the killings happened under similar circumstances, with the victims believed to be alone and asleep when they were attacked. It is believed that a single person approached each victim as they slept, opened fire, and then walked away. All the victims were experiencing homelessness and were killed in open areas such as sidewalks or alleys. The murders took place in various locations in the city, including 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 population, with four to five unhoused people dying every day for various reasons, including violence. To address the threat facing the unhoused community, the mayor’s office convened a meeting with over 400 individuals representing city departments, housing service providers, regional agencies, and elected officials.
A shooting at a homeless encampment in Las Vegas on Friday afternoon does not appear to be related to the fatal shootings in the Los Angeles area, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department..