A person suspected of killing six folks in a string of murders in California has been arrested by police whereas “out hunting” for his subsequent sufferer.
Wesley Brownlee was driving within the metropolis of Stockton, the place 5 of the murders occurred, and was armed with a handgun, when he was stopped by law enforcement officials within the early hours of Sunday morning.
Investigators had been monitoring the 43-year-old after receiving suggestions from members of the general public.
“Based on tips coming into the department and Stockton Crime Stoppers, we were able to zero in on a possible suspect,” Police Chief Stanley McFadden mentioned.
“Our surveillance team followed this person while he was driving. We watched his patterns and determined, early this morning, he was on a mission to kill.”
Mr McFadden added that Brownlee was detained after partaking in what seemed to be threatening behaviour, together with going to parks and darkish locations, stopping and looking out round earlier than driving on.
He was wearing black, had a masks round his neck, had a gun and “was out hunting”, the police chief mentioned.
A police photograph confirmed the weapon allegedly carried by the suspect, which seemed to be a semi-automatic handgun containing some non-metallic supplies.
Brownlee is accused of capturing useless six males and wounding a lady in an 18-month killing spree within the Stockton and Oakland areas.
Who have been the victims?
Juan Vasquez Serrano, 39, was the primary sufferer to be killed in Oakland on 10 April 2021.
Just six days later, 46-year-old Natasha LaTour was shot in Stockton, however managed to outlive after scaring off her attacker by strolling in direction of them.
More than a 12 months later, the killer struck once more, capturing useless Paul Yaw, 35, on 8 July, then Salvador Debudey on 11 August, adopted by 21-year-old Jonathan Hernandez Rodriguez on 30 August and 52-year-old Juan Cruz on 21 September.
The most up-to-date sufferer was 54-year-old Lawrence Lopez, who died on 27 September.
Police imagine the identical particular person was accountable for all of the shootings, with ballistics exams and video proof linking the crimes collectively.
There was a $125,000 (£109,000) reward obtainable for data resulting in an arrest.
Police mentioned Brownlee has a prison historical past and is believed to have additionally lived in a number of cities close to Stockton, however they didn’t give additional particulars.
Investigators have been making an attempt to determine a motive for the assaults, with not one of the victims showing to have little in frequent.
Some of the victims have been homeless, however not all. None have been overwhelmed or robbed, and the lady who survived mentioned her attacker did not say something.
Source: information.sky.com”