Death – Obituary – Accident and Crime News : 
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A man from Los Angeles, who was already in custody for a separate shooting investigation, has been identified as the prime suspect in the recent killings of three homeless men, according to the police on Saturday.
The suspect, Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, was recognized as the perpetrator behind the three killings after authorities discovered a firearm connected to the shootings in a vehicle he was driving at the time of his arrest.
Powell was apprehended earlier this week by Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies for the alleged shooting death and robbery of a 42-year-old man who had returned to his home in San Dimas, a community located approximately 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
The announcement came shortly after Los Angeles authorities declared that they were on the lookout for a suspect involved in the shootings of three homeless men. They urged individuals experiencing homelessness to avoid sleeping alone for their own safety. The attacks occurred in late November during the early morning hours while the victims were either sleeping or preparing to retire for the night.
The victims were identified as Jose Bolanos, 37, who was found dead with a gunshot wound in an alley in South Los Angeles on November 26, and Mark Diggs, 62, who was shot and killed around 5 a.m. the following day while pushing a shopping cart near downtown. The third homeless shooting took place on Wednesday at approximately 2:30 a.m. in the Lincoln Heights area, where the body of a 52-year-old man was discovered. Pending notification of his family, the police did not immediately release his identity.
Los Angeles County, with a population of approximately 10 million people, is currently home to more than one in five of the nation’s homeless individuals, as per a 2022 federal count. According to the latest official count in January, there were over 75,000 homeless people across the county on any given night.
Following the shooting in San Dimas, detectives were able to identify Powell’s vehicle through surveillance footage. They subsequently tracked the vehicle to Beverly Hills, where he was stopped by the police on Wednesday. Authorities found the firearm inside the vehicle during the arrest.
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore expressed his gratitude that the suspect was apprehended and was no longer a threat to the community. Powell is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, and it was not immediately known if he had legal representation. Online jail records indicate that he was arrested on Thursday and is being held on a $2 million bail.
Moore urged the public to come forward with any additional information, stating that authorities do not believe there is any connection between Powell and the victims. He also highlighted the importance of surveillance technology in swiftly identifying the suspect and preventing further harm.
The announcement came in the wake of a shooting incident in Las Vegas on Friday, where five homeless people were shot, one of them fatally. The local police are currently searching for a lone suspect in that case.