Ballistics testing and video evidence have connected the six men who were fatally shot in California, and police said at a news conference on Tuesday that they are seeking for a person of interest.
Stanley McFadden, the police chief of Stockton, California, said that “we do feel we may have a possible serial murderer.” That is how we will approach it as such.
Although the person of interest may be seen on surveillance footage at a number of the crime locations, McFadden said there is no proof connecting them to the shootings. Authorities also don’t know whether there is only one suspect or if there are more.
Authorities are requesting the public’s help in locating the person of interest, according to McFadden. He then displayed a brief video clip captured by a security camera of a guy wearing a black headgear and a black outfit. McFadden noted the individual’s unsteady gait and straight stance.
Authorities revealed last week that five males in Stockton had just been killed after being attacked and shot in the dark by themselves. According to the San Joaquin County Medical Examiner’s office, Paul Yaw, 35, was slain on July 8; Salvador Debudey Jr., 43; Jonathan Hernandez Rodriguez, 21; Juan Cruz, 52; and Lawrence Lopez Sr., 54; died on August 11; August 11; and September 27; respectively.
Lopez, the most recent fatality, was shot soon before 2 a.m. in a neighborhood to the north of the city center.
His brother, Jerry Lopez, told KXTV-TV that he “was simply a guy that was out here in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and in the wrong condition.” “It’s difficult to comprehend what has transpired,”
When they were slain in the early hours of the morning or evening, four of the victims were out on foot by themselves, while a fifth was inside a parked automobile. None of the guys seemed to have known one another, and none had been robbed or assaulted before their deaths, which all occurred within a few square miles, according to Stockton Police Officer Joseph Silva.
Additionally, there is no evidence linking the shootings to gangs or drug use.
The violence in Stockton has also been linked to the shooting death of a man in Oakland about 4:15 am on April 10, 2021, according to authorities. The Alameda County Coroner’s Office reports that Juan Vasquez Serrano, 39, was shot numerous times.
Whether the victim was alone when he was slain was not immediately apparent.
The lone surviving victim, a Black female, was in her tent last year when she came across someone brandishing a pistol, according to McFadden at the news conference on Tuesday.
She was able to protect herself despite the suspect firing several rounds at her. The suspect was described as being between 5’10” and 6 feet tall, dressed entirely in dark colors, wearing a black face mask, and sporting a dark jacket. She said that the suspect said nothing to her.
According to McFadden, the majority of the victims were Hispanic men, who were about 42 years old. Others of the victims, according to him, were homeless and some weren’t.
“We are unsure about the motivation. It is mission-oriented, which is what we do believe, McFadden said on Tuesday. “This guy has a goal in mind.”
The reward for information that results in an arrest has increased to $125,000 after a $25,000 gift from the ATF on Tuesday, according to the police.
There are 320,000 people living in Stockton, which is situated around 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Sacramento, the state capital.