Authorities in Los Angeles arrested a dangerous individual suspected of killing three homeless people and a robbery victim in less than a week.
33-year-old Jerrid Joseph Powell was identified through his vehicle linked to the quadruple murders.
He was arrested during a traffic stop, police said. The gun used in the murders was allegedly found on him.
Powell is now accused of killing three homeless men sleeping in alleys and sidewalks in the early hours of Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday. One murder was particularly “brutal” and “ruthless”, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said.
The convicted felon is also accused of killing Nicholas Simbolon, a father-of-two, in a “follow-home” robbery.
“Twenty-four hours ago, we announced there was a killer on the loose, now he is in custody,” said LA Mayor Karen Bass.
“Right after the conclusion of yesterday’s press conference, my office was able to convene more than four hundred people representing city departments, housing service providers, regional agencies, and elected officials at the city and county level to ensure that they would [get the word out] about the threat facing our unhoused community.”