STOCKTON, Calif. (AP) — A person suspected of killing six males and wounding a lady in a chain of shootings in Northern California used to be arrested ahead of morning time Saturday as he drove in the course of the streets of Stockton, armed with a handgun and most likely in search of any other sufferer, police stated.
Investigators started looking at the suspect after receiving guidelines and stopped him in a automobile at about 2 a.m. within the Central Valley town, the place 5 of the shootings came about, Police Leader Stanley McFadden stated at a information convention.
Wesley Brownlee, 43, of Stockton, used to be wearing black, had a masks round his neck, had a gun and “used to be out searching,” McFadden alleged.
“We’re positive we stopped any other killing,” he added.
It wasn’t instantly transparent whether or not Brownlee had an legal professional to talk on his behalf. He used to be anticipated to be arraigned Tuesday on homicide fees.
A police photograph confirmed the black-and-gray weapon allegedly carried via the suspect. It gave the look to be a semi-automatic handgun containing some nonmetallic fabrics.
Police were in search of a person clad in black who used to be stuck on video at a number of of the crime scenes in Stockton, the place 5 males have been ambushed and shot to loss of life between July 8 and Sept. 27. 4 have been strolling, and one used to be in a parked automobile.
Police imagine the similar particular person used to be answerable for killing a person 70 miles away in Oakland in April 2021 and wounding a homeless girl in Stockton every week later.
Investigators have stated ballistics exams and video proof connected the crimes.
On the information convention, a second of silence used to be held for the sufferers.
Juan Vasquez Serrano, 39, used to be killed in Oakland on April 10, 2021, and Natasha LaTour, 46, used to be shot in Stockton on April 16 of that 12 months however survived. The 5 males killed in Stockton this 12 months have been Paul Yaw, 35, who died July 8; Salvador Debudey Jr., 43, who died Aug. 11; Jonathan Hernandez Rodriguez, 21, who died Aug. 30; Juan Cruz, 52, who died Sept. 21; and Lawrence Lopez Sr., 54, who died Sept. 27.
Police stated Brownlee has a prison historical past and is assumed to have additionally lived in numerous towns close to Stockton, however they didn’t give additional main points.
Government stated they won masses of guidelines after pronouncing the manhunt, and investigators situated and watched where the place Brownlee used to be residing.
“In accordance with guidelines entering the dep. and Stockton Crime Stoppers, we have been in a position to 0 in on a conceivable suspect,” McFadden stated. “Our surveillance crew adopted this particular person whilst he used to be using. We watched his patterns and made up our minds early this morning, he used to be on a undertaking to kill.”
McFadden added that Brownlee used to be detained after attractive in what gave the look to be threatening conduct, together with going to parks and darkish puts, preventing and taking a look round ahead of using on.
Investigators have been looking to establish a purpose for the assaults. Police stated some sufferers have been homeless, however now not all. None have been overwhelmed or robbed, and the girl who survived stated her attacker didn’t say the rest.
The police leader thanked quite a lot of native, state and federal businesses that took phase within the investigation, together with the FBI, U.S. Marshals and U.S. Drug Enforcement Management.
Native investigators had additionally labored with police in Chicago to resolve whether or not the killings could be connected to 2 2018 murders in that town’s Rogers Park group. Government stated movies of suspects confirmed a person in black with a particular stroll.
On the other hand, Chicago police stated Friday that there didn’t seem to be any hyperlink.