Police say a serial killer could be behind seven shootings and six murders near Stockton, in Northern California.
Stockton Police say they have connected the series of shootings that have left six men dead through ballistics and video footage and said a serial killer could be to blame.
The New York Times is quoting Stanley McFadden, the Chief of the Stockton Police Department, saying “everyone is at risk” and “we do believe we could have a potential serial killer, that’s how we’re going to treat it as such.”
Five victims, all men between the ages of 21 and 54, were fatally shot while alone in dimly lit areas at night or in the early morning between July 8th and Sept. 27th. Four of the men were Hispanic, and one was white. Stockton Police said they had linked two additional shootings, a 40-year-old Hispanic man who was killed in Oakland, about 70 miles west of Stockton, on April 10th, and a 46-year-old homeless Black woman who was shot in Stockton on April 16th but survived her injuries.
The Stockton Police Department released footage (shown below) on Tuesday of a “person of interest.” who is seen walking with an uneven stride and an upright posture.
None of the five men shot in Stockton were robbed; their keys and wallets were not taken, and the attacks happened in different neighborhoods.
While the investigation continues, the police have asked residents to remain vigilant, to avoid isolated and dimly lit areas and not to travel alone, if possible.
The reward for information that leads to an arrest totaled $115,000 on Tuesday.