The man believed to be responsible for the murders of homeless individuals in New York City and Washington, DC has been apprehended, the NYPD announced Tuesday morning.
According to the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department, the suspect — who was picked up in Washington on Monday — is currently being interviewed at their Homicide Branch; additional details will be released as the investigation unfolds.
“Great teamwork on the part of the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department, the New York City Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” the NYPD said in a statement announcing the arrest.
The apparent serial shooter left both cities gripped in fear since March 3, when the first shooting was believed to have begun on New York Avenue within the nation’s capital. Five days later, the suspect struck again, in both incidents the victims survived the shootings. However, the following day, on March 9, the suspect stabbed and shot a homeless man, then set his tent ablaze.
Days later, the suspect traveled to Lower Manhattan to wreak similar carnage here.
On March 12, at 4:30 a.m. a 38-year-old Hispanic unhoused man took a bullet to his arm on King Street off Varick Street. The man woke up screaming, causing the suspect to flee. The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.
Later that same day, at approximately 4:30 p.m., another unhoused individual was found dead outside of 148 Lafayette St. with a gunshot wound to his neck and head. A witness told amNewYork Metro that he heard the gunfire around 6am but did not discover the body until that afternoon.
As Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD officials reached out for the public’s assistance to aid in identifying the suspect, investigators learned that the assailant was also wanted in Washington DC for similar attacks on homeless individuals, which spurred rewards to reach up to $70,000.
““This man targeted those experiencing homelessness with no regard for life, but this criminal is now off the streets,” Mayor Adams said in a Tuesday statement. “Gun violence against anyone, let alone our most vulnerable populations, is sick, but thanks to the coordination between different levels of law enforcement and the public’s help, those experiencing homelessness can breathe a sigh of relief today. The recent rise in gun violence remains a concern for us all, and we will do everything in our power to keep our citizens safe because public safety is the prerequisite to prosperity.”
“Excellent detective work, teamwork with our partners from the Metropolitan Police in DC at the ATF, and the FBI culminated in the arrest of the suspect in five shootings, including two murders of homeless men in New York City and Washington, DC,” added NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell. “People experiencing homelessness have many worries to cope with every day. Tonight, they will have one less.”
The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined the DC Metropolitan Police Department and NYPD in the investigation.
