The suspect gunman, who was responsible for multiple attack on homeless men in Washington DC and New York City over a 10 day crime spree that saw two people killed and three others injured during the attacks, has been arrested by police.
The arrest comes after the Mayors of both New York City and Washington DC released a closeup photograph of the male suspect they believe to be responsible for the killings and shootings.
Washington DC’s Police Department confirmed the arrest of the suspect on Tuesday morning. Capt. Darren Haskis saying the man was stopped on the 2700 block of Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast at around 3 a.m. and arrested. The suspect did not give any further information.
“He is being interviewed by our Homicide Branch. More information is coming soon. “Thanks to you all for your suggestions,” the department stated in a Twitter.
On Monday night, crystal clear photos of the suspect’s face were shown at a press conference that was jointly chaired and moderated by Eric Adams (NYC Mayor) as well as Eric Adams’ DC Counterpart Eric Adams.
This is the most clear image of a suspect, which police refused to discuss further. However, it is believed to have been captured by an ATM camera.
Also shared was video footage showing the suspect walking along a DC street on the night of murder. Police in New York revealed that they suspect the same weapon was used to shoot both the victims and their families in Monday’s press conference. This is thanks to the forensic analysis of the cell casings at the scene.
New York City’s Mayor and Washington DC issued a photo of the man they suspect of being responsible for five deaths of homeless men. The two were in New York City, the third in Washington DC. In a statement, Tuesday morning’s Metropolitan Police Department stated that the suspect had been taken into custody
Five homeless men have been killed and two more were injured in shootings over the last month. One of the victims was also found dead.
A reward of $70,000 was also made available as law enforcement agencies in both cities work flat out to catch the man with $25,000 coming from the NYPD, $25,000 from Washington’s police force and a further $20,000 from the ATF, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Muriel Bowser from DC, spoke in NYC to warn the murderer: “We’re coming after you.”
Robert J. Contee is the Metropolitan Police Department chief. He said, “Our reach is wide and we’re coming after you.”
On March 3rd, March 8th and March 9th respectively, D.C. was attacked. The third attack, which was fatal, saw the victim being found dead in a burning tent after he was shot and stabbed. On Monday, investigators claimed that victims did not receive any warning and that the killer attacked them unprovoked.
Following the DC shootings the suspect is believed to be in New York City. A homeless man was killed in Soho while he was sleeping on Saturday March 12, 12th. Another was wounded and was able to flee with his life.
“Homelessness should never be considered as homicide. When you consider the premeditated actions of this shooting, it was clearly a cold-blooded attack. The Mayor Eric Adams stated that this shooting sent a strong message about the need for public assistance, including from MPCD, NYPD and ATF.
Police released several clear photos of the suspect.
You know this person. We are asking the public for help in finding him. We do not want another New Yorker to be homeless in our city. The person in question is planning to shoot innocent citizens.
In New York’s shooting, he noticed everyone around him and decided to take the life of an innocent man. He Mustbe tried. We Will Bring him to trial. We’ll tell him to surrender if he is watching. “This is unacceptable,” Mayor Adams stated.
The case highlights the proliferation of firearms in urban areas. The result is an uneasy situation that is leading to bloodshed throughout the country. It’s time for us all to stop this mad obsession with guns. We have too many guns in our streets. Adams stated that we must stop gun violence in our streets.
Washington DC doesn’t manufacture firearms. New York City isn’t a city that manufactures guns, but these guns are ending up in our streets. We must end this.
Investigators claim that there was evidence of a ballistic weapon at both the locations where the shootings occurred in each city.
Agents on the East Coast have also been asked by law enforcement officials to check if they are dealing with similar cases.
Eric Adams, New York City Mayor, responds to a question by a reporter at a news conference in Washington D.C. about the recent shootings of homeless persons in New York City. It was taking place at The John A. Wilson Building.
New York Mayor Eric Adams listens to Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser speak during a news conference
Keechant Sewell, New York’s Police Commissioner speaks at a news conference on the hunt for the gunman who has targeted homeless people sleeping in New York City and Washington. Sewell, Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee and Washington Mayor Muriel bowser are from left.
Two images from shell casings were taken and examined in each city. They were later entered into ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. The results suggested that the exact same weapon was used to kill the victims. Based on the similarities of the distinctive markings found on the shell casings, it also generated leads.
It was by that of Captain Kevin Kentish, Head of the Homicide Unit in Washington DC.
Kintish is a Queens resident and saw an image of the NYC suspect while scrolling on social media.
‘During that review, he took that image to his team, based upon the similarities, came together with ATF and forensically connected these cases,’ Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department Robert Contee said.
It is not known what the killer was thinking.
The suspect was spotted walking down a Washington D.C. street.
Colored images of another suspect are shown eating while walking on a street near the capital.
The Washington DC Police Department at the ATF has raised $55,000. NYPD contributed another $25,000
Mayor Adams received similar strong remarks from Chief Contee III regarding the victim.
‘This is a depraved individual but I feel the knot is tightening in. The mental state of this suspect is unknown. This person may be homeless. However, there are some things that we do know to suggest this person may have been a serial killer.
A joint statement was issued by Washington D.C. Mayor Eric Adams as well as Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Borser
“Our New York City and DC communities are disturbed and heartbroken by the heinous acts of violence committed against our most vulnerable citizens. We discussed how we can help each other and coordinate our efforts. Now, we’re asking everyone to see the photos of the suspect, as well as any additional information that might be helpful.
“It’s urgent to remove this individual from our streets, before he causes harm or death to another person. Gun violence is a disturbing trend that has shaken us all. Knowing someone out there is causing harm to vulnerable people is truly harrowing. Our law enforcement agencies are working quickly to track down the suspect and we also encourage residents who have not been sheltered to look for shelter.
“It’s heartbreaking, and tragic, to find out that there’s a cold-blooded killer in the area, and that he’s also posing dangers to unsheltered residents. However, we’re certain we’ll get him to police custody.
The homeless people living on New York City’s streets said Monday that they prefer to stay on the streets to avoid going to shelters, even though there is still the threat of a serial murderer.
The Mayors of New York City and Washington DC are advising those living on the street to seek to seek shelter in public facilities to avoid the suspect who they believe has shot at least five homeless men in the last month, killing two.
DailyMail.com talked to many people who live on the streets. People were not thrilled about the thought of sleeping in shelters instead of at a station or doorway.
“There are a lot more sick people than I would like, but it’s better to live on the streets instead of in shelters. It’s easier to be free. Daren, a homeless man sat outside Penn Station said that he can do anything he wants, whenever he wishes.
“There are a lot more sick people than I would like, but it’d be better to live on the streets instead of in shelters. It’s easier to be free. Daren, an unemployed man sitting outside Penn Station, Manhattan, said, “I can do whatever I want whenever I want.”
“I like to spend my nights in the corners.” I’m not afraid. Marie stated firmly that people aren’t usually aggressive to DailyMail.com Monday
Darrius Carr is a homeless man who claims that he lives in Uptown Manhattan’s shelter and feels very safe.
J’ai Mohammed, who typically sleeps in a metro station over night suggested to the mayor that he see the city from the street.
Marie was also sitting at the Post Office in Midtown.
“I like to spend my nights in the corners.” I’m not afraid. DailyMail.com was reassured by her statement that “people aren’t always aggressive.”
Darius Carr, another man that has been living in poverty for over a year stated that it was safe to go to shelters uptown every night.
J’ai Mohammed, who usually sleeps in a subway stop overnight, said that the mayor ought to see firsthand what it’s like living on the streets.
He suggested that the mayor might try to be homeless overnight so he could feel the difference between being on the streets and in shelters.
A man is being sought by police (pictured), who killed one and shot another homeless man in Manhattan.
After a string of similar shootings in Washington D.C., detectives from the NYPD are now expanding their search for a suspect that killed and shot a homeless man as he was sleeping. Following the second attack on the Capital, this is the suspect in question.
In just over an hour, a serial killer killed one man homeless and shot another one in the arm.
It is not clear if the deaths of the third homeless New York City man discovered in Tribeca are connected.
A thorough video canvass was conducted and there was no sign of criminality.
While detectives await the results of the autopsy, they believe the man was overdosed.
In separate shootings in Washington DC, earlier in the month, three homeless people were gunned down and murdered. According to police, the attack on the DC three men and the New York City one man that was killed Saturday were both carried out by the same individual.
The Mayor Eric Adams of DC and Muriel Bowser, the DC Mayor are urging homeless persons to get shelter immediately as NYPD officers try to capture the suspect serial killer.
DailyMail.com was able to obtain an internal memo sent by the NYPD to precincts averting cops of the predawn attack on homeless men. It noted that in all instances, the victims were found sleeping in a public place during the first platoon.
Officers were instructed to inspect their areas, engage homeless people, inform them of incidents, and give them wanted flyers with photos of those in interest. They also had to check on their wellbeing and offer shelter.
The memo states that members assigned to Patrol Services Bureau precincts are required to perform frequent grid canvasses in their area or sector of deployment using a block-by-block method. Areas that are prone to encampment should receive special attention.
NYPD officers on scene at Murray Street and Varick Streets in New York, Sunday night. Another homeless person was also found dead. This death may have been caused by an overdose, and is not related to any other NY or DC murders.
The NYPD and Washington DC Metro Police have jointly released a statement stating that they suspect the same suspect in multiple attacks against homeless men in both of their cities, which have left at least three people dead.
The pair released a joint statement Sunday night saying that they were disturbed and heartbroken by the heinous acts of violence committed against some of New York City’s most vulnerable citizens.
“The two of them spoke about how their teams can collaborate and assist one another. We are asking everyone to examine the photos of the suspect, report any useful information and look at the pictures.
‘The work to get this individual off our streets before he hurts or murders another individual is urgent.
“As law enforcement agencies cooperate quickly with federal partners in locating the suspect,” said Ted.
Many were curious to find out where they expected the homeless go.
In New York City, there are estimated to be around 93,000 homeless people and around 1,618 in DC.
NYC cops have surveillance footage showing a black man about 5’4″ fleeing from the scene of his second shooting.
DC police released pictures of an unmasked male in dark clothes fleeing one of the attacks in DC.
Five shootings took place between the cities. Three of these were homicides. The victims were all homeless. However, police are yet to provide a motive for the attack on vulnerable men.
This is despite the fact that the United States has a massive homelessness crisis. The pandemic caused an increase in unemployment and a spike in housing prices, leaving nearly 600,000. Americans without homes in 2020.
Between New York and Washington D.C., there have been a total of five shootings and two homicides.
Between March 3rd and 8th, the Washington shootings occurred.
After police reported that shots were being heard at New York Avenue Northeast, on March 3, a man was taken to hospital. The victims were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the hospital.
We don’t know how the third victim was killed. The police believe that there wasn’t any criminal activity and that the victim died from an overdose.
On March 8, at 1:21 a.m., police responded to a shooting on H Street Northeast in DC. A man was shot but not life-threatening.
On March 9, police saw an unattended tent engulfed in flames by a homeless person. Investigators discovered a body after the fire was extinguished.
An autopsy revealed that the victim was shot and had been stabbed. Police suspect that the victim has been killed.
New York’s attacks started in the morning hours of Saturday when a homeless person was shot in his arm while lying in bed on King Street, Manhattan.
After the suspect opened fire on him, the suspect got up and shouted “What the hell is that?” According to police
But then the quick-thinking victim then pretended to call 911 as he put his fingers to his ear, despite not having a phone, the New York Daily News reported, fooling the gunman into thinking law enforcement were on their way.
After running off into the night and finding another homeless person 90 minutes later, the suspect was found. The victim was a 33-year-old male who was killed by a bullet in an SoHo entrance.
NYPD offers $10,000 to any person who helps them capture the “cold-blooded” killer that shot two homeless men.
At 6:15 a.m., the second victim was shot in the neck and head on 148 Lafayette Street. He was located opposite the 11 Howard luxury hotel. Police took twelve hours to find the victim and retrieve his body, riddled by bullet holes from the yellow sleeping bag that he had been using.
In the Lafayette Street killing, the suspect was filmed in chilling surveillance footage wearing a black ski mask and black clothing. The man was seen repeatedly prodding the victim before looking around, then firing his fatal shots. The man’s age is not known but he was described by police as a Hispanic man.
Mayor Eric Adams issued an urgent appeal yesterday: “Homelessness turning into murder.” It is urgent that we find the person responsible and New Yorkers must help. It is cold-blooded murder.
Call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577–TIPS (8477), or in Spanish 1-888-57–PISTA (747782) if you have any information. You may also send your tip to Crime Stoppers by going online.
Due to similarities in the methods of perpetrators, common circumstances that led each shooting, profile of victims and found evidence, the NYPD, MPDC and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (ATF), will collaborate in investigating these offenses.
Keechant L., Police Commissioner said that the homeless are one of our most vulnerable populations and praying over them while they sleep is an extremely heinous crime. The police will make every effort to find the murderer. We’ll use all techniques and partners to do so.
New York City hosts the most homeless in the United States. There is a large population growth that has been widely blamed for the recent rise in crime.
CNBC reports that overall U.S. homelessness rates have increased by 10 percent since 2007. They are now at 580,000 from 647,000 in 2007.
However, certain groups such as the individual homeless have seen only a 1% decrease in their numbers from 413 000 in 2007 to 409,000 in 2020.
In the first year of the pandemic the numbers got far worse for the unsheltered homeless, with a 30 percent increase from 173,000 in 2015 to 226,000 in 2020.
New York pledged $3.2billion in 2019 to end homelessness. This was twice the amount they spent in 2014.
Robert Contee Chief of Metropolitan Police stated that ‘from the first incident on, the Metropolitan Police have used every resource possible to locate the culprit behind these cowardly acts. To bring these crimes to an end, we will share every piece of evidence and investigation path with law enforcement partners.
Marvin Richardson, ATF Director, said: “Our Washington and New York City Field Offices have worked hand-in-hand from the beginning with the DC Metropolitan Police and the New York Police Department. Within blocks of our Washington DC headquarters, one of the shootings took place.
“We used ATF’s advanced systems for real-time analysis, backed by the ATF National Lab Maryland in order to speed up the evidence and aid in investigations in Washington DC and New York City. The three agencies form one unit.
The suspect is seen kicking the homeless man several times and then taking his gun.
The suspect can be seen looking around to see if anyone was watching before carrying out the horrific act
The suspect approached the homeless man, prodding him with his foot several more times and then shot him.
Eric Adams, Mayor of Toronto, said Saturday at a press conference that homelessness has become homicide.
Adams stated, “I think that’s why this case is so horrendous, watching video, seeing the individual deliberately walk up to innocent persons that are facing the challenges of homelessness, and it’s quite plausible that one of our citizens still lives simply because he woke awake,” Adams added.
“Homelessness is becoming a murder.” This person must be found and New Yorkers are needed to assist us in finding them, Eric Adams announced at Saturday’s press conference.
“And today, I am here to make it clear that New Yorkers matter.
The mayor said that two people were killed while they were sleeping in the street. He didn’t believe the victims had committed a crime, but that the shootings occurred.
Chief Hank Saunter stated, “We’re talking to two individuals who are homeless.
‘The most vulnerable population in the city right now.’
There is a US system for temporary shelters to help homeless persons in the US. However, many people still live on streets, trains and vehicles, or other places not specifically designated as housing.
Unsheltered individuals are most at-risk, as they are exposed to all the dangers of the environment and are stripped off common safety precautions.
The victims of the recent unprovoked assaults on New York’s homeless in Washington were all unsheltered.
Police stated that they would be going out in force to help men and women who are sleeping rough on the streets get to safety shelters.
Yesterday, two Museum of Modern Art staff were attacked by an ex-member.
According to the authorities, the man was having his membership suspended. Police believe he was attempting to retaliate by going to the museum and stabbing two women employees.
It comes amid a city reeling after a February crime wave which saw an almost 60% increase in incidents over last year.
Latest crime statistics for the city show that there have been 9,138 cases in February as compared to 5,759 incidents during the same period 2021. This is despite double-digit increases in most major categories.
Three more murders were committed in February than last year.
The above photo shows one of the men shot at 54 King Street. It’s a residential, quiet street in SoHo.
At 148 Lafayette Street, the second victim was killed and shot (file photo). It is located next to the luxurious 11 Howard hotel.
In February the NYPD saw a 58.7 per cent increase in overall crime. According to the latest statistics, there were 9,138 crimes in February 2021 as opposed 5 759 in 2021. There was double-digit growth in almost every major category.
Other categories also saw dramatic jumps. There was a nearly 105 per cent increase in car theft; grand larceny jumped almost 80 percent over last year; robberies jumped 56 percent; there was a 44% rise in burglaries; and 22 percent more assaults. The shocking 35 percent increase in rapes was also seen in February.
Adams was only a few months into his term. This is the start of a crime wave. Former NYPD officer has pledged to reduce the number of criminal incidents that have been affecting the subway and streets of New York City. This has led to a spate of violent incidents over the past few weeks. Experts believe that Bill De Blasio, the former mayor of New York City contributed to this current wave in crime.
Adams appealed recently to Albany lawmakers to review a controversial bail reform legislation that would enable judges to decide if someone is dangerous before they release them.
Adams would like to see reforms in bail reform laws as well as other criminal justice policies. Adams claims that they will lower crime and decrease gun violence.
Adams was an advocate for people returning to work after the Covid pandemic, and for cleaning up crime-ridden public transportation systems. He presented his plan for city bail laws in February. These can permit suspects to wander the streets within hours of being arrested.
Let’s get rid of the cash bail system. One should not be allowed to escape jail because they can afford bail. Let’s get rid of that. The judge should examine the case and state that this person was arrested for two guns and is constantly telling the citizens of the city that he doesn’t care about their safety.
“The judge must have the authority to decide that the person be held.”
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), 580,466 Americans were homeless in January 2020. The majority of those people are individuals (70%), and others live in families.
Washington DC, this year’s US Department of Housing and Urban Development published a report that found Washington State had one of the greatest homelessness increases between 2019 and 2020. This was in comparison to other US states.
State statistics showed an increase in homelessness at 6.2% between 2019 and 2020. That’s 1,346 people.
The Seattle Times reported that this was the third-largest increase of all US States.
New York City hosts 20% of homeless persons in the US. It is also home to the most number in America.
The US has a 17-per-1 homeless population. However, in New York City and Washington DC, it is much higher than that of New York City and Boston where the number is close to 100 for every 10,000.
Washington experienced a 21% increase in family homelessness between 2020 and 2019, which was the highest nationwide.
Seattle spent $48 million in October 2021 to construct 165 apartments for some of its 12,000 homeless residents.
Seattle’s homeless population grew to around 11,000 by 2020 and 12,000 by 2021 after the construction of the new housing units.
San Francisco has invested $667 million in its Department of Homeless and Supportive Housing. In 2021 the city had approximately 8,000 homeless residents, an increase of 17% from 2017.
Austin, Texas allocated $68 Million last year to homelessness aid. Austin’s homeless population grew from 324 people in 2019 up to almost 3,200 by 2020.