A suspected serial killer who’s linked to 6 deaths within the Northern California communities of Stockton and Oakland has been arrested, in line with Stockton Police Division (SPD).
Wesley Brownlee, 43, was “additionally armed with a firearm when he was taken into custody” on Saturday morning, SPD Chief Stanley McFadden mentioned through SPD’s Fb web page, including that “he was out looking” when the police discovered him.
Brownlee is allegedly accountable for the killings that occurred between July 8 and Sept. 27 of this 12 months, in addition to another fatal shooting that took place in April 2021 involving a 40-year-old man in Oakland, CNN reported.
“These homicides occurred in the evening or early morning hours and our victims have been alone,” McFadden mentioned beforehand in a put up on Fb.
Along with the incident in Oakland, different deadly taking pictures circumstances embody that of a 35-year-old man on July 8, a 43-year-old man on Aug. 11, a 21-year-old man on Aug. 30, a 52-year-old man on Sept. 21 and a 54-year-old man on Sept. 27.
After receiving suggestions from the general public, deputies have been capable of find Brownlee and adopted him whereas he was driving, McFadden mentioned.
“We watched his patterns and decided early this morning; he was on a mission to kill,” the official shared. Consequently, McFadden mentioned the police stopped Brownlee whereas within the space of Village Inexperienced Drive and Winslow Avenue round 2 a.m. Saturday, noting that he was “carrying darkish clothes and a masks round his neck.”
“We’re positive we stopped one other killing,” he added. Brownlee will be indicted on Tuesday and expenses can be decided, police mentioned, per ABC Information.
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Stockton Police Division didn’t instantly return PEOPLE’s request for remark.
Brownlee was additionally allegedly tied to the assault of 46-year-old Natasha LaTour who survived after being shot “9 or 10 times” in line with an interview with the 209 Occasions.
Whereas dwelling briefly on the road, she noticed an individual wearing dark-colored pants, a darkish hoodie, and a black face masks outdoors of her tent who later approached her with a firearm aimed immediately at her.
“They already had the gun out, and so they simply began taking pictures,” LaTour informed the outlet on the time. “I simply noticed flashes.”
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“The particular person was ready,” she recalled. “They did not pull the gun out from anyplace. It was already out. Once they dipped that nook, it was out, and it was pointed at me.”
The case continues to be presently beneath investigation and the motives for the killings stay unknown.
