The mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, and Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser recommended their cities’ homeless residents to seek shelter on Sunday after a heartless killer had callously shot at least five vagrants.
The cold-blooded killer, who remained on the loose as of Sunday, has been targeting homeless men while they are asleep in a series of shootings in DC and NYC this month that has so far left two men dead and three others in critical conditions.
Eric Adams and Muriel Bowser said federal authorities are investigating the crimes and will eventually find the killer before he strikes again.
“The work to get this individual off our streets before he hurts or murders another individual is urgent,” the two mayors said in a statement released just before midnight.
“As our law enforcement agencies work quickly with federal partners to locate the suspect, we are also calling on unsheltered residents to seek shelter. Again, it is heartbreaking and tragic to know that in addition to all the dangers that unsheltered residents face, we now have a cold-blooded killer on the loose, but we are certain that we will get the suspect off the street and into police custody.”
The suspect had reportedly carried out three attacks on homeless men in DC between March 3 and March 9, resulting in one man dying from his injuries. By Saturday, the same suspect entered Manhattan, and according to cops, he shot two homeless men in separate incidents in Soho.
Authorities found another homeless man dead in a sleeping bag in Tribeca. However, it is unclear if this latter victim’s death was related to the serial shooter. Authorities said there were no ballistics at the scene, nor discernible entry marks through the man’s clothing.
Amid the terrifying incidents, the NYPD issued new patrol guidance, directing officers to conduct wellness checks and offer shelter services to apparently homeless individuals.
In addition, police officers were directed to proactively engage with vulnerable people by telling them about the brutal attacks and showing them wanted posters of the suspected gunman, the guidance said.
