The fourth attack happened July 6, when authorities found a man ablaze on the ground across from the federal courthouse downtown.
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Officials say they believe the Golden Hill attack is connected to the four previous attacks this month that left three homeless men dead and another critically injured. “We have the right person in custody”, Captain David Nesleit said at a press conference on Friday.
Two Harbor police officers patrolling near the freeway bridge heard the homeless man’s screams as he was being attacked at “around 4:30 a.m.”, reported The Washington Post.
The city’s homeless population and all residents should feel relief.
For almost two weeks, San Diego police had been engaged in an aggressive search for the individual responsible for carrying out five brutal attacks on homeless men across the city that left three dead and two others severely injured.
The department released an earlier suspect a week ago after holding him over the weekend, saying it had no evidence to hold Anthony Padgett, a man with a past conviction for setting a homeless man on fire in Chula Vista, and actually had exculpatory evidence that would exclude him as a suspect.
A new attack in downtown San Diego earlier today has been connected to the series of homeless killings that began July 3, homicide investigators said. San Diego police have detained a person in the investigation of attacks on homeless m.
He faces three counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder and two counts of arson in the attacks that Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman called the worst she has seen in her 34 years in law enforcement.
“I firmly believe Guerrero is the suspect responsible for these vicious crimes”, she said. The Union Tribune noted that when police made the arrest Friday afternoon, they discovered a hammer in the backpack Guerrero was carrying.
“We can all rest a little easier tonight knowing that this predator is off our streets”, San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said at a news conference Saturday.
Friday’s incident fit the characteristics of the four other attacks, involving men usually sleeping on the street who suffered severe trauma to their upper body. “This will be linked to the first case that happened on July 3”. The 53-year-old died before his body was set on fire. He was also wearing a hat similar to one seen on the suspect in the gas station video footage.
The next day, officers responding to a 911 call found Manuel Mason, 61, who remained in critical condition Monday with injuries to his upper torso.
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A few hours later, police discovered the serial killer’s third victim, Shawn Longley, 41. A witness pulled away a burning cloth that the attacker put on him before fleeing.
