Armed police believe it has targeted homeless men in New York City and Washington, DC, shot at least five of them while sleeping and left two dead, were captured in the country’s capital early Tuesday, authorities said.
“Early this morning, law enforcement arrested the suspect in Washington, DC,” the Metropolitan Police Department said in a tweet. “He is currently being interviewed in our homicide department. More information will come. Thank you to the community for all your tips.”
The NYPD confirmed the arrest and said more details would be known later in the morning.
Police and federal agents on Monday stepped up their search for the suspect, identifying him as a lone gunman hunting both cities’ most vulnerable.
The killer’s last known attack was early Saturday morning when he shot a man sleeping in a doorway in SoHo in the head and killed him, police said. The man was the shooter’s second victim that morning. Only 90 minutes before, he shot a homeless man, who was beaten in the arm and survived, police say.
Armed man, captured on surveillance video wearing all black, shot three men in DC between March 3 and March 9. One of these victims died after being shot and stabbed several times. His tent was also set on fire.