CNN
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With the California city of Stockton on edge following a series of late-night shootings by an unknown assailant, police officials believe another killing was prevented with the arrest of a suspect this weekend.
Wesley Brownlee, 43, of Stockton, was taken into custody around 2 a.m. Saturday, clad in dark clothing with a mask around his neck and armed with a firearm, Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden said during a news conference.
“He was on a mission to kill. He was out hunting,” McFadden said. “We are sure we stopped another killing,” he added.
Working off tips from the public, a surveillance team was following Brownlee as he drove around parks and dark places, “stopping, looking around and moving again,” McFadden said. The team watched his patterns and arrested him after they “identified that he’s posing a threat,” the chief said.
Brownlee is suspected of killing six men and wounding a woman in the string of shootings, the earliest stretching back to April 2021 and the most recent reported late last month, officials said.
All of the victims were alone during evening or early morning hours when they were attacked, police said.
While searching for the gunman, police earlier this month released surveillance video of a man they said was a person of interest. The chief pointed out at the time that the person’s posture is “extremely upright and it’s noticeable.”
A reward for information leading to an arrest grew to $125,000 by this week.
Hundreds of tips poured in from members of the public, according to Stockton Mayor Kevin J. Lincoln.
“This crime was solved because we’re Stocktonians. Because you don’t come to our house and bring this kind of reign of terror and not mobilize…
Source : cnn
