Officials stated Sunday that a large search is underway for a deranged killer who killed two homeless men and injured three others in a series of mindless shootings in Washington, DC and New York City earlier this month.
A lone gunman is wanted for sneaking up on sleeping vagrants and shooting them in both jurisdictions, including the two men attacked early Saturday morning in Soho, according to the NYPD and the Washington, DC Metro Police Department in a joint statement.
A third homeless man was found dead in Manhattan just after news broke that a serial gunman was on the run.
According to sources, police are looking into whether that man’s death is linked to the others. On the sidewalk, the vagabond was discovered with an apparent pelvis wound.
The first three confirmed attacks by the crazy gunman took occurred in the nation’s capital, according to authorities. On March 3, a male victim was shot and wounded in the 1100 block of New York Avenue by the suspect.
On the 1700 block of H Street, the gunman shot another man five days later. The first two victims were injured but not seriously.
Last Wednesday, the suspect reportedly fatally stabbed and shot a homeless man whose remains were discovered following an encampment fire on the 400 block of New York Avenue, according to investigators.
The sicko moved to New York City sometime before Saturday AM and carried out more atrocities in the same manner.
The culprit shot and wounded a 38-year-old homeless sleeping on King Street in Soho in the first of the two incidents. The person was taken to the hospital and is doing well.
A little over an hour later, the sicko was seen on camera fatally shooting a homeless man wrapped in a sleeping bag outside of 148 Lafayette St., some 15 blocks away.
According to the distressing video, the suspect kicked the sleeping man, looked around to see if anyone was watching, then pulled out a revolver and shot him in the head at point-blank range.
A 43-year-old homeless guy in a sleeping bag was discovered dead outside of a Chipotle restaurant on the junction of Greenwich and Murray streets in Tribeca at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday, according to police sources.
Investigators are looking for surveillance film in the area to help them figure out how and when the man died.
The latest victim was alive when authorities did a wellness check at 6 a.m., according to sources.
Police were called about 12 hours later by a lady who thought the man had overdosed, according to sources.
Responding cops saw the man’s eyes were rolled back and discovered a bloody wound near the victim’s pelvis area when delivering first aid.
The cause of death is unknown, and an autopsy will be performed on Monday.
According to sources, no ballistics were discovered at the scene, and there were no obvious entrance marks through the man’s clothing.
In a statement released Sunday night, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said, “Our homeless population is one of our most vulnerable, and one individual praying on them while they sleep is an extraordinarily horrific act.”
“To bring the killer to justice, we will use every tool, every approach, and every partner,” Sewell added.
In their investigations, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives are aiding the two departments.
Ballistics discovered in Soho on Saturday morning were the same caliber as casings discovered in Washington, DC.
All five shootings took place in the early morning hours as the victims were asleep, authorities said.
The suspect was captured on surveillance video in both jurisdictions wearing all black. In New York City, he also wore a dark face covering.