Stockton Police Chief responds to rumor of a serial killer after recent shootings
STOCKTON — The Stockton Police Chief has released a message in response to recent unsolved homicides in the city that seem to show a pattern of targeting people alone and outdoors at night.
Chief Stanley McFadden says these victims have been found shot on sidewalks and inside cars where there are no security cameras or witnesses.
People who live near these shooting scenes are on edge.
"Who's doing the killing?" Stockton resident Malik Dunne said. "I just came out here to talk to my neighbors. We're discussing the problem, you know, but everybody is staying in. I mean, there's a lot of children."
Dunne lives on Porter Street in Stockton, where crime tape is still up after a Tuesday morning homicide. A man in his 50s was shot and killed on the sidewalk at 2 a.m.
That is one of five unsolved deadly shootings in the past month with victims alone and found either on a sidewalk or in a vehicle.
Police Chief McFadden says his department is seeking federal, state, and county help to determine if any of these deadly crimes are connected.
"We are seeing some patterns and similarities in some of our more recent homicides," McFadden said. "We have no information that there is a serial killer. I know that's put a lot of folks on edge, and hearing that out there, and I'm just here to say that we have no evidence of that."
McFadden would not say exactly how many homicides are being investigated as possibly connected. He is asking people to stay vigilant.
"You know, so what we've been trying to reiterate is, you know, everyone needs to have situational awareness, have their head on a swivel," McFadden said.
The Stockton Police Department is waiting on some forensic evidence from the California State Department of Justice Crime Lab to determine if there is a link between these shootings.
Chief McFadden said in the meantime, they have more resources working late at night for extra visibility.