Police chief joins outreach to homeless residents at risk in Stockton serial killings
STOCKTON -- Stockton's police chief on Thursday joined community service providers to visit multiple encampment sites and pass out flyers of a person of interest in connection with seven serial killings and talked to unhoused people about safety.
According to police, seven people have been killed or shot since April of last year by the same suspect or suspects, including a 40-year-old Hispanic man in Oakland.
Four of the seven victims were experiencing homelessness and many were Hispanic men, according to Joseph Silva, a Stockton police spokesperson.
"Everyone wants to be safe and our job as a police department is to reach all our communities and this is one of our communities as well," Stockton police chief Stanley McFadden said.
Brenda Gallegos, a woman who has experienced homelessness for two years, said hearing about the recent slayings has been scary but says her tent neighbors have been watching out for each other.
"When it comes down to it, some people don't get along with other people but, when it comes down to certain problems, we all got each other's back," Gallegos said.
McFadden said he still believes there is strength in numbers and the Police Department has amped up its communication with communities as well adjusting their patrols.
Silva advised that in case of an emergency, unhoused people should attempt to get to a safe place such as a local business or shelter to be able to contact police officers.
However, some unhoused people said they don't feel that the police presence has been useful enough.
"A few days ago, I thought I seen the guy and I went to tell another guy ... they called the police but they never called back or anything," Gallegos alleged.
McFadden said if people perceive that the department is not doing enough, then that means police have to do better.
While some people experiencing housing instability fear for their safety with a potential killer roaming the streets, others say they have no worries about being harmed.
Jermaine Goodjoint, who has been living in the streets for seven years, said he feels safe where he lives because many people don't enter that area.
"A lot of people don't come off into the trenches ... I think I feel safe inside here honestly opposed to being outside of here," Goodjoint said.
The victims of the shootings include a 46-year-old Black woman who survived her injuries in April 2021, a 40-year-old Hispanic man who was killed in April 2021, a 35-year-old white man killed this July, a 43-year-old Hispanic man killed in August, a 21-year-old Hispanic man killed in August, a 52-year-old Hispanic man killed in September and a 54-year-old Hispanic man who died in September.