NYC crime: Gunman sought in shootings of 5 homeless men in New York City, Washington, D.C. arrested

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — ATF agents in Washington, D.C. have arrested the suspect wanted for allegedly stalking homeless men sleeping on the streets of New York City and D.C.

The suspect fatally shot two people and wounded three more in less than two weeks.

He was picked up in southeast Washington early Tuesday morning.

A law enforcement source tells ABC News there is a high degree of confidence the man seen in surveillance photos and videos is the man arrested.

He was taken into custody in Washington, D.C.’s southeast section after allegedly shooting at least five homeless men and killing two of them in both DC and New York.

Overnight NYPD officers hit the streets in Lower Manhattan, handing out flyers with the suspect’s name and picture, trying to make sure the local homeless population knew that he’s been targeting them.

They also tried to get any homeless individuals into a shelter.

Mayor Eric Adams was in D.C. before the arrest and talked about the importance of apprehending the suspect quickly.

“We don’t want to lose another resident in this city, in New York, or anywhere else. This person is carrying out a premeditated act of shooting innocent people,” Adams said.

On Howard Street in SoHo, some people have left behind signs marking the spot where that man was killed.

Now, just three days after that murder, there’s an arrest.

Police say ballistic evidence actually linked the same gun to all five shootings.

The DC Police Department’s Head of the Homicide Unit, Captain Kevin Kentish, is credited with making the connection between the New York City and DC incidents.

Kintish, a native of Queens, New York, “happened to be scrolling through social media and saw the image of the NYC suspect,” Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department Robert Contee III said. “During that review, he took that image to his team, based upon the similarities, came together with ATF and forensically connected these cases.”

WATCH | NYPD, DC officials discuss shootings of homeless men

The NYPD says that link was critical, and together, the two departments and ATF had a trove of clear images and video of the killer.

A $70,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest; $25,000 in NYC, $25,000 in DC and $20,000 from ATF. It’s not yet known if anyone will claim the reward money.

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