Pair of shootings linked to possible serial killer in Stockton, California, police say

A pair of killings in Stockton, California, has been linked to a series of five shooting deaths by a possible serial killer, law enforcement said Monday night.

A statement by the Stockton Police Department said the two additional cases were shootings that occurred in April 2021. The first resulted in the death of a 40-year-old Hispanic man in Oakland — about 75 miles from Stockton. The next shooting, coming six days later, happened in Stockton and targeted a 46-year-old Black woman, who, unlike all the others, survived her injuries.

Police said these two shootings are likely connected to the recent spree of five homicides in Stockton that has left residents of the city fearful for their lives. The five shootings all occurred after dark, and in areas of the city without significant security cameras, police said.

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"By definition, you could probably very well call this serial killings," Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden said during a press conference Friday. "It wasn't a robbery," he said. "Items aren't being stolen. They're not talking about any gang activity in the area or anything. It's just element of surprise."

Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln said that, while police were unsure if the attacks were attributed to a lone gunman or multiple shooters, they had confirmed that it had expanded outside the city, NBC News reported.

Police have released a grainy security camera image of a possible suspect, and are offering a $95,000 reward for information leading to their arrest.