USA: Police catch alleged serial killer in California

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With the help of a surveillance video, the police in the Californian city of Stockton were looking for the alleged serial killer - now they believe they have caught him

Photo: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

California police have arrested a suspected serial killer suspected of shooting dead five people in just two and a half months this summer alone.

Another victim was killed last year.

The 43-year-old was arrested in the town of Stockton early Saturday morning while he was "hunting" for another victim, according to police.

"Hunting" been

"He was on a kill mission," said Police Commissioner Stanley McFadden.

"We're sure we prevented another murder."

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the suspect was carrying a gun and wearing dark clothing when police caught him.

The arrest was made while the suspect was "on the hunt," according to Police Chief McFadden.

Tips sent to the police had led to the 43-year-old being monitored by the police.

After the police had asked for information from the population, a Facebook group was formed in which information about possible perpetrators was exchanged.

Five men were shot dead in the Stockton area between July 8 and September 27;

the murders showed a number of parallels.

Another man was killed in the city of Oakland, 50 kilometers away, in April last year.

The fatal shots were fired at night or in the early morning hours.

The crime scenes are only a few kilometers apart.

Several victims were of Hispanic descent.

A woman who was shot but not killed in Oakland in April was homeless.

Investigators are still looking for a motive for the crime.

Stockton with around 350,000 inhabitants is located south of Sacramento in the US state of California.

It is considered a stronghold of violent crime and hit the headlines ten years ago because it is the largest city

in the USA, which had to file for bankruptcy as a result of the economic crisis.

muk/AFP