(NewsNation) — Suspect serial killer believed to be responsible for five murders since April 2021 in the Californian cities of Oakland and Stockton. Police say the killer is hiding in the shadows and may be stalking a location to kill before acting.
Kevin Lincoln, the mayor of Stockton, said the four murders in his town “terrorized” Stockton.
“There are unidentified individuals out there who are wreaking havoc and must be stopped,” Lincoln said. “We have to do everything we can to catch this individual or individuals, and that’s what we are doing now.”
Lincoln said police had formed a task force to find the killer and said it was important for anyone with information to come forward.
“Our officers, our task force, are working around the clock right now to provide some kind of resolution and some kind of answer to the families affected by this senseless act of gun violence,” Lincoln said. “It stretches beyond Stockton, also in Oakland, so my deepest condolences to the family in Oakland, the mayor in Oakland and the entire city.”
Police have been receiving “more than” 100 tips a day, Lincoln said, a sign that the public is eager to forget this grisly murder.
“This is a tragedy for our community, this is a very difficult time and our family is grieving at this time,” Lincoln said.
While the killer is still on the loose, Lincoln says residents should be extra careful when they’re out, especially at night.
“We’ll get through this together, but we can’t get through this without your help,” Lincoln said. “So it’s really important that we support each other, that we travel in pairs, we’re in a well-lit area and we do everything we can to keep each other safe.”