Multistate manhunt leads to arrest of suspect in DC and NYC homeless killings

30-year-old Gerald Brevard III was arrested early Tuesday following a multistate manhunt for allegedly shooting five homeless men in Washington, DC, and New York City in targeted attacks, law enforcement officials said.

Brevard was arrested at a DC gas station during a stakeout conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies and was taken into custody by Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents, according to NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig.

Essig said that Brevard was wearing similar clothing to when he allegedly shot the victims in Manhattan on Saturday, and lives in the Washington area.

Immediate charges were not made available to the public. The investigation remains ongoing as detectives travel to DC to interview Brevard.

According to a senior law enforcement official, DC police received a tip after releasing clear images and video of the suspect, and the NYPD received a tip about his name. Both tips led to the arrest of suspect Gerald Brevard III.

Essig said Brevard was a "strong person of interest" in the NYC shootings after officials received over a dozen Crime Stoppers tips.

"This case is an example of what happens when there is good police work, science and community support," officials said at a Tuesday press conference in DC.

Authorities said .22 caliber shell casings were discovered at all of the crime scenes, although Brevard did not have a firearm on him when he was found, NBC4 reports.

Brevard has a prior criminal history that includes at least one past assault on a woman in Virigina, according to the outlet.

Brevard's father told the New York Times in a statement that his son suffers from mental illness and he slammed the criminal judicial system. Brevard's father also expressed condolences to the victims and their families.

"I cannot speak to the details of the case," the suspect's father told the Times. "I can only speak to the issue of the failure of the judicial system identifying that my son suffers from mental illness but not treating it."

Brevard is accused of carrying out at least five attacks on homeless people in Manhattan and Washington, DC, in a nine-day span. The first attack in the series was on March 3; the latest two were on Saturday in New York City, NBC4 reports.

Two of the victims were killed; one man was found shot on Lafayette Street, and another was discovered in a burning tent in Northeast DC.

"We promised that we'd bring this killer to justice. We kept that promise," Mayor Eric Adams tweeted on Tuesday. "Thank you to all of our partners in law enforcement for their good work. Public safety is the prerequisite to prosperity. Keeping our streets safe means bringing our country back."