Two suspects have been arrested in connection with a violent theft spree earlier this week at a number of 7-Eleven shops in Southern California during which two individuals had been killed and three others wounded.
The Orange County District Lawyer's Workplace introduced one arrest Friday afternoon, in accordance to CBS Los Angeles. The Brea Police Division later introduced a second arrest.
In a information briefing Friday night, Santa Ana Police Chief David Valentin recognized the 2 suspects as 20-year-old Malike Patt and 44-year-old Jason Payne, each of Los Angeles. Patt is believed to be the first suspect answerable for the robberies, Valentin stated. Payne's position within the crimes is unclear.
The 2 had been arrested collectively in L.A. at about 1:10 p.m. on Friday, Valentin stated. One of many suspects was injured throughout the arrest and brought to a hospital for therapy.
Los Angeles police Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton stated investigators additionally consider a deadly capturing which occurred in L.A. on July 9, two days earlier than the theft spree, could also be linked to Patt. Police consider Patt could also be answerable for a number of extra crimes within the L.A. space.
"We consider there are a variety of crimes all through the L.A. area that can even be linked again to this suspect," Hamilton stated.
The armed robberies occurred over a five-hour time span early Monday morning. Six 7-Eleven shops and a donut retailer within the cities of Riverside, Ontario, Upland, Brea, Santa Ana and La Habra had been robbed, every by a masked gunman.
A 7-Eleven clerk, 40-year-old Matthew Hirsch, was shot and killed at a Brea retailer, whereas 24-year-old Matthew Rule was shot and killed within the car parking zone of a 7-Eleven retailer in Santa Ana.
Valentin stated Friday that Rule was not the meant goal of the gunman.
"The suspect was seeking to rob one other individual, this harmless sufferer stepped in, and tried to redirect the suspect," Valentin stated. "The suspect turns round and shoots our sufferer, kills him on the spot."
Authorities launched surveillance photographs from a number of of the robberies of a masked man carrying what gave the impression to be the identical black sweatshirt with a hood over his head. The sweatshirt had white lettering with inexperienced leaves on the entrance. It is not clear who's pictured.
A $100,000 reward was provided Wednesday for info resulting in an arrest and conviction.