81-year-old man accused of being 'serial slingshot shooter' charged after years of alleged vandalism, police say

CNN
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For about a decade, residents of a Los Angeles County neighborhood have grappled with mysteriously broken windows, cracked windshields and near misses caused by tiny projectiles, all apparently at the hands of a neighbor 81-year-old whom the police describe as a “serial”. slingshot shooter.

The suspect, Prince King, was arrested in Azusa, California, last week after a “lengthy investigation” revealed he had been harassing the community for 9 to 10 years, ultimately causing up to $10,000 in damage , according to the Azusa Police Department.

After years of sporadic reports of vandalism, a sergeant noticed some similarities in the incidents and began digging deeper.

“What we had here was much more than just random acts of vandalism,” police Lt. Robert Chivas told CNN. Investigators determined that a person “had broken windows, windshields and nearly stuck people with ball bearings” over the years, police said in an online post.

King is accused of committing these acts and has been charged with five counts of felony vandalism and two counts of misdemeanor vandalism, according to the criminal complaint filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. He pleaded not guilty.

“During our investigation and surveillance, we observed Mr. King commit a crime, which involved shooting a ball bearing with a slingshot,” Chivas said.

Ball bearings and a slingshot were also found at King's home during a May 23 search that resulted in his arrest, police said.

King was released on his own recognizance, according to the district attorney's office. He is due to appear in court again on June 17.

CNN sought comment from King and the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office, which represents him.

It is unclear whether King personally knew any of the victims, and the motive for the alleged incidents remains unknown, Chivas said.

Fabiola Madrigal Rodriguez moved to the Azusa neighborhood about eight months ago and noticed one of her garage windows was damaged — a repair that could cost her about $500, she told CNN.

But it wasn't until police came to her door and began investigating the broken window that they learned of the suspected serial vandal, Rodriguez said.

“I became worried. I have children, grandchildren. We like to go out, play with the dog and, of course, we want to be safe,” she said.

When she learned that her elderly neighbor had been arrested, she said she “couldn't believe it.”