Police in Stockton California believe they have a serial killer terrorizing their city, here’s what you need to know

At first, police were singing one tune that 5 murders weren’t the work of a violent serial killer. Now though police are sounding a potential alarm following 5 different murders since July all involving men. Cops say that since July, 5 men one white and all the rest Latino, have been killed in the area while in some form walking alone at night time.

A map of the crime scenes.   (Stockton Police Department)

“We have a series of homicides that we believe are interconnected,” McFadden said at a Friday press conference, per SFGate. “By definition, you could probably very well call this serial killings.”

They are 54-year-old Lorenzo Lopez who was shot just north of downtown before 2am. A 52-year-old was fatally shot around 4:30am on Sept. 21, a 21-year-old was shot around 6:40am on Aug. 30, 43-year-old Salvador William Dudeby Jr. was shot in a parking lot on the evening of Aug. 11, and 35-year-old Paul Alexander Yaw was fatally shot in a park just after midnight on July 8, according to reports. Police admitted that all of the murders occurred just outside of the direct view of security cameras — though a brief image of a person of interest has been captured.

WARNING: If you are in Stockton California police are advising that you should not be walking alone especially at night or in areas that aren’t well lit. If you must go out inform a friend; bring a friend or four, or bring self-protection. Make sure someone knows where you are at all times.