NEW YORK — A man accused of carrying out a string of shootings of men experiencing homelessness in Washington and New York will remain in custody after making his first court appearance Wednesday.
Gerald Brevard, 30, was arrested Tuesday and faces a first-degree murder charge. He is still under investigation for the two other attacks in Washington, prosecutors said.
Brevard shot three men in Washington, including one fatally, before he traveled to New York and shot two men, including one fatally, according to police in Washington and New York.
While Brevard has not been charged in New York, a judge in Washington’s superior court on Wednesday sided with prosecutors and ruled he remain in custody. Brevard’s defense attorneys sought his release into high intensity supervision, but prosecutors argued Brevard’s actions showed escalating violence against vulnerable individuals.
Sgt. Edward Riley, an NYPD spokesperson, said Wednesday that the investigation in New York was “active and ongoing.” Essig said police would work with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in the investigation as they seek to make an arrest.
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Brevard’s arrest by federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Washington came after police in the district and New York and federal law enforcement officials linked the crimes through similar descriptions and ballistic testing of shell casings. Tips from the public also helped lead to the arrest, police said.
Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert Contee said a homicide captain in his department who used to live in New York City saw surveillance photos released by the New York City Police Department and made the link between the shootings in both cities.
The Metropolitan Police Department said no motive had been established, and Contee said the attacks appeared to be random.
“We hope Brevard’s arrest provides a sense of closure for you but also relief to our vulnerable homeless population here in the District of Columbia,” Contee said. “This case is an example of what happens when there is good police work, science and community support.”
The shootings began March 3 when police in Washington responded to gunshots in the northeast section of the city, the Metropolitan Police Department said. One man was wounded with non-life threatening injuries. March 8, another non-fatal shooting occurred nearby. The next day, a Metropolitan Police Department officer spotted a tent on fire, and a man was found dead inside. A medical examiner said multiple stab and gunshot wounds was the cause of death.
Metropolitan Police on Tuesday identified the victim as Morgan Holmes, 54.
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The shootings shifted to New York on Saturday. NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said the suspect was spotted in Penn Station and believed to have traveled to the city via public transportation. A 38-year-old man who was sleeping was shot in his forearm around 4:30 a.m. Essig said then man mimicked calling 911, and the suspect fled.
Around 6 a.m., a man in a sleeping bag was shot in the head and neck and fatally wounded. His body was found later in the day, police said. Surveillance video of the shooting showed the suspect kicking the man before opening fire.
“As you watch, you’re kind of taken aback and you’re shocked that someone could commit such a jarring act against the defenseless person,” Essig said.
Brevard has no known ties to New York, Essig said, but he has been arrested before in Washington, including on assault charges.
In June 2019, he was found mentally incompetent to stand trial. Records show Brevard was sent to St. Elizabeths Hospital, a psychiatric facility in Washington. A month later, he was deemed competent to stand trial. Soon after, records show, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year in prison. That sentence, however, was suspended.
Contributing: Christal Hayes, USA TODAY
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