Who is Wesley Brownlee? Suspected Stockton serial killer arrested by officials

On Saturday, October 15, 2022, Stockton City Manager announced the arrest of a man identified as Wesley Brownlee, 43, a suspect in the serial killings which have recently gripped the city with terror. According to police, he was cornered and arrested in the area of Village Green Drive and Winslow Way.

In a press conference, Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden revealed that Wesley Brownlee, a resident of Stockton, was dressed in black with a mask around his neck and a gun in his possession. He believes that the man “was out hunting” for a new victim.

Brownlee is accused of seven shootings, out of which six were fatal. The arrest took place around 2 am on Saturday. McFadden said that the police were led to the suspect's residence through tips received from the public.

Police kept a strict eye on Brownlee's activities and followed him as he drove away from his home. He was intercepted in the Central Valley city where he had previously shot five people.

Regarding Brownlee's arrest, the San Joaquin County District Attorney said:

"My Deputy District Attorneys, who have been here all night, are reviewing the evidence as we speak and they're working actively in partnership with the investigation to determine the charges that will proceed on."

Wesley Brownlee is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday at 1.30 pm, which will be followed by a press conference.

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Wesley Brownlee was found with a handgun prior to his arrest

Stockton, a city in California, has spent the past few months in abject terror as it witnessed a number of fatal shootings, which the police said were done with the same firearm, as revealed by ballistics evidence.

Between July 8 and September 27, five men were killed in Stockton. Police are of the opinion that the person behind the killings is responsible for the murder of a man in Oakland in April 2021. The same gunman is suspected of wounding a homeless woman in Stockton just a week later.

Following the crimes, police had been searching for a man dressed in black who was caught on security camera videos at several of the crime scenes. The videos were released to the public in hopes of new leads or information on the perpetrator. Finally, based on tips, police arrested Wesley Brownlee on suspicion of murder.

Brownlee allegedly has a criminal history. Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden said:

"Based on tips coming into the department and Stockton Crime Stoppers, we were able to zero in on a possible suspect. Our surveillance team followed this person while he was driving. We watched his patterns and determined early this morning he was on a mission to kill."

He further stated that Brownlee engaged in suspicious behavior such as going to parks and dark areas, stopping and looking around as if looking for someone before driving on. Police are yet to figure out the motive behind the deadly attacks.