An alleged ‘serial killer’ targeting the homeless is in court. It’s not the first time they have been attacked

The shocking case of an alleged serial killer who targeted unhoused people in Los Angeles throughout last month is bringing attention to the dangers faced by those living on the street.

Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, made his first appearance in Los Angeles court on Monday, and will enter a plea in January. Officials accuse him of shooting three unhoused people to death, and killing a fourth man, an LA county employee, in November.

The killings, which took place over four consecutive days between 26 and 29 November, shook the public and caused concerns about the safety of Los Angeles’s estimated population of over 75,000 unhoused people.

“This is a killer who is at a news conference earlier this month. “Many friends and family members know how to reach their unhoused relatives. We need you to contact them today. We need you to tell them about this danger.”