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Authorities: Los Angeles-area man is serial killer

Los Angeles Police Department officers investigate the scene of a shooting Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014, where one person was killed near the 14400 block of Polk Street in Sylmar, Calif. Describing what they called “a major public threat,” Los Angeles police said they are seeking clues to three separate shootings in the Northeast San Fernando Valley that left three people dead and four others injured early Sunday morning and appear to be connected. A suspect in the shootings was taken into custody by SWAT officers Sunday night after holing up inside a house in the Sylmar neighborhood for about an hour, Capt. William Hayes said. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Daily News, Dean Musgrove)
Los Angeles Police Department officers investigate the scene of a shooting Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014, where one person was killed near the 14400 block of Polk Street in Sylmar, Calif. Describing what they called “a major public threat,” Los Angeles police said they are seeking clues to three separate shootings in the Northeast San Fernando Valley that left three people dead and four others injured early Sunday morning and appear to be connected. A suspect in the shootings was taken into custody by SWAT officers Sunday night after holing up inside a house in the Sylmar neighborhood for about an hour, Capt. William Hayes said. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Daily News, Dean Musgrove) Los Angeles Police Department officers investigate the scene of a shooting Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014, where one person was killed near the 14400 block of Polk Street in Sylmar, Calif. Describing what they called “a major public threat,” Los Angeles police said they are seeking clues to three separate shootings in the Northeast San Fernando Valley that left three people dead and four others injured early Sunday morning and appear to be connected. A suspect in the shootings was taken into custody by SWAT officers Sunday night after holing up inside a house in the Sylmar neighborhood for about an hour, Capt. William Hayes said. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Daily News, Dean Musgrove)

By Associated Press 1 min read

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Authorities in Los Angeles say a man in custody is a serial killer who shot seven people, leaving four dead over five days.

Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese said at a news conference Tuesday that the three other victims were critically injured and two dogs were also shot and killed before the arrest of 34-year-old Alexander Hernandez of Sylmar.

Albanese says the shootings began early last Wednesday when a woman was shot and wounded by a lone man in an SUV as she exited a freeway.

Shooting incidents followed for four straight days leading to the killings of three people on Sunday.

Hernandez has only been charged in one of the killings but Los Angeles County sheriff’s Chief of Detectives Bill McSweeney says he is a serial killer.

Hernandez has not entered a plea, and prosecutors did not know if he has retained an attorney.