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The man wanted on suspicion of the murder of 24-year-old Brianna Kupfer has been taken into custody in California.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that Shawn Laval Smith was arrested by Pasadena police at around 11:50am that morning in the area of Fair Oaks and Colorado Blvd in Pasadena - roughly 17 miles from the luxury furniture store where Ms Kupfer was found murdered on 13 January.
“We can confirm, Shawn Laval Smith, the suspect responsible for the murder of Brianna Kupfer is in custody,” the department tweeted.
A huge manhunt had been underway to track down Mr Smith, 31, after the LAPD identified him on Tuesday night as the only suspect in the UCLA graduate student’s murder.
Ms Kupfer was alone working in the Croft House store when she was stabbed to death in what is believed to be a random attack. She was found bleeding on the floor by a customer and died at the scene.
Surveillance videos captured the suspect leaving the shop through a back door and then buying a vape pen in a 7-Eleven.
Police said she texted a friend about a customer with a “bad vibe” moments before her killing.
LAPD confirms arrest of ‘suspect responsible for the murder of Brianna Kupfer’
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that Shawn Laval Smith was located and detained by Pasadena police at around 11:50am on Wednesday morning in the area of Fair Oaks and Colorado Blvd in Pasadena.
“We can confirm, Shawn Laval Smith, the suspect responsible for the murder of Brianna Kupfer is in custody,” the department tweeted.
“We would like to thank the public, the media and our partners at Pasadena PD for their support in apprehending the suspect.”
Shawn Laval Smith arrested by Pasadena police
The man suspected of murdering Ms Kupfer has been arrested and taken into custody by Pasadena Police, according to FoxLA.
Shawn Laval Smith was taken into custody on Wednesday afternoon near the intersection of E. Colorado Boulevard and Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena, the outlet reported.
No further details are yet known.
The Independent has reached out to Pasadena Police for comment.
Have you seen this man?
The LAPD is asking for the public’s help in finding Shawn Laval Smith, the man suspected of murdering Ms Kupfer on 13 January.
He is described as a 31-year-old Black male, 6 foot 3 in height and weighing 190 pounds.
Investigators said he should be considered armed and dangerous and, if spotted, members of the public should call 911 and not approach him.
If anyone has information call LAPD West Bureau Homicide at 213-382-9470. After hours or on weekends, call 877-LAPD-247 (877-527-3247). To remain anonymous visit http://LACrimeStoppers.org
Prosecutor Jon Hatami hits out at DA George Gascón’s ‘progressive politics'
LA prosecutor Jon Hatami has hit out at LA County District Attorney George Gascón following the deaths of Ms Kupfer and nurse Sandra Shells, who was attacked and killed on the same day in the City of Angels.
Mr Hatami, who prosecuted the well-known child abuse case of Gabriel Hernandez, said “progressive politics” from liberal prosecutors like DA Gascón are failing communities across the country.
“A 70-yr-old nurse, a 24-yr-old grad student, and a 16-yr-old girl were recently murdered in separate incidents in LA. George Gascón says “crime is overwhelmingly down,”’ he tweeted on Wednesday morning.
“I say we need a DA that holds criminals accountable, fights for victims & justice and believes in public safety.”
Mr Hatami said in an interview with Fox News that someone who “fails to fight for victims” should not be a district attorney.
“Nobody should have to be around a district attorney who fails to fight for victims and fails to fight for the family members of victims,” he said.
“Nobody should have a district attorney who refuses to file charges against murderers and rapists and child abusers to the fullest extent of the law. That person does not deserve to be the DA.”
Victim’s father says video shows killer has ‘no remorse’
Ms Kupfer’s grieving father said that the surveillance footage of his daughter’s suspected killer shows he has “no remorse” for her brutal murder.
Todd Kupfer told ABC News: “It just feels as if he did this without remorse.
“The limited video evidence we were able to see didn’t look like somebody that cared for an act of incredible violence that had just occurred.”
Mr Kupfer added: “We would love to see this guy off the street.”
Surveillance footage, released to the public before the suspect was named, captured Mr Smith casually strolling out of the back exit of the furniture store and walking through an alley way minutes after the attack took place.
Mr Smith was then picked up on surveillance footage around 30 minutes later inside a 7-Eleven store buying several items including a vape pen.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has more:
Brianna Kupfer’s father reveals moment he heard about daughter’s murder
Huge manhunt is underway to track down Shawn Laval Smith who is suspected of murdering Brianna Kupfer in LA on 13 January
ICYMI: Witness describes moment Kupfer’s body was found
Many members of the Hancock Park community have spoken out to share their shock at Ms Kupfer’s killing.
Herman Hinks, who works as a security guard across the street from the Croft House furniture shop, recalled the moment two customers came out of the store after discovering her body.
“I saw them walk out and I just see sheer terror. She was screaming like ‘Oh my God, oh my God,’” Mr Hinks told KABC. “At that point, I was trying to make my way over. There was too much traffic. By that time, police came from everywhere. When I walked that way, you could see through the window and when I looked down, I said: ‘Oh my God, that’s the young lady that works at the store.’”
Mr Hinks remembered Ms Kupfer as “very friendly”.
“I see her every morning. She come in, she opens the shop. Real friendly woman,” he said. “She’ll look back and wave. Everybody over here is friendly. We look out for one another in the area.”
DA’s office under fire
Ms Kupfer’s shocking murder has led to an outpouring of grief and anger on social media as a police manhunt for the suspect continues for a sixth day.
Many sharing their horror directed criticism at Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, accusing him of failing to halt surging levels of violent crime.
Mr Gascón was elected to the DA’s office in 2020 after promising widespread criminal justice reform and issued a directive that prevented prosecutors from seeking the death penalty, and provided sentencing enhancements or cash bail in non-violent cases.
Mr Gascón has previously stated that the “tough on crime” approach has failed.
Angelenos wrote of their anger at the city’s crime policies on social media, and suggested they may have led to Ms Kupfer’s death.
The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has more:
Outpouring of grief and anger on social media over killing of Brianna Kupfer
Angelenos say they are being ‘terrorised’ by soaring homicide and violent crime rates
Kupfer ‘glowed with positivity'
Ms Kupfer has been described by loved ones as a “kind soul” who “glowed with positivity”.
At the time of her death, the 24-year-old was seeking a graduate degree in architectural design at UCLA and working as a design consultant at the Croft House upscale furniture boutique.
Ms Kupfer’s father, Todd Kupfer, remembered her as always trying to improve the world around her.
“She was a kind soul and always was trying to make herself better and everything around her better,” the heartbroken father said. “She cared about people.”
Her friends told CBS: “The world has been robbed of a productive member of society – who glowed with positivity.”
The Independent’s Oliver O’Connell has more:
Who is Brianna Kupfer? Everything we know about slain UCLA grad student
‘A kind soul and always was trying to make herself better and everything around her better,’ her father says
Kupfer’s father recounts moment he heard of her death
Ms Kupfer’s father recounted the moment he learned his daughter had been killed in an emotional interview with ABC News on Wednesday.
“It was 30 minutes, but it felt like days,” Todd Kupfer said. “You don’t want to hear it and you don’t want to believe it. You process it a little bit and ... it’s the worse feeling I’ve ever had in my life.”
As for the 24-year-old’s killer, he said: “We would love to see this guy off the street. It just feels as if he did this without remorse. The limited video evidence we were able to see didn’t look like somebody that cared for an act of incredible violence that had just occurred.”
Kupfer likely targeted because she was alone
Los Angeles police have said Ms Kupfer was likely targeted by her killer because she was alone in the Croft House furniture store.
At Tuesday’s press conference, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said of the suspect: “He visited businesses up and down La Brea, and along the Beverly corridor as well, businesses large and small,’ before and after the killing.”
The comment came after Dr Jennifer Botelho, who owns a chiropractic practice next door to Croft House, recalled coming face to face with the suspect moments before the stabbing.
“He asked a couple of questions: ‘Do you do orthopedics here?’ What kind of care we provide and then he left. So he was just here for a few minutes,” Dr Botelho told CBS Los Angeles.
She also said that she’s been forced to ramp up security at her business in recent months due to an increase in crime in the neighbourhood.
Offering her condolences to Ms Kupfer’s family, she said: “It’s terrifying. It’s horrible. She’s such a young girl. … We feel so horrible for Brianna’s family, and hope we can catch this guy.”
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