LOS ANGELES _ A 26-year-old man suspected in a series of shootings that killed four people and wounded two others was arrested Thursday afternoon following an intense hourslong manhunt across Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, police said.
The rampage spanned nearly 12 hours and prompted a massive response for the Los Angeles Police Department, which sealed off some neighborhoods during the dragnet.
LAPD Deputy Chief Jorge Rodriguez said Gerry Zaragoza was taken into custody about 2:30 p.m.
Zaragoza was linked to two fatal shootings earlier Thursday, and police had deployed a huge force of tactical officers to locate him when a third shooting occurred. Authorities say Zaragoza opened fire about 1 p.m. inside an Orange Line bus in the Van Nuys section, killing a man.
"It is certainly a violent morning in the Valley," said Josh Rubenstein, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department.
Patrol officers in tactical gear blocked off a large swath near the Van Nuys shooting scene while detectives and forensics experts combed through the latest scene for evidence. The department blasted Zaragoza's photo across social media, hoping someone would spot him and call law enforcement.
"We are asking the public to be vigilant and be on the lookout for the man whose photos we released," Rodriguez said. "He is armed and dangerous, call the police immediately if you see him."
Police say Zaragoza's rampage began hours earlier _ shortly before 2 a.m. _ when he allegedly gunned down his family inside an apartment in the Canoga Park section of Los Angeles.
His 50-year-old father and 20-year-old brother were fatally shot. His mother suffered a gunshot wound and was taken to the hospital in stable condition, police said.
Police say Zaragoza fled the apartment after the shootings. About 45 minutes later, authorities allege Zaragoza opened fire outside a Shell gas station in the North Hollywood section.
When police arrived, they found a man and a woman suffering from gunshot wounds. The woman, who has not been identified, died at a hospital. The man remains in critical condition.
Police say Zaragoza was an acquaintance of the woman who was shot, but authorities have not determined the specifics of their relationship, Rodriguez said.
Hours after the second shooting, about 7:45 a.m., police were called after a person matching Zaragoza's description tried to rob a man outside a Bank of America in Canoga Park.
Authorities have not released possible motives for any of the shootings.
