81-year-old terrorized neighborhood with slingshot for 10 years, California cops say

UPDATE: The 81-year-old man accused of being a “serial slingshot shooter” in Azusa died of cardiovascular disease on Wednesday, May 29, at a private home, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office said.

The original story is below:

An 81-year-old man accused of a 10-year reign of terror in a Southern California neighborhood has been arrested, police reported.

The man bombarded neighbors with ball bearings fired from a slingshot for years, Azusa police said in a May 24 news release.

The “serial slingshot shooter” broke windows and vehicle windshields, police said. He also nearly struck people with ball bearings.

In comments on the police Instagram post, one former neighbor said the man repeatedly pelted his dog with ball bearings and BBs.

Another said he seemed to mainly target “squatters” in the neighborhood, but a mother said he regularly bombarded her apartment.

“Our apts were hit on a daily basis, my boys couldn’t play outside, truly a great day!” the woman wrote.

Police said they conducted a lengthy investigation of the incidents as a “quality of life” issue.

Ball bearings and a slingshot were recovered in a search of the man’s home, police said. He was arrested.

Jail records show the 81-year-old is being held without bail.

Azusa is about a 25-mile drive east from Los Angeles.

This story was originally published May 26, 2024 at 8:39 AM with the headline "81-year-old terrorized neighborhood with slingshot for 10 years, California cops say."