1/19/2022- 1:14 p.m.
The Los Angeles Police Department launched a manhunt on Tuesday night and identified Brianna Kupfer’s “suspected killer” as Shawn Laval Smith, 31. He is a career criminal with dozens of arrests who was out on $1,000 bail for theft.
The case still hadn’t been brought to a trial or a plea deal 15 months later because Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón has a policy of not prosecuting many misdemeanors. Thefts under $1000 are considered a misdemeanor.
Gascón delayed prosecuting Smith even though he has a $50,000 bond in Charleston, The Los Angeles Police Department launched a manhunt on Tuesday night and identified Brianna Kupfer’s “suspected killer”
The LAPD has told the public not to approach this “armed and dangerous” suspect.
Brianna Kupfer, 24, was a UCLA graduate student. She was working alone in the luxury furniture store Croft House in LA when she was killed last week.
Her father, Todd Kupfer, slammed District Attorney Gascón and other leaders who have been championing people “that rob others of their rights.”
He said they are exposing communities to “people that are falling out the bottom.” Homicides in Los Angeles rose 52% last year from 2019, and shooting incidents were up 59%.
