AZUSA, Calif. – An 81-year-old man in Azusa, California, known for terrorizing his neighborhood with a slingshot for years, has passed away shortly after being arrested, authorities confirmed.
The man, who was found deceased at his home in Azusa, east of Los Angeles, was arrested on suspicion of vandalism and assault with a slingshot. Despite no initial signs of foul play, the man’s death was determined to be the result of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, ruled by the medical examiner’s office as natural causes.
Following his arrest, the man had been released on his own recognizance after pleading not guilty to multiple counts of felony vandalism and misdemeanor vandalism. The charges stemmed from incidents where windows and car windshields were broken, and individuals narrowly escaped being hit by ball bearings launched from his slingshot.
It was revealed during the investigation that the man had been targeting citizens in the community with his slingshot for nearly a decade, causing widespread fear and damage. Detectives uncovered a slingshot and ball bearings at his residence, leading to further evidence of his malicious activities.
Azusa police disclosed that the majority of the ball bearings used in the attacks were launched from the suspect’s backyard, with no clear motive other than what seemed to be a pattern of reckless mischief. Despite suspicions of the man’s involvement in window vandalism over a 10-year period, official charges were only laid for incidents spanning from October 2021 to May 2024.