On Friday, five unhoused people were shot in Las Vegas, with one fatality, while in Los Angeles, three unhoused individuals were fatally shot in separate incidents last week.

The shooting in Las Vegas took place around 5:30 pm near a freeway overpass in the north-eastern part of the city. Lieutenant Mark Lourenco of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department assured the public that they believe this to be an isolated incident. Initially, it was reported that two people had been killed, but later updates clarified that one man in his 50s had been declared dead, while another was in critical condition and three others were in stable condition.

According to spokesperson Jason Johansson, the police are currently working to determine the exact details of the shooting, as the available information seems conflicting. At this point, it is confirmed that there was one shooter involved, but the suspect remains at large.

In Los Angeles, the police department has established a task force of investigators to apprehend the perpetrator responsible for the fatal shootings of three unhoused individuals. The victims were shot and killed in the early morning hours while they were sleeping, each of them alone at the time. Los Angeles Police Chief Michael Moore expressed the need for caution among the city's 46,000 unhoused residents, urging them to avoid being alone at night in light of these incidents.

The devastating news from both cities has shed light on the dangers faced by unhoused individuals. Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles emphasized the precariousness of living on the streets and the increased vulnerability to violence. While there is a common misconception that unhoused individuals are responsible for a majority of big-city crimes, research actually indicates that they are more likely to be victims themselves, experiencing assault, robbery, and homicide at higher rates.

In 2022, unhoused people accounted for 24% of Los Angeles's homicide victims, despite comprising only 1% of the population, as revealed by an investigation by NBC 4 Los Angeles. Additionally, of the seven people killed in a string of homicides in Stockton in 2022, four were unhoused at the time, as reported by KCRA, Sacramento's NBC affiliate.

District Attorney George Gascón, during a press conference, acknowledged the vulnerability of unhoused individuals and condemned the apparent targeting based on their status in the community.

As investigations continue in both Las Vegas and Los Angeles to identify and apprehend the suspects responsible for these senseless acts of violence, communities and authorities are left grappling with the tragic reality that unhoused individuals face. Efforts to safeguard their well-being and protect them from harm will undoubtedly remain at the forefront of discussions moving forward.