Police in Stockton, California, arrested a man suspected of killing six men and wounding one woman. The suspect had been driving around Northern California early Saturday morning looking for his next victim, according to police.

"We are sure we stopped another killing," Chief Stanley McFadden of the Stockton Police Department said Saturday at a news conference.

Weslee Brownlee, 43, was stopped at around 2 a.m. while he was driving with a handgun. Brownlee was reportedly dressed in all black, had a mask around his neck.

According to McFadden, Brownlee "was out hunting."

Stockton police provide an update on the arrest of suspected serial killer.

"Our surveillance team followed this person while he was driving. We watched his patterns and determined early this morning ... he was on a mission to kill," McFadden said.

Brownlee was booked Saturday on a homicide charge. He allegedly killed six men ages 21 to 54 over the last few months.

Police had been searching for a suspect caught on several surveillance cameras in the Stockton area. The five male victims had been ambushed and shot to death between July and September.

Police said Brownlee had a criminal history and believed he was a resident of several cities neighboring Stockton.

The suspect is also believed to be the person responsible for the 2021 killing of a man in Oakland, as well as the wounding of a homeless woman in a shelter.

After announcing a manhunt authorities say they received hundreds of tips, providing law enforcement with enough information to monitor Brownlee's home and movements.

Investigators are still trying to identify a motive for the attacks.

Police said a majority of the victims were homeless. None of the victims suffered any trauma caused by beating or showed signs of robbery.

California