The Swift Capture of the 7-Eleven Spree Killers Shows What Taking Crime Seriously Looks Like – Opinion

At 1:10 p.m. on Friday, a joint task force made up of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Santa Ana Police Department, the Fullerton Police Department, the Brea Police Department, and investigators from the Orange County District Attorney Bureau of Investigations apprehended 20-year-old Malike Patt, and 44-year-old Jason Payne in connection with the July 11, 7-Eleven serial robberies and murders in Ontario, Upland, Riverside, Santa Ana, Brea, and La Habra.

This is a rare, even unheard of feat. It was crucial that the arrests and apprehensions were made possible by the cooperation of the agencies from all the county.

CBS News

In connection with this, two suspects were arrested With a brutal robbery spree earlier this week at several 7-Eleven stores in Southern California in which two people were killed and three others wounded.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced one arrest Friday afternoon, according to CBS Los Angeles. The Brea Police department later made the announcement a second arrest.

Santa Ana Police Chief David Valentin revealed that the suspects were Malike Patt, aged 20, and Jason Payne (44), both from Los Angeles. Valentin indicated that Patt is the principal suspect behind the robberies. Payne’s role in the crimes is unclear.

Valentin reported that both were detained in L.A. shortly before 1:10 p.m. Friday. Valentin said that one of the suspects sustained injuries during the arrest. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

On Friday, all agencies that were involved in the downing of 7-11 Spree Killers had a press conference in Santa Ana (California).

Santa Ana Police Chief David Valentin explained the details of the crime spree and discussed the arrests. Twenty-year-old Patt seemed to be the primary subject behind the murder-robberies, while the forty-four year old Payne’s involvement was stated to be unclear at this point.

Valentin provided a timeline beginning on July 11.

• 12:11 am. Armed robbery at 7-11 in Ontario
  1.35 AM armed robbery at 7-Eleven Upland
  Riverside 7-Eleven at Riverside: 1:50 AM armed robbery, attempted murder shooting
  Yum Yum Donuts Santa Ana, CA – Armed Robbery
  3:25 am. A shooting at 7-Eleven Santa Ana
  4.18 a.m. at 7-Eleven Brea
  4:00 a.m. Armed robbery and Murder at 7-Eleven La Habra

Monique Villegas ATF Special Agent-in-Charge stated that this investigation involved extensive work by many agencies. The Orange County Violent Crime Task Force was established five years back for the same purpose. It is to investigate and solve violent serial thefts across the Southland.

Vicente Sarmiento of Santa Ana expressed sympathy and condolences for those who have lost his life.

“This crime spree received national attention, regional attention because of the depravity and the randomness of the act. It chilled, really our communities.”

Sarmiento was kind to Chief Valentin, his staff and his officers.

“[they]Know how vital it is that many people, especially families, feel closure and have the opportunity to find justice. And we know that this can’t undo the crimes that have been enacted against our communities, but what is does is it gives a sense of at least finality. And so, I am certainly grateful for all the work that has been done up here from all the agencies.”

This is a stark contrast to Los Angeles County and their District Attorney George Gascòn, whose soft-on-crime directives, and coddling of criminals in the name of reform has him under threat of recall. Gascòn’s most recent action is disbanding the Lifer Unit, which informs and aids victims and their families when a convict has a parole hearing or may receive early release. Gascòn’s special directives have stripped crime victims of any closure, and only serve to re-victimize and traumatize those families that only seek finality and justice.

It’s refreshing to know that the 7-Eleven Spree suspects will be treated differently.

Other crimes, which once seemed random, have been connected to Malike Patt by the 7-Eleven Spree task force.

Alan Hamilton, Los Angeles’ Deputy Chief Police Officer stated in a press conference that the July 9 San Fernando Valley shooting may have been linked to Patt and may also be linked with other crimes committed in Los Angeles.

“We believe there are a number of crimes throughout the L.A. region that will also be linked back to this suspect,” Hamilton said.

During Q&A, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer responded to questions and put a distinctly human face on the victims who lost their lives.

“This was a reign of terror. You think you are going to a convenience shop, donut shop or sandwich shop and get shot in your face. To call your loved ones with your last gasps for breath,” he said.

“Or to be a clerk behind the cash register just helping another customer. Because you’re working a job, and you’re trying to get back on your feet because you’ve been through the school of hard knocks, you’ve been an addict. You’re working at 7-11 because they’ve given you a chance to resurrect your life. And then somebody comes in and feigns a transaction and shoots you and kills you.”

This is another stunning contrast with the Los Angeles District Attorney, who never met a criminal he didn’t like or a victim he didn’t malign.

Today’s press conference, which will include representatives from multiple agencies, will take place at 5:15 p.m. to talk about the arrests and convictions of two men in relation to several 7-Eleven robberies as well as homicides throughout Southern California.

— OCDA Todd Spitzer (@OCDAToddSpitzer) July 15, 2022

The lion’s share of these crimes occurred in Orange County, and Spitzer made campaign promises that he would not go soft on crime. Spitzer talked about potential charges for Malike Patt.

“God bless law enforcement, and quite frankly God bless these victims because the journey is over with respect to the detention of these suspects but for [the victims]You are just the beginning of your journey.

[…]

“There are murder, attempted murder, robbery charges, some are still outstanding and potentially widespread. It is necessary to link many dots.

“But the murder in Brea at the 7-Eleven, and the murder in Santa Ana we plan to file those charges by as soon as Monday. Premeditated and deliberate murder while committing a crime. This is an exceptional circumstance that ensures the primary suspect cannot be released on bail. And so while the public, now as we heard from Chief Hawley, should rest and understand that these individuals have been taken into custody, they need to know that the disposition at least on this primary suspect, we want to make sure he has no chance of being released.”

If the public had been there, it is likely that you would have heard a roaring crowd cheering and applauding. Spitzer has made it clear that he plans to restore the notion that violent felons should be held on bail and not released.

“So, I plan to work with, and I’ve already talked to my counterparts, district attorneys in San Bernardino Jason Anderson, Mike Hestrin in Riverside. I’ve been talking to Los Angeles officials, and we’ve already had some preliminary conversations about how we’re going to coalesce all these investigations and where we might prosecute them.”

California law allows serial murders which occur in multiple areas to be tried and prosecuted within one county. Spitzer may be working with other D.A.s to coordinate the case, but I believe that proceedings will ultimately end up in Orange County.

Safety is on the agenda again, and this time it will not be too soon.

This is the complete 24-minute conference.

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