An 81-year-old man accused of causing chaos in a US neighborhood with a slingshot has passed away.

Authorities have confirmed that the 81-year-old man who had been causing trouble in a Southern California community for years has passed away, just days after being arrested. According to police sergeant Nick Covarrubias, the man was discovered deceased on Wednesday evening at his home in Azusa, located east of Los Angeles. Covarrubias stated that there was no evidence of any foul play involved, as reported by the Southern California News Group.

The man's cause of death was determined to be arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to the medical examiner's office. They have ruled the death as natural. Prior to his passing, the man had been released on his own recognizance on Tuesday after pleading not guilty to multiple counts of felony and misdemeanor vandalism. It was on May 23rd when police had arrested him on suspicion of breaking windows and car windshields, as well as narrowly missing individuals with ball bearings shot from a slingshot. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

During the investigation, detectives discovered that this was not an isolated incident. The Azusa Police Department released a statement last week, stating that over the course of 9-10 years, many citizens had been victimized by a serial slingshot shooter. A search warrant was executed at the man's residence, where officers found a slingshot and ball bearings. According to Azusa police lieutenant Jake Bushey, most of the ball bearings were shot from the suspect's backyard. He also mentioned that there did not seem to be a specific motive for the vandalism, other than causing trouble.

Despite having been suspected of vandalizing windows in the neighborhood for nearly a decade, the LA County District Attorney's Office only charged him with vandalism from October 2021 to May 2024. This discovery has caused concern among officials, especially with the recent increase in measles and smallpox cases. The man's actions have caused significant damage and fear in the community, but it is unclear what his intentions were. As the investigation continues, authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.

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