COPS have released the harrowing 911 call that led police to capture Shawn Lavall Smith, the man suspected of murdering Brianna Kupfer. The 911 call was made just days after Brianna Kupfer, a 24-year-old UCLA student, was found dead on January 13. A male caller is heard telling the dispatcher: “Hello, I am calling because […]
COPS have released the harrowing 911 call that led police to capture Shawn Lavall Smith, the man suspected of murdering Brianna Kupfer.
The 911 call was made just days after Brianna Kupfer, a 24-year-old UCLA student, was found dead on January 13.
A male caller is heard telling the dispatcher: “Hello, I am calling because I see a gentleman who looks very similar to the suspect in the Kupfer stabbing in LA.
“I’m in Pasadena… He just walked past the corner of Green and Terrace, in Pasadena.”
In the 911 call, obtained by Fox News, the caller explained that the man he saw “had a black hoodie on, dark sweatpants, and a black backpack that is very similar to the one I’ve seen in images.”
At the time of the call, The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) were hunting for Shawn Laval Smith, 31, in connection to Brianna’s murder.
Pasadena police said the man who contacted 911 noticed Smith sitting on a park bench in the city before he called, according to Fox News.
Smith was arrested by Pasadena police officers at a bus stop on Wednesday, January 19 after he was recognized.
The location of Smith’s arrest was near where the 911 caller said.
Smith was found in the street and detained without incident, KTLA reports.
The LAPD confirmed that the man was detained at 11.50am.
A source told Fox News that Smith told authorities a fake name, but LAPD’s fugitive unit brought a fingerprint reader to Pasadena and confirmed the suspect’s true identity.
The LAPD obtained more than 1,000 tips since an investigation was launched into Krupfer’s tragic death, the source added.
Charlie Sanchez Salinas witnessed Smith’s arrest and told KTLA: “He just had this really cold look on his face like, ‘well I guess they got me.'”
Smith was seen in footage being handcuffed by police.
Brianna was stabbed to death in a seemingly random attack as she worked alone at a furniture store in Hancock Park in broad daylight, around 1.50pm.
Investigators said a customer found her body inside the store, Croft House on North La Brea Avenue, and called 911 shortly after she was stabbed.
“She was there by herself,“ said Detective Herman Frettlohr. “She was attacked by the suspect and she was killed.”
In a press release, LAPD said the victim didn’t know her attacker and there is currently no motive at this time.
Brianna had apparently felt that something was off with the man who had walked into the store.
Police said the man was seen walking around the area, entering several stores before walking into Croft House. It’s believed he may have attacked Brianna after realizing she was alone.
Lt. John Radke said the grad student texted a friend the day she was murdered, saying that there was someone inside the Croft House store who was “giving her a bad vibe.”
“Regrettably that person did not see the text immediately,” the lieutenant said.
Brianna’s family said she was born and raised in Los Angeles, attended Brentwood High School, and graduated from the University of Miami.
She was attending UCLA to receive her master’s degree in architectural design.
“She was a kind soul and always was trying to make herself better and everything around her better,” her father Todd Kupfer said. “She cared about people.”
She is survived by her parents and three siblings, including her 21-year-old sister who is completely broken over the loss, Todd Kupfer said.
Riley Rea, co-owner of Croft House, told the Los Angeles Times that he was absolutely devastated for her and her family.
“It just seems so disgusting and unexpected,” he said. “Really there are no words to say how shocked we are to lose such a wonderful person.”
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