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NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on homeless men attacked and killed in New York City (all times local):
10:15 p.m.
The suspect in the New York City attacks that killed four sleeping homeless men and left another critically injured has been taken to a hospital for evidence collection.
Twenty-four-year-old Randy Rodriguez Santos was escorted out of a Manhattan precinct house late Saturday by two uniformed police officers who put him in an unmarked car.
Detectives at the scene told journalists Santos was being taken to a hospital to gather DNA evidence.
Police say an attacker using a metal bar attacked five homeless men in Chinatown early Saturday. Santos was arrested that morning.
An arraignment is expected Sunday morning. It isn't yet clear whether Santos has a lawyer to speak for him.
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8:15 p.m.
The mother of the suspect in New York City attacks that killed four sleeping homeless men and left another critically injured says she was afraid of him.
Fioraliza Rodriguez told the Daily News for a story Saturday that she kicked Randy Rodriguez Santos out of home about three years ago after he punched her.
She says he struggled with drugs, assaulted his grandfather and stole from the family. The Daily News article did not cite a specific drug.
Police say an attacker using a metal bar attacked five homeless men in Chinatown. Santos was arrested early Saturday.
Police say the 24-year-old has been arrested at least a half-dozen other times in the past two years, three times on assault charges.
It wasn't clear whether he had a lawyer to speak for him.
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4:20 p.m.
The man in police custody after attacks that killed four sleeping homeless people in New York streets has a history of arrests for assault.
Two law enforcement officials identified the suspect as Randy Rodriguez Santos. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because criminal charges hadn't yet been finalized.
Santos was arrested early Saturday. Police say the 24-year-old has been arrested at least a half-dozen other times in the past two years, three times on assault charges.
It wasn't clear whether he had a lawyer to speak for him.
Police say an attacker using a long metal bar attacked five homeless men in three different locations in Chinatown early Saturday.
One survived and was hospitalized in critical condition.
—Michael R. Sisak
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2:25 p.m.
Police have named the suspect being questioned after attacks on homeless men sleeping in New York streets that left four dead and another critically injured.
Randy Rodriguez Santos was arrested overnight Saturday after the brutal rampage in Manhattan's Chinatown neighborhood. Formal charges were pending.
A New York Police Department spokesman said the 24-year-old suspect was arrested at least a half dozen other times in the past two years — three on assault charges.
On Saturday, police responded to a 911 call just before 2 a.m. during one assault that was in progress.
Deputy Chief Inspector Michael Baldassano said the five homeless men were attacked in three different locations in Chinatown, bludgeoned with a metal pipe.
10:15 a.m.
Authorities say the person in custody in an attack in New York City that left four homeless men dead also appears to be homeless.
Deputy Chief Inspector Michael Baldassano said at a news conference Saturday that authorities continue to check the Chinatown neighborhood for any additional victims.
Baldassano said five sleeping homeless men were attacked early Saturday morning in different locations throughout the neighborhood. The attacker used a metal pipe on the victims. Four were found dead and one remains in critical condition.
He said the attack appears to be random.
Police responded to a 911 call just before 2 a.m. when one assault was in progress.
Police say the 24-year-old in custody has yet to be charged.
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8:45 a.m.
Four men who are believed to be homeless have been brutally attacked and killed in a New York City rampage.
New York Police Department Detective Annette Shelton said that a fifth man was in critical condition Saturday after also being struck with a metal object.
The attack happened in Manhattan's Chinatown neighborhood.
Police responded to a 911 call just before 2 a.m. when one assault was in progress.
All the victims were attacked in three different locations in Chinatown.
Police say a 24-year-old suspect is in custody but has yet to be charged.
The identities of the victims have not been released.
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