Alleged 'serial slingshot shooter' dies a day after bonding out of California jail

A day after bonding out of jail for allegedly being a "serial slingshot shooter," an 81-year-old California man died from heart disease, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office.

Prince Raymond King died naturally on May 29 due to atherosclerosis, also known as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which occurs when fats, cholesterol and other substances build up on the artery walls, according to Mayo Clinic.

King was arrested May 23 after a search warrant was conducted in his neighborhood, the Azusa Police Department wrote in a Facebook post. Ball bearings and a slingshot were founding King's home, the department's post continued.

King was being held at the Los Angeles County Jail but was released on May 28, according to inmate records. His next court date was scheduled for June 17, 2024.

During King's initial court appearance on Tuesday, a judge ordered him to stay 200 yards away from the homes and people he was accused of shooting the ball bearings at, The Guardian reported.

Why did Azusa police execute a search warrant to find the 'serial slingshot shooter?'

Azusa police executed the search warrant after learning about a "quality of life issue" in the neighborhood, according to the Facebook post. The department's "lengthy investigation" concluded that "during the course of 9-10 years, dozens of citizens were being victimized by a serial slingshot shooter," the post continued.

No one was injured from King's alleged actions, Azusa police Lt. Jake Bushey told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

The investigation into the slingshot incidents began years ago, but the department could never narrow down a suspect, Bushey said, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

It is unclear how Azusa police identified King as a suspect, but the department ultimately figured out that most of the ball bearings were launched from his backyard, according to Bushey, the San Gabriel Valley Tribue reported. Other ball bearings were shot from a "nearby neighborhood," the lieutenant said.

“We’re not aware of any kind of motive other than just malicious mischief,” Bushey said, adding that the shots were not random, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported. The lieutenant noted how he did not know why particular properties or people were targeted.