Cops release close-up face photo of suspected homeless serial killer feared to have murdered one victim in Big Apple and another in DC

Police are looking for a man who shot two homeless men in Manhattan within hours of one another, killing one

Video shows the suspect walking up to the homeless man and kicking him several times before taking out his weapon

The suspect can be seen looking around to see if  anyone was watching before carrying out the horrific act

After prodding the man with his foot several times, the suspect walked up to homeless man and shot him dead

'Homelessness turning into a homicide. We need to find this person and we need New Yorkers to help us,' Mayor Eric Adams said at a press conference on Saturday night.

One of the men was shot at 54 King Street, pictured above (file photo). It is a quiet, residential street in SoHo 

The second man was shot and killed at 148 Lafayette Street (file photo). The location is next door to the expensive 11 Howard hotel

'Homelessness turning into a homicide,' Mayor Eric Adams said at a press conference on Saturday night.

'I believe that's what makes this case so horrific, watching the video, watching the individual intentionally walk up to innocent people that are dealing with the challenges of homelessness - and it's quite possible that one of our citizens is still alive merely because he woke up,' Adams said. 

During the month of February, the NYPD reported a 58.7 percent increase in total crime. The latest figures showed 9,138 incidents as opposed to 5,759 in 2021 - with double-digit surges in nearly every major category

'And I'm here today to send a very clear message, that all New Yorkers matter.'  

'Two individuals were shot while sleeping on the streets, not committing a crime but sleeping on the streets,' said the mayor with an air of disbelief. 

Chief Hank Saunter added: 'We're talking about two individuals that are homeless. 

'The most vulnerable population in the city right now.' 

Police said that they will be out in droves trying to get men and women sleeping on the streets to head to a city shelter for their safety. 

Separately, two Museum of Modern Art employees were stabbed by a crazed former member yesterday. 

The man had just had his membership revoked, according to the authorities. 

He went to the museum yesterday and stabbed two female employees.  

The brutal killing comes as the city is reeling from a February crime wave that saw a nearly 60 percent spike in incidents from this same period last year. 

The city's latest crime figures show 9,138 incidents in February, as opposed to 5,759 during the same period in 2021 - with double-digit surges in nearly every major category.

There were 32 murders in February, three more than the same month last year.

Multiple other categories saw shocking jumps, including car theft, which soared by nearly 105 percent; grand larceny, which jumped nearly 80 percent over the previous year; robberies, which surged 56 percent; a 44 percent bump in burglaries and a 22 percent spike in assaults. Rapes also saw a terrifying 35 percent rise in February.

The crime wave comes during Adams' first few months in office. The former NYPD cop has vowed to crack down on the influx of incidents on the city's streets and subway system - which has seen a rash of violent incidents in recent weeks. Former Mayor Bill De Blasio's policies contributed to the current crime wave, experts said.

In response to the crime wave, Adams pleaded with lawmakers in Albany recently to consider a controversial bail reform law that would allow judges to consider whether a person is dangerous before releasing them from jail.

Adams wants to see changes in bail reform laws and other criminal justice measures, saying they will bring down crime rates in the city and reduce gun violence.

In February, Adams, who campaigned last year on getting people to get back to work amid the Covid pandemic and cleaning up the crime-ridden subway system, outlined his plans for city bail laws, which can allow for suspects to roam the streets often within hours of an arrest.

'Let's remove the cash bail system, because one should not be able to get out of jail just because you can pay bail. Let's take that away. Judges should look at the case in front of them and say, 'This person has two gun arrests, and he's continually saying to the people of the city that I don't care about the safety of you,'' the mayor said.

'That judge should have the right to make the discretion that this person just be held.'