Los Angeles police on Tuesday identified the suspected killer of UCLA grad student Brianna Kupfer, who was stabbed to death while working at a furniture store last week.

According to Fox News, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) identified the suspect as 31-year-old Shawn Laval Smith, who police said should be considered "armed and dangerous."

 "31-year-old Shawn Laval Smith has been identified in connection with the murder of Brianna Kupfer, which occurred in the 300 block of North La Brea Avenue on January 13, 2022," the LAPD tweeted.

According to reports, Smith allegedly walked into the furniture store on North La Brea Avenue and stabbed Kupfer to death. Minutes before she was stabbed, Kupfer texted a friend to say a man in the store was making her uncomfortable.

"She sent a text to a friend letting her know that there was someone inside the location that was giving her a bad vibe... Regrettably, that person did not see the text immediately," said LAPD Lt. John Radtke.

Half an hour after the stabbing at Croft House, police said surveillance cameras at a 7-Eleven recorded Smith buying a vape pen in cash.

The footage shows him wearing sunglasses and a dust mask that he briefly tugged down as he spoke to the clerk. 

After paying, he placed the vape down on the counter, and the clerk took it and appeared to give him another, and then he left for good. 

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$50K Sought to be Added to $200K Reward for Info on Brianna Kupfer's Killer

Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz on Tuesday said that they will find Shawn Laval Smith, whom he called a "vicious criminal."

"We will arrest him and we will get him prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Koretz noted. 

Koretz has asked city leaders by filing a motion at Tuesday's City Council meeting to add $50,000 to the more than $200,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Smith. 

"We must fight for justice for her even though nothing will bring her back. Our mission is that the perpetrator that took away Brianna from her beloved parents, colleagues, friends and our community will be permanently locked away," Koretz said.

Records from Los Angeles County Jail showed Covina police arrested Smith in October 2020 on a misdemeanor charge. However, he was released on $1,000 bail. 

Smith was described as a Black male, with an estimated height of 6 feet 2 inches, and weighed around 190 pounds. He was last seen wearing a white mask, dark hooded sweatshirt and pants, black tennis shoes, and a black backpack.

Police believed that Smith was homeless, and he had been seen in various cities across Southern California, including Covina, San Diego, Pasadena, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and San Francisco.

The cops added that the suspect likely uses public transportation, particularly bus stops and train platforms. Police said anyone who sees Smith should not approach him and call 911 immediately.

UCLA Grad Student Brianna Kupfer Stabbed in Los Angeles Furniture Store

Brianna Kupfer, who was taking a degree in architecture and design at UCLA, was fatally stabbed while working at Croft House, a high-end furniture store in Los Angeles.

The UCLA student was alone in the store when Shawn Laval Smith walked in at around 1:50 p.m. and stabbed her to death. The suspect reportedly fled through the back door and walked calmly down an alley after the incident.

Kupfer was then discovered dead about 20 minutes after the incident. A customer found her body.

Kupfer's dad, Todd Kupfer, said he could not see his family "healing" from the incident anytime soon. The UCLA student's father noted that they will be better, but there will always be a "missing piece."

The Los Angeles police believe Smith was not known to Kupfer. The motive was still not clear.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Brianna Kupfer: $250,000 Reward Offered in Death of UCLA Student Killed in Random Attack - From FOX 11 Los Angeles