PASADENA – Near midnight on Saturday, January 6, 2017, Pasadena Police Officers responded to ‘shots fired’, and discovered an African-American male (23) lifeless on the 70 block of Pepper Street.
Minutes later, Pasadena Fire Paramedics called in a second gunshot victim, an African-American female (38) in critical condition.
A third gunshot victim, an African-American male (23), was found lifeless in a car from an apparent gunshot wound, at the scene of a vehicle collision in an intersection off of California Boulevard.
The fourth gunshot victim, an unidentified African-American male passenger in the crashed vehicle, sustained a non-critical gunshot wound.
Lt. Vasken Gourdikian reported, “Despite a strong police presence, on January 7th, a fifth person was shot but is expected to recover. Pasadena Police detectives believe the shootings are gang related and have a nexus to the communities of Duarte and Altadena.”
Gourdikian continued, “Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez deployed additional officers to prevent potential retaliatory shooting. Since the double homicides, Pasadena patrol and Special Enforcement officers arrested 10 armed suspects, believed to be connected to local street gangs.”
On January 7, Gang Enforcement netted two suspects at a traffic stop – one of whom had fled on foot. Both were in possession of loaded firearms.
A third suspect was arrested in relation to this investigation. All are believed to be members of gangs.
On January 8, Pasadena Gang Enforcement Officers stopped a suspicious-looking vehicle and arrested three suspects armed with a loaded handgun and a loaded assault rifle.
On January 9, a Patrol traffic stop brought in four occupants armed with loaded handguns and a loaded assault rifle. Five firearms were seized.
Lt. Mark Goodman told Crime Voice: “Contact us to ensure proactive safety for everybody. Gang activity is dangerous and harmful. Loaded handguns and weapons in the hands of people with a wanton disregard for the personal safety of police officers and citizens pose a threat to public safety.”
Anyone with information and/or possible motives about this ongoing case is encouraged to call Pasadena Police at 626-744-4241.
