Victims identified in shooting rampage include 91 year old father of one victim

Photographs by Terry Miller

Pasadena shooting victims identified- One a 91 year-old-father of female victim
By Terry Miller
On Monday morning Pasadena city officials held a news conference on the incident which occurred Saturday afternoon in which five people were shot and three people were killed at the hands of a gunman armed with semi-automatic weapons.

Click on the following audio files to hear the 911 tapes from Saturday’s murders.

Displaying images of the shooter and a police patrol SUV that was riddled with bullets during Saturday’s shooting, Pasadena Police Department  said they received several 9-1-1 calls from residents reporting shots fired in the 1700 block of Summit Avenue late Saturday afternoon. Upon arrival, the initial officer observed a victim down on the sidewalk and attempted to render aid when he came under heavy and sustained gunfire from the suspect. Following the killing of the victims and the attempted murder of the officer, the suspect barricaded himself in a home on Summit Avenue. Pasadena Police officers quickly contained the area.

alleged shooter John Smith

During the standoff, the suspect, John Izeal Smith, 40, called the police department’s communication center and spoke with an Emergency Services Operator Diane Marin, who help convince the suspect to surrender to Pasadena SWAT officers without further incident after an tense dialogue with the operator.

Here are the 911 tapes:

“The first thing he said was ‘I killed somebody,’” said police dispatcher, Diane Marin, during a Monday press conference at the Pasadena Police Department. Through the nearly hour-long ordeal, Pasadena Police officers never returned gunfire at the suspect. In the end, five victims were shot. Three were murdered and two received moderate injuries. Smith was transported to the Pasadena jail and booked for several felony charges including murder. He is now in Men’s Central Jail awaiting arraignment.
During the Press Conference Mayor Bogaard stressed the importance of getting handguns off the streets and out of the hands on mentally challenged individuals. He also said it’s tragic that now Pasadena has been added to the ever-growing list of cities that face mass shootings.
However, Chief Sanchez later pointed out that the shooter, Smith, has no criminal record and, as far as the records show, has no mental illness. Sanchez said there’s “no indication Smith suffers from mental illness.”
Police said Marin and a crisis negotiator helped convince Smith to surrender to police after the Saturday shootings in the 1700 block of North Summit Avenue.
At the press conference, police also released three minutes of 9-1-1 calls and a portion of Smith’s call to police.One of the 9-1-1 callers said she heard gunshots, possibly 15, and saw people running.“The courage of our dispatchers, police officers and community members was valiant and speaks to resolve of the community,” Sanchez said.
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Pasadena Police detectives responded to the incident and started their investigation. The Los Angeles county District Attorney’s Office, Crimes Against Police Officers (CAPO) also responded to assist with our investigation.
Chief Sanchez of the Pasadena Police Dept. said: “The shooting on Summit Avenue ( Saturday) was an isolated, tragic and horrific incident. The suspect willfully murdered and injured innocent people without warning as he fired more than 40 rounds from a semi-automatic rifle. However, the courage of our dispatchers, police officers, fire fighters and community members who valiantly tried to help the victims is impressive and speaks to resolve of our community. Please take a moment to say a prayer for everyone impacted by this senseless crime.”

Police believed initially the shooting took place as a result of a landlord-tenant dispute. However there may have been long term relationship between the suspect and the victims, according to Chief Sanchez. Police wouldn’t comment further on the dispute citing ongoing investigations
Sanchez said Smith legally bought two assault rifles and a semiautomatic pistol.
Police said Luis Fernando Aguiar, 91, was fatally shot first in the house. The shooter then hunted down Maria Aguiar, 59, and another woman. He shot both women.
Maria Aguiar was killed. The second woman suffered grazed wounds in the arm and head, Sanchez said. The third fatality was a ‘Good Samaritan’ identified by police as 31-year-old Jose Hernandez Iribe of Pasadena. Iribe and his friend were walking on the sidewalk. Iribe ran toward the sound of the gunfire. Police said he then became a target.
Luis Fernando Aguiar of Pasadena is the father of Maria Aguiar.

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