Outbreak of shootings believed to be gang related
On Friday, Jan. 6 at about 11:53 p.m., Pasadena Police Officers responded to a call of a shooting in the 100 Block of W. Claremont St. Officers located the scene of the shooting and an African American male victim age 23 was found lifeless in the 70 block Pepper St. Within minutes Pasadena Fire Paramedics at Station 36 (1140 N. Fair Oaks Ave.) reported that they were treating a second gunshot victim described as an African American female, 38.
She was taken to a local area hospital in critical condition. Contemporaneous to the shooting, a single vehicle collision occurred at the intersection of California Blvd., and St. John Ave. Officers responded and discovered two additional gunshot victims at the scene of the collision. The third gunshot victim, an African American male, 23 was lifeless in the car suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The fourth gunshot victim, an African American male who was also a passenger in this vehicle sustained a non-life threatening gunshot wound and was transported to a local area hospital. According to Phillip Sanchez, Pasadena Chief of Police said the investigation is being thwarted as many of the witnesses will not cooperate with investigators.
“The recent uptick of shootings in our community appears to be gang related, however, police detectives and officers are attempting to confirm this theory. The shootings do not appear to be random,” Police Chief Phillip Sanchez said in an email. “In response to the shootings, the Pasadena Police Department deployed extra officers who were assigned to patrol the impacted areas,” the chief said. “PPD detectives are working closely with other law enforcement agencies to identify the suspect(s) and Mutual Aid Area C was notified and placed on standby.” Sanchez added. Los Angeles Coroner identified the dead as Antoine Dewayne Sutphen Jr. and Ormani Dajan Duncan, both 24 and from Pasadena.
Both died following the late-night shooting near Fair Oaks Avenue and Claremont Street. Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call Pasadena Police at (626) 744-4241 or you may report information anonymously at lacrimestoppers.com (insert key word Pasadena).
