Pasadena Crime Blotters: September 2020

Sept. 1

At 4:30 p.m. officers responded to a business located at the 2000 block of North Fair Oaks Avenue regarding an attempt robbery. The victims/employees reported that the suspects entered the business and attempted to steal a lawn mower. The victim physically grabbed the suspect to prevent the theft, at which time the suspect assaulted the employee. Another employee intervened when a second suspect attempted to take another item. The suspects were unable to steal any items and fled when police were called. The victim who was assaulted sustained minor injuries, which did not require medical attention. The suspects are still outstanding.

Sept. 3

At 6:04 p.m. Pasadena Police Department’s Dispatch Center received a call of a multi-vehicle collision in the area of Lake Avenue and Washington Boulevard. Additional callers reported a shooting occurred during the same incident. Officers arrived and discovered three vehicles were involved in a non-injury collision. Prior to the collision, a suspect had exited a vehicle and fired several rounds at another vehicle. The vehicle that was fired upon tried to escape the gun fire and upon doing so, collided into the other affected vehicles. No victims were struck by gun fire. Evidence of a shooting was discovered, and the suspect was taken into custody several days later.

Sept. 4

At 9:45 a.m. officers were conducting surveillance in the 400 block of North Lake Avenue regarding quality of life complaints. The officers saw a subject arrive in a car and hide a handgun in the immediate area of his vehicle. Officers contacted the suspect and located the loaded handgun. The suspect was arrested without incident.

At 11:03 p.m. an officer initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle for a traffic violation in the area of San Gabriel Boulevard and Del Mar Boulevard. The driver of the vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed in an attempt to evade the police officer. A short pursuit was initiated and the driver of the vehicle subsequently lost control at the end of the cul-de-sac, driving onto the front lawn of a residence, where the vehicle came to a stop. The driver was quickly detained, and a loaded firearm was located next to the driver. The firearm was determined to be an un-serialized firearm, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun.” The suspect, who was a previously convicted felon, was arrested for multiple crimes.

Sept. 5

At 2:09 p.m. officers were called to the 1200 block of La Pintoresca Drive regarding a disturbance. Officers discovered a female bleeding from the face, standing in the middle of the street. The female informed officers her boyfriend had pointed a gun at her and pistol whipped her, causing the injury. She was transported to a local hospital for medical care while officers conducted their investigation. Evidence of the crime was located, and further follow-up is being conducted by Detectives.

Sept. 6

At 9:08 a.m. officers were on routine patrol in the area of Euclid Ave. and Union St. when they observed a female who appeared to be attempting to conceal herself in the front passenger compartment of a parked vehicle. The Officer ran the license plate and it was determined the vehicle had been reported stolen three days earlier. Officers conducted a traffic stop and the female suspect (and only occupant) complied. The suspect was taken into custody and arrested without incident.

At 11:52 a.m. officers were called to a city park in the 300 block of Villa Street regarding an apparent assault. The victim informed officers he was contacted by a group of four subjects who told him to get out of the park. Immediately following their demand to leave the park, they assaulted him, and one suspect brandished a knife. The victim attempted to fight back to repel the attack, at which time the four suspects fled the location. Officers searched for the suspects but were unable to locate them. The victim sustained minor injuries and refused medical attention.

Sept. 7

At 5:33 a.m.: Officers responded to a homeless encampment in the area of St. John Avenue and Walnut Street regarding an attempted, domestic assault that occurred inside the homeless couple’s tent. Earlier in the morning, they began arguing and escalated to a point where the suspect sliced through the tent from the outside, with an axe. He then continued cutting the tent with a pocketknife. The suspect left the scene prior to the officers’ arrival and was not immediately located. The victim did not sustain any injuries as a result of the suspect’s actions.

Sept. 9

At 6:54 p.m. officers responded to the 100 block of East Glenarm Street regarding the report of a man who was bleeding from the head. The victim had asked for a cigarette from the suspect, who refused to give one to him. The victim became upset and kicked the suspect’s vehicle and walked away. The suspect grabbed a tire iron and stuck the victim as he walked away. The victim ran for help at which time officers were summoned. The suspect was located a short time later, admitted to striking the victim and was arrested for the assault. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

At 9:10 p.m. officers responded to several calls of shots fired in the area El Sereno Avenue and Howard Street. Witnesses reported seeing a white vehicle travel north on El Sereno Avenue from Howard Street. The driver stuck his hand out of the vehicle and fired several rounds in the air. Officers canvassed the area and located evidence of a shooting, but no victims were located, and it did not appear that any vehicles or structures were hit. The investigation is ongoing.

Sept. 11

At 8:14 p.m. officers responded to a call of stabbing in the 00 block of East Orange Grove Boulevard. Officers located the victim, who was bleeding profusely. Pasadena Fire Department Paramedics responded and immediately transported the victim to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The suspect was located a short distance from the crime scene and was arrested for homicide. Detectives responded and are actively investigating to determine a motive for the crime.

The Pasadena Police Department and the Pasadena Fire Department responded to several incidents of drug overdoses of which some resulted in death. It was believed the narcotics used, were laced with fentanyl. In all, there were a total of seven overdoses reported and four of the overdose victims, passed away. Through an arduous investigation, Pasadena Police Detectives were able to determine the person responsible for selling the laced narcotics and an arrest was made. Because of the severity of the incidents, the case has been sent to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) for additional follow-up.

Sept. 12

At 2:05 a.m. officers responded to the area of Hammond Street and Raymond Avenue after a vehicle reportedly collided into a fence. Prior to arriving at the scene of the collision, Pasadena Police Department’s dispatch center received multiple calls of gunshots heard in the area of the collision. Officers located the unoccupied vehicle that had collided with perimeter fence of a residential property and evidence of a shooting was found at the scene. No victims were located. Detectives are continuing their investigation into this incident.

At 9:34 a.m. officers received a call of a man with a gun in the area of Fair Oaks Avenue and Hammond Street. Officers arrived and observed a subject who matched the description, walking through a nearby city park, carrying a firearm. Officers approached the suspect, identified themselves and ordered him to drop the gun. The suspect immediately complied, and he was taken into custody without incident. The firearm was recovered and found to be loaded. The suspect was arrested and booked at the Pasadena Police Department jail.

Sept. 13

At 12:21 a.m. officers in the area of the 1000 block of North Raymond Avenue heard gunshots and Pasadena Police Department dispatch center subsequently received multiple calls of the same. While Officers searched the area, additional shots were heard just northeast from their location. Witnesses helped to determine the shots were coming from an address in the 1200 block of Summit Avenue. Officers focused their search on the updated location and an exhaustive search was conducted of the property. No victims were found, and officers were unable to find any evidence of a shooting.

At 7:44 p.m. officer responded to the 00 block of North Fair Oaks Avenue to investigate a reported rape. The victim alleged the assault occurred in an alley adjacent to her residence when she went outside to smoke a cigarette. The victim explained, in great detail, the assault however there is evidence that suggests otherwise. Detectives are continuing their investigation to determine the facts of this case and there has not been an arrest.

At 8:39 p.m. officers received a call of shots fired at a park in the 300 block of East Villa Street. Once officers arrived, they found one adult male and a juvenile female who had been struck by gunfire. Pasadena Fire Department paramedics responded and transported both victims to the hospital in critical condition. Further investigation must be conducted to determine the suspect(s) responsible for this assault.

Sept. 14

At 11:31 a.m. officers responded to an apartment complex in the 700 block of North Lake Avenue regarding a suspect who made criminal threats to a neighbor in the same complex. The suspect threatened to burn down the victim’s building and when officers attempted to contact the suspect, he experienced a mental episode, refusing to come out of his residence to talk to officers. After several hours of negotiation, the suspect complied and was taken into custody without incident. The suspect was arrested for criminal threats and transported to the Pasadena Police jail. There were no injuries as a result of this crime.

Sept. 16

At 3:06 p.m. officers responded to the 1300 block of Glen Ave. regarding a school aged child who was threatening his mother with a knife. The child was upset about having to finish his homework and threatened to kill his mother with the knife. Once the child was aware the police were called, he put the knife down and left the residence prior to the arrival of officers. Before leaving, he struck his mother’s vehicle, causing significant damage. The victim was not injured.

Sept. 18

At 10:10 p.m. officers responded to the area of Fair Oaks Avenue and Hammond Street regarding a report of shots fired. Officers located a parked vehicle which had been struck multiple times. The owner of the damaged vehicle responded to the scene and contacted the officers. She was unable to provide any motive for her vehicle being targeted. Evidence was located indicating the several rounds were fired at the vehicle. Further investigation will be conducted by detectives.

Sept. 21

At 8:09 p.m. officers responded to the 100 block of East Glenarm Street regarding an armed robbery that had occurred at a business. The suspect entered the store brandishing a firearm and pointed it in the direction of the business employee standing behind the counter. The suspect demanded the U.S. currency in the cash register. The suspect left the store after receiving the money and was last seen fleeing on foot. The victim was not injured, and the suspect was not located.

Sept. 22

At 8:34 p.m.: Officers responded to the 1900 block of Navarro Avenue regarding several calls of shots fired. Upon their arrival, officers located evidence of a shooting, but no victims or suspects were immediately located. Shortly after the initial calls were received, a victim responded to the Police Department and notified officers someone had shot and struck at his vehicle. One of the occupants in the vehicle had sustained minor injuries as a result of the gunfire, fortunately medical treatment was not required. This investigation is ongoing as the suspect(s) responsible for the shooting, were not located.

Sept. 26

At 8:35 p.m. officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of Altadena Drive and Colorado Boulevard for a vehicle code violation. During the stop, one of the vehicle’s occupants admitted to possessing narcotic paraphernalia. A search of the vehicle was conducted with the assistance of a K9 which resulted in the recovery of both narcotics and a loaded firearm. Both of the occupants were arrested for a variety of charges.

Sept. 27

At 3:55 p.m. officers observed a vehicle in the area of Marengo Avenue and Holly Street that was being driven recklessly. The vehicle had reportedly almost struck two pedestrians before being spotted by officers and it was traveling towards a large crowd of people who had congregated in front of the Pasadena City Hall. Officers utilized an intervention technique and stopped the vehicle before striking anyone. The driver was not injured and was arrested.

Sept. 28

At 6:55 a.m. the victim of a robbery contacted the Pasadena Fire Department personnel in the 100 block of Fair Oaks Avenue and advised he had been robbed at gunpoint by three suspects, while at a nearby city park. He had some minor injuries as a result of the robbery and was treated by the on-scene paramedics. Pasadena officers were contacted and conducted an initial investigation. The victim was sleeping in the park at the time he was approached by the suspects. A search for the three suspects was unsuccessful.

At 8:20 p.m. officers responded to an assault with a deadly weapon in the 1000 block of North Hill Avenue. The victim approached two suspects who were sitting in a parked vehicle in front of the victim’s house. The victim had seen the two suspects on his property, and it was later learned they had burglarized the victim’s vehicle. The suspects fled after the victim contacted them and struck the suspect’s vehicle with a rock, but they returned moments later and fired one round from a firearm, at the victim. The victim was grazed by the bullet and sustained only minor injuries. It was not immediately known if there was any loss from the burglary. The suspects were not located.

Sept. 29

At 11 a.m. the Police Department’s dispatch center received a call from a victim who reported her vehicle had just been stolen from the 800 block of East Green Street. A Pasadena Officer saw the stolen vehicle traveling eastbound on the 210 Freeway and followed it until there were sufficient officers to safely make a traffic stop. With the assistance of the Police Department’s helicopter, the vehicle was stopped near the 57 Freeway and the suspect was taken into custody without incident. Additional officers transported the victim to the location where the vehicle was recovered, and the undamaged car was released to her.