Pasadena Police Defuse Potential “Suicide by Cop”

Pasadena police say officers used a “less lethal device” to subdue a man apparently suffering a mental health crisis and believed to be armed with a gun as he suddenly lunged at them without warning Friday afternoon.

Pasadena Chief of Police Phillip L. Sanchez said police were called  at about 2:56 p.m.  to an apartment in the 700 block of Santa Barbara Street by a man who had told police dispatchers he was holding his roommate hostage with a handgun and would harm anyone attempting to approach his apartment room.

Responding officers contained the apartment while police dispatchers continued to talk with the subject, Sanchez reported.

“Subsequently, the roommate exited the apartment (uninjured) leaving the side door open,” Sanchez said. “Officers entered the apartment and located the subject who was holding a knife to his throat saying he would kill himself.”

The officers immediately began talking with the armed subject attempting to convince him to surrender. The subject refused to cooperate.

Suddenly and without warning, the subject came towards the officers “in an apparent effort to generate a lethal encounter,” Sanchez said.

According to the Chief, the officers reacted with a pre-planned response to use an unspecified less than lethal device.

“The subject was quickly detained without further incident and later transported to a local area hospital for mental health treatment,” Sanchez said. “The interaction with the mental health subject was very tense. It is clear the officer’s used exceptional judgment, tactics and decision-making to avoid a lethal encounter.”