Emerging Accounts Shed New Light on Brawl

Video posted online of a melee that occurred soon after this weekend’s Black History Festival concluded showed about half a dozen fights were ongoing as the video was taken on what appears to be Hammond Street.

Dozens of people were seen milling around the area as the fights continued.

According to police, the brawling spread from the street to nearby Jackye Robinson Park.

Pasadena Now has not received video footage of the incidents in the park.

A police official told Pasadena Now on Sunday morning no one was injured and 200 to 300 people were involved in fights.

Police did say officers on foot patrol saw and attempted to help a man who appeared to have been assaulted during the initial fight near Hammond Avenue at North Fair Oaks Avenue.

As the officers attempted to render aid to the man, other fights quickly erupted, spread, and moved into the Park.

According to the video, at least one person suffered an apparently serious eye injury. The bloodied man is seen being assisted by several people including Pasadena police officers.

Pasadena Now conducted two interviews with police regarding the incident this weekend. 

Pasadena Now has reached out to Police Chief Eugene Harris for comment on the incident.

A dispersal order was announced 10 to 12 times by both the Pasadena police helicopter and a patrol sergeant over his vehicle’s public address system, police said.

Pasadena police asked for mutual aid assistance from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“Six deputies, including a supervisor, responded and assisted with clearing the area,” Pasadena Police Lieutenant Monica Cuellar told Pasadena Now on Saturday.

The Park and the immediate area were cleared of pedestrian and vehicular traffic after about an hour and a half according to Lt. Matt Campeau.

Campeau said the man who was initially assaulted was uncooperative and refused medical treatment.

Campeau said there were no uses of force by the officers, that officers saw no weapons, and no other victims beyond the man in the initial fight were reported. 

No descriptions of suspects involved in the initial fight were obtained due to lack of cooperation by participants and witnesses, Campeau said.

If you have video of this incident, please contact Pasadena Now at Editor@PasadenaNow.com or (626) 737-8486 Ext.