A freelance cameraman was shocked with a Taser Monday morning by two men who had hired him to take part in a film shoot in Pasadena, police said.
Investigators suspected the incident may have been a robbery attempt, but a definitive motive was not clear in the 8 a.m. attack in the 4000 block of Oak Grove Drive, just south of Hahamongna Watershed Park, according to Pasadena police Lt. Anthony Russo.
A 19-year-old Burbank man who works as a freelance videographer had been contacted by a man identifying himself as “Randy,” who hired the victim to film footage for a purported nature film, the lieutenant said.
The victim accompanied the man to a site in El Segundo, where they spent about 45 minutes filming, he said. Another man joined “Randy” and the cameraman in El Segundo, and they decided to head to Pasadena to continue filming.
As the cameraman was setting up his equipment, he felt a sharp pain in one of his buttocks, Russo said. The victim turned around to realize the second suspect who had joined in the shoot later had just fired a Taser at him.
The device failed to incapacitate the victim, who managed to run away, police said. After putting some distance between himself and his attackers, the victim called 911. The suspects got into their car and fled.
The victim suffered no major injuries.
A detailed description of the attackers was not available on Tuesday, officials said.
Anyone with information can reach the Pasadena Police Department at (626) 744-4501. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.