Pasadena Suspect Arrested After Man Beaten to Death with Baseball Bat in Azusa Wednesday

A man was beaten to death with a baseball bat in commercial district in Azusa Wednesday and a 23-year-old man was arrested.

Officers were sent to the 800 block of North Azusa Avenue, between West Ninth Street and West Foothill Boulevard, about 2:15 p.m. regarding a man being beaten with a baseball bat, according to Lt. Robert Chivas of the Azusa Police Department.

Witnesses told officers the suspect was holding a baseball bat as he
waited for the victim at the bottom of a staircase that leads to a Target
store, NBC4 reported, adding the entire incident was captured on video.

An unresponsive man was found at the scene bleeding from his head,
Chivas said. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.

The suspect, 22-year-old Manuel Banuelos of Pasadena, allegedly ran from the scene but was apprehended by officers a short distance away, Chivas said.

Banuelos ran to the nearby Metro Gold Line station across the street, which is near the Azusa Police Department headquarters, leading to his quick arrest, NBC4 reported.

Banuelos was arrested on suspicion of murder and is being held without
bail.

The name of the victim, who NBC4 said was in his 30s and from Anaheim, was not disclosed, nor was a motive for the attack.

This is an ongoing investigation by the Azusa Police Department Detective Bureau. Any member of the public with information related to this investigation should contact Detective Corona at (626) 812-3200.