Pasadena Police Chief Recaps Recent Weeks’ Critical Incidents

Editor’s Note: In this report, Pasadena Chief of Police Phillip Sanchez reviews noteworthy incidents which occurred or were concluded in recent weeks in Pasadena.

Critical Incidents:

On May 23, at about 11:50 a.m., the Pasadena Police Communication Center received a call from Willard Elementary School (301 Madre Street) regarding a bomb threat.  The threat was taken by a school staff member, who subsequently activated the fire alarm to alert the school and students.  Following the school’s protocol, students exited the classrooms in an orderly fashion and reassembled on the playground.  PPD and PFD responded to the alarm while PUSD alerted parents.  Several parents responded to the school to collect their children.  Other students were escorted to nearby Wilson Middle School, where they were united with their parents.  Bomb detection canines searched the school; however, they did not locate any explosives.

On May 26, at about 9:34 p.m., Pasadena Police officers assigned to the Special Enforcement Section (SES) were on routine patrol in the area of Fair Oaks Avenue and Montana Street when they observed a motorist commit a traffic violation.  The SES officers initiated a traffic stop and contacted the driver.  During the field investigation, officers located a loaded .45 automatic handgun under the driver’s front seat.  The suspect, a Male Hispanic adult (Pasadena resident), was arrested without incident and booked at the Pasadena jail.  This case is another example of the proactive police work provided by Pasadena’s first responders.  Their efforts removed another gun from our community.

On May 27, at about 11:42 p.m., Pasadena Police officers responded to the 1600 block of California Boulevard regarding a dead body investigation.  On arrival, officers talked with a local landscaper who said he saw an elderly man inside the residence lying non-responsive on the floor.  Officers entered the residence and saw the deceased victim.  They also discovered another male adult in the residence.  The officers felt the scene was peculiar so they requested homicide detectives respond to investigate.  The police detectives arrived, and after a comprehensive follow-up, determined that the victim died of natural causes (the victim was suffering from ill-health).  The second male adult was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.

On May 28, at about 9:29 p.m., Pasadena Police officers responded to the area of Green Street and Marengo Avenue regarding an injured male subject.  On arrival, officers learned the subject had fallen from the pedestrian overpass (bridge connecting the parking structure to the Paseo Colorado Center).  Pasadena Fire paramedics arrived shortly after the police and treated the subject, who had sustained head trauma.  He was later transported to a local hospital for treatment. Our investigation is ongoing.