Pasadena Police Officer Cleared of Any Wrongdoing in Officer-Involved Shooting

The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office has found a Pasadena police officer acted lawfully in self-defense when he fired at and wounded a Pasadena gang member during an officer-involved non-fatal shooting on Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena one year ago.

In a memorandum announced Thursday by the District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division, the District Attorney’s Office said Officer Omar Elhosseiny reasonably believed he was in danger and had to defend himself after the gang member, identified as Francisco Flores, started firing his weapon at the officer during a pursuit that started when Flores exited from a vehicle that was being stopped and ran.

The March 2 memorandum contained a detailed analysis that the D.A.’s office said was based on investigative reports, firearms analysis reports, photographic evidence and witness statements submitted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau.

The incident happened in the morning of April 8, 2016, as Officer Elhosseiny and his partner Officer Trevon Sailor were on routine patrol in a marked police vehicle.

A narrative of the incident said the officers shadowed a silver Mustang that morning after they recognized it as associated with a residence known for gang activity by the Pasadena Latin Kings, a local street gang. It said Sailor also recognized the driver of the Mustang as a gang member.

After observing that the Mustang failed to stop behind the white limit line at the stop sign located at the intersection of Ashtabula Street and Los Robles Avenue, the officers decided to activate their patrol vehicle’s emergency as an initial step prior to conducting a traffic stop. When the Mustang failed to stop, the officers activated their siren in addition to the emergency lights.

The Mustang finally pulled over on Adena Street, but as the officers stopped their patrol car and approached the Mustang, one of the occupants, later identified as Flores, exited and began running toward Los Robles Avenue. The Mustang also suddenly fled the location with at least two more occupants on board.

Officer Elhosseiny pursued Flores on foot until they reached Los Robles Avenue, when Flores, according to the report, produced a handgun from his front waistband and fired a few times at the officer. Elhosseiny fired back using his Glock model 21 45-caliber service pistol and hit Flores once in the lower left portion of his back.

Flores fell when he was struck and the pursuit ended. In the next few minutes following the shooting, Elhosseiny handcuffed Flores and recovered a Hi-Point model C9 9-mm pistol on site. Paramedics also arrived and transported Flores to a local hospital.

Flores was later charged with attempted murder of a police officer, assault on a police officer with a semiautomatic firearm, possession for sale of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm with a felon.

In its conclusion, the D.A.’s memorandum said the officers conducted a lawful traffic stop that day, and that Flores took out a gun and shot in the direction of Officer Elhosseiny who was about five to 20 feet behind.

“Fearing for his life, Elhosseiny returned fire, hitting Flores once in the back and ending the threat,” the memorandum said. “We conclude that Officer Elhosseiny acted lawfully in the reasonable belief that self-defense was warranted. We are closing our file and will take no further action in this matter.”