Suspect Arrested in Shooting at Pasadena Intersection

A man faces charges including attempted murder in connection with a shooting at a Pasadena intersection earlier this month in which nearly 20 shots were fired at a car containing a man and two children, causing a crash but resulting in no injuries, authorities said Wednesday.

Leonard Ray Norman, 26, of Pasadena was charged Tuesday with attempted murder and two counts of assault with a firearm stemming from the attack, which took place just after 6 p.m. on Sept. 3 at Lake Avenue and Washington Boulevard, according to Pasadena police officials and Los Angeles County Superior Court records.

He was driving in a vehicle when he pulled up alongside the victim’s car, which contained a 29-year-old man, a 10-year-old child and a 1-year-old child, police said in a written statement.

“The suspect exited his vehicle, walked up to the victim’s vehicle and fired multiple bullets from a handgun,” the statement said. The shooter, who wore a black ski mask, then returned to his car and sped off.

The bullet-riddled victims’ car collided with several other vehicles, police said.

“Fortunately, none of the victims were injured,” according to the statement.

Detectives from the Pasadena Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit took charge of the investigation, identified Norman as a suspect and obtained a warrant for his arrest on Sept. 10, officials said.

He remained a fugitive until Saturday, when he was taken into custody while passing through a scheduled DUI checkpoint in Ridgecrest. Norman was then turned over to the custody of Pasadena police.

“The investigation of this incident revealed this was not a random act of violence,” the police statement said. “The adult victim and suspect know each other. No further details regarding the possible motive will be released at this time.”

A scheduled arraignment hearing for Norman on Tuesday was postponed until Oct. 15 in the Pasadena branch of L.A. County Superior Court, records show.

Bail was set at $1.2 million.

Anyone with information on the shooting was urged to contact Pasadena police at 626-744-4241. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A.Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.