Pasadena Police Officer Shot
A Pasadena police officer was shot near a Metro Gold Line station and transported to a hospital. The investigation is ongoing as authorities search for a suspect and determine the circumstances of the shooting.
The wounded officer is Bryan Vasquez, a five-year veteran of the Pasadena Police Department who was serving as a field training officer at the time of the incident. He was shot in the leg and underwent multiple surgeries; he is now in stable but guarded condition. A source reported that Officer Vasquez was recently married and is expecting a child. The incident began around 7:30 p.m. when police responded to a 911 call about a man shot in the shoulder at the Sierra Madre Villa Metro station. Arriving officers found the wounded victim, who was hospitalized in stable condition. While at the scene, officers spotted a man matching the suspect's description, which led to a foot pursuit. During the chase, which covered about three blocks, an exchange of gunfire occurred between the suspect and officers. The suspect was shot and killed at the scene. Family members identified him as 32-year-old Malcolm Buchanan. His grandmother stated he had bipolar disorder and had stopped taking his medication. Residents reported hearing 15 to 20 gunshots during the confrontation, and bullet holes were visible in a nearby brick wall. This officer-involved shooting is being investigated by multiple agencies, which is standard procedure. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office will be a part of the investigation. This shooting comes as LA Metro has been working to address public safety concerns. While Metro reported a 6.7% decrease in violent crime on its system in 2025 compared to the previous year, concerns about safety persist. The design of the Sierra Madre Villa station, located in the median of the 210 freeway, has been previously noted by some riders as a potential safety concern. The Pasadena Police Department has faced scrutiny for past officer-involved shootings, including the fatal shooting of Anthony McClain in 2020, which led to protests. A February 2024 report on a different fatal officer-involved shooting highlighted multi-year delays in the department's administrative review of the incident.
