Pasadena Officer Shot, Suspect Killed Near Metro
A Pasadena police officer was shot and wounded near a Metro Gold Line station on March 3rd, and the suspect was killed in the subsequent gun battle. The officer's condition is currently unknown as the incident remains under investigation.
The wounded officer has been identified as Bryan Vasquez, a five-year veteran of the Pasadena Police Department. He was conscious and talking while being transported to Huntington Hospital, where he underwent surgery and is now in stable but guarded condition. 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. While some officers aided the first victim, others spotted the suspected gunman nearby, which initiated a foot pursuit. The chase covered approximately three blocks before the suspect and at least one officer exchanged gunfire near Sierra Madre Villa Avenue and Electronic Drive. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. Family members at the scene identified the deceased suspect as 32-year-old Malcom Buchanan. His grandmother told reporters that he might have been off his mental health medication. A multi-agency investigation into the officer's use of deadly force is now underway, a process that could take months or even years to complete. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will conduct the criminal investigation, while the Pasadena Police Department will handle the administrative review. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office will also have its Justice System Integrity Division review the shooting. This multi-layered oversight is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings in Los Angeles County.
