A newly released dashcam video shows a Pasadena police officer getting shot in the shoulder by a fellow officer during what the police chief later branded “unsafe, out‑of‑policy horseplay” inside the department’s parking garage. The incident happened on Sept. 7, 2025, and the wounded officer has since recovered. City officials kept the footage under wraps for nearly 10 months before releasing it to the public on Wednesday.
Department posts critical-incident video
According to the Pasadena Police Department, the Critical Incident briefing includes mobile video from the scene and a statement from Chief Gene Harris. The department notes that at about 6:18 p.m. on Sept. 7, 2025, a marked patrol car drove into the parking structure at 240 Ramona Street. Officials said the footage was initially withheld to “protect the integrity of the investigation” while key investigative steps were completed, and they cautioned that the recording contains graphic images.
Video captures guns drawn and a discharge
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, the video shows an officer standing at the rear of an SUV drawing his handgun and pointing it toward the approaching patrol car, then reholstering the weapon as he and another officer appear to smile. Seconds later, the officer driving the patrol car pulls his own service weapon and a round is fired. The Los Angeles Times reports that the bullet shattered the windshield and struck an officer in the shoulder. The officer suffered serious injuries but ultimately recovered.
Chief calls the conduct 'horseplay'
In the recorded briefing, Chief Gene Harris labels the behavior “unsafe, out‑of‑policy horseplay” and says disciplinary action has been taken, though he does not specify what that discipline involved. Harris emphasizes the department’s commitment to transparency but defends the delay in making the video public as necessary to finish critical steps in both the criminal and administrative investigations, the Pasadena Police Department said.
What the law says about releasing footage
California law generally requires that recordings tied to critical incidents be released within 45 days, unless an agency determines that disclosure would substantially interfere with an active investigation. That rule appears in California Government Code §7923.625. Pasadena officials say they relied on that investigative exception before publishing the video, resulting in a delay of nearly 10 months that drew criticism from transparency advocates, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Oversight and past concerns
Questions about how Pasadena handles police misconduct and discipline were already in the air before this incident. An Independent Police Auditor assessment cited problems with documenting investigations and found that discipline was imposed inconsistently. The report also noted prior cases of on‑duty horseplay that caused injuries, context that critics say makes the new video all the more fraught.
What's next
The shooting remains under both criminal and administrative review and is scheduled to be evaluated by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office while detectives continue to analyze video, witness statements and forensic evidence, according to local reporting. City officials say their internal administrative review is complete and discipline has been imposed, even as the criminal investigation continues, according to Pasadena Now.
