At least two people, including a police officer, were injured Thursday night after a police shooting on the 200 block of North Oakland Avenue, just south of the 210 freeway. The shooting happened around 9 p.m., and preliminary reports indicated at least two people were transported to a hospital by ambulance.
According to KTLA, officers and Pasadena Fire Department personnel converged at Oakland Avenue and Walnut Street, where police maintained a heavy presence in the area. Video posted to the Citizen app appeared to show an officer being treated by paramedics, and a civilian was seen on a stretcher being loaded into an ambulance. A police officer was possibly injured in the shooting, per preliminary reports, though the exact conditions of those hurt were not immediately available.
Sky5 reporter Gil Leyvas observed a Pasadena police cruiser parked in front of two vehicles at the scene, its lights and sirens still activated. One of the vehicles was riddled with bullet holes, Leyvas noted, and the two vehicles appeared to have collided in a nearby apartment complex. Several officers at the scene carried rifles, while other officers cordoned off the area with yellow crime scene tape. Pasadena police confirmed they are investigating the shooting, and KTLA said it had reached out to the department for further comment and was still awaiting a response as of publication.
A Department Already Under the Microscope
That March shooting has since drawn a formal legal claim. Buchanan's parents filed a claim against the City of Pasadena on August 29, alleging officers continued firing after their son was disarmed, the same outlet reported — a claim that precedes a potential federal civil rights lawsuit seeking millions in damages.
That March shooting has since drawn a formal legal claim. Buchanan's parents filed a claim against the City of Pasadena on August 29, alleging officers continued firing after their son was disarmed, the same outlet reported — a claim that precedes a potential federal civil rights lawsuit seeking millions in damages.
Past Lapses and Oversight Gaps
The department has also faced internal discipline over firearm safety. Pasadena police later released footage of a September 7, 2025 incident in which an officer accidentally shot a colleague inside the department's parking garage during what Chief Gene Harris termed “unsafe horseplay,” according to FOX 9. The officer involved was terminated, though the video's public release was delayed for an internal investigation.
Under California Assembly Bill 748, codified in Government Code Section 7923.625, state law enforcement agencies must publicly release video and audio recordings of critical incidents, including officer-involved shootings, within 45 days of occurrence, per the City of Pasadena. Separately, under Assembly Bill 1506 enacted in 2020, the California Department of Justice is required to conduct an independent investigation whenever an officer-involved shooting results in the death of an unarmed civilian, according to Liebert Cassidy Whitmore.
Locally, the city operates a Community Police Oversight Commission alongside an Independent Police Auditor to review categorical uses of force and evaluate officer-involved shootings, according to the city.
Leadership and What Comes Next
Chief Gene Harris leads the department, according to Hey SoCal. Whether Thursday's shooting will trigger state DOJ involvement remained unclear as investigators worked the scene.
Hoodline has previously covered Pasadena police shootings and use-of-force cases, including the Hudson Avenue bodycam release. This latest shooting on North Oakland Avenue adds another chapter to a year that has repeatedly tested the department's relationship with the community it polices.
