Police Respond to Arcadia Apartment Disturbance
A teenage girl was shot and killed inside an apartment in Arcadia on Thursday morning, prompting a multi-agency manhunt that ended roughly an hour later in neighboring Pasadena, NBC Los Angeles reported. Officers with the Arcadia Police Department responded to a disturbance call around 11 a.m. at an apartment complex located in the 800 block of West Huntington Drive.
Callers reported hearing a man firing a gun inside one of the units. Upon entering the residence, responding officers discovered the teenage victim suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not yet publicly released her identity or exact age, pending notification of next of kin and further investigation by county officials.
Suspect Flees to Pasadena Before Self-Inflicted Shooting
Investigators determined that the primary suspect, identified as 20-year-old Paul Anthony Cruz Jr., had forced his way into the residence and opened fire before fleeing the scene prior to police arrival. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Cruz and the victim were believed to have been in a dating relationship. Witnesses in the Arcadia neighborhood reported hearing an argument and screaming before hearing gunfire and seeing shattered windows.
Approximately one hour after the initial emergency call, Pasadena police located Cruz five miles away near the intersection of Fillmore Street and South Arroyo Parkway. Pasadena city spokesperson Lisa Derderian confirmed that officers discovered the suspect with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, as New York Post reported. Witnesses on the sidewalk in broad daylight stated that the encounter unfolded rapidly before law enforcement could make direct contact.
Investigation and Witness Accounts
Edgar Perez, a witness to the Pasadena confrontation, recounted that officers attempted to approach and detain Cruz before he drew a weapon and shot himself. Cruz was rushed to a local hospital, where law enforcement officials confirmed he remains hospitalized in critical condition. Video footage from the Arcadia apartment complex showed a heavy police presence and crime scene tape cordoning off the area.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has taken over the investigation into the sequence of events leading up to the domestic violence incident. Authorities have urged anyone with additional information regarding the shooting or the relationship between the individuals to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau or submit anonymous tips through local crime stoppers programs.