Newly released body camera footage shows the terrifying moment a Pasadena police officer was shot during a gunfight with an armed suspect accused of terrorizing the area near a Metro station.
The violent incident unfolded around 7:30 p.m. on March 2, after police were called to the Sierra Madre Villa Metro station, where the suspect had shot a victim in the shoulder before fleeing on foot.
Officer Bryan Vasquez’s Heroic Pursuit
Moments later, Officer Bryan Vasquez spotted the suspect several blocks away and gave chase through the neighborhood. Body camera footage captures the encounter spiraling into a dangerous exchange of gunfire.
Nearby residents said they heard 15 to 20 rounds fired during the incident. Bullet holes were later found in a nearby brick wall. Despite being seriously wounded, Vasquez survived the firefight.
The Suspect
Authorities identified the suspect as Malcolm Buchanan, 32, a Pasadena resident. Buchanan died at the scene. Police also released an image of the handgun they say Buchanan used during the confrontation.
Cellphone footage released by investigators appears to show Buchanan s**ually assaulting a second victim before fleeing the area, adding a disturbing layer to the violent spree.
Buchanan’s grandmother told ABC7 that he had struggled with mental health issues and may have been off his medication at the time of the incident.
Police Response and Investigation
Pasadena Police Chief Gene Harris praised Officer Vasquez for relying on his training and staying in the fight after being shot. “The officer’s actions in that moment I think would be considered heroic,” Harris said.
Vasquez, a five-year veteran of the department, has been released from the hospital but remains on leave as he recovers from his injuries.
The shooting remains under investigation
