Teen fatally shot in Arcadia; suspect hospitalized in critical condition after suicide attempt in Pasadena

Key points

• Arcadia police responded to a shooting call at the 800 block of West Huntington Drive around 11 a.m. on Thursday, finding a teenage girl with a gunshot wound who was pronounced dead at the scene.
• The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department identified the suspect as 20-year-old Paul Anthony Cruz Jr., who was in a dating relationship with the victim and allegedly forced entry into the residence before firing the weapon.
• Cruz fled the Arcadia scene and was later found in Pasadena around 12:30 p.m. with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, transported to a hospital in critical condition.
• A witness described the Pasadena shooting as occurring on a sidewalk in broad daylight, with multiple people present, and noted that police arrived approximately five seconds after the suspect was seen lying face down.
• The case is being handled by the Sheriff’s Department Homicide Division, and authorities have not released the victim’s name or further details regarding the motive or circumstances leading to the shooting.

Background

This incident follows a pattern of domestic-related violence and murder-suicide attempts reported in the past month, including a double homicide in Pennsylvania and a murder-suicide in Indianapolis. However, this case is distinct in that the suspect survived the suicide attempt and is currently in critical condition, while the victim was a teenage girl killed by her boyfriend in a suburban home.

How outlets are covering it

The Los Angeles Times and New York Post provide detailed accounts of the suspect’s actions, including the forced entry and the suicide attempt, while MyNewsLA.com offers a more limited report, focusing on the fatal shooting without identifying the suspect or the relationship between the victim and the shooter. All sources agree on the basic facts of the shooting and the suspect’s critical condition, but the LA Times and NY Post emphasize the witness accounts and the suspect’s identity, whereas MyNewsLA.com remains more cautious in its reporting.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing issue of domestic violence and the potential for murder-suicide attempts in dating relationships. The public nature of the suicide attempt in Pasadena, witnessed by multiple people, underscores the urgency of police response and the need for community awareness of signs of domestic violence and mental health crises.

What to watch

The investigation will continue as the Sheriff’s Department Homicide Division gathers evidence and interviews witnesses. The suspect’s condition will be monitored, and if he survives, he may face charges related to the homicide. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau or Crime Stoppers.