witness prompts – Pasadena Police Chief Gene Harris says new information from a witness has triggered a fresh investigation into a September police-on-police shooting that earlier internal findings called “unsafe and out-of-policy horseplay.” Several officers have been placed o
For nearly nine months, the September police-on-police shooting at a Pasadena parking garage sat behind a legal delay. Then video finally went public last week. And now. Pasadena Police Chief Gene Harris says a witness has come forward with additional details—enough to reopen the case. place multiple officers on leave. and widen scrutiny of behavior the department previously called “horseplay.”.
The incident dates to Sept. 7. 2025. when an officer fired a handgun at a colleague inside a parking structure at 240 Ramona St. smashing through the windshield of a patrol cruiser. The dashcam video released after an unusual delay showed one officer pulling and aiming a weapon before being shot through the windshield.
After the release last week. Harris described the conduct as “unsafe and out-of-policy horseplay.” He said the officer who fired the shot was no longer with the force. and he said the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office was reviewing whether the behavior was criminal. Harris also said he had provided the district attorney with a criminal investigation and informed the state Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
On Monday, Harris announced the shift. A witness had come forward after the video was released. he said in a statement. providing “additional information.” The chief said a new investigation had been opened based on “documentation received Sunday.” He added that other officers involved had been placed on leave while the renewed probe plays out. calling the decision a result of “how seriously we take matters like this.”.
Until Wednesday. Harris said he kept the shooting video from public release by invoking an exception to state law that generally requires police agencies to release audio and video recordings of police shootings and other critical incidents involving great bodily injury within 45 days. Harris said the delay was necessary to protect the integrity of the investigation and allow investigators to complete essential investigative steps.
The video itself. which Harris said captures the incident around 6:18 p.m. begins with a car pulling into the parking garage behind two uniformed officers standing at the rear of a police SUV with its back open. The footage contains no sound. As the cruiser approaches. the officer on the right side of the back of the SUV draws his handgun and points it directly at the approaching police cruiser—an action Harris called “inappropriate.” After a few seconds. the officer reholsters the weapon as he and his colleague smile.
The dashcam footage does not show what happens next inside the vehicle. Harris said the officer seated in the driver’s seat drew the department-issued handgun and “pointed it toward the other officer, during this interaction, the driving officer’s firearm discharged.”
Harris said the round smashed through the cruiser’s windshield and hit one of the officers in the garage at 240 Ramona St. The video shows that about four seconds after the officer reholstered his gun. the dashcam jolts. a cloud of dust appears from the direction of the car. and the officer holding a gun grabs his left shoulder and winces. The officer then moves to the side of the SUV. while other officers in the parking structure rush to him. help him to the ground. and treat his wound.
Harris said the officer sustained serious injuries but had since recovered.
The shooting officer was identified by Harris as Roy Alatorre. Harris said Alatorre had “separated from the city,” and Alatorre had not returned requests for comment as of the time Harris spoke.
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo commented Thursday. saying. “This type of unprofessional behavior is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.” Gordo said the police chief assures him the incident has been thoroughly investigated and that appropriate discipline has been taken. adding that he supports the chief’s decisions.
Harris later called the conduct “regretful” and said it was not up to the department’s expectations. Now. with a witness bringing new information and a new investigation opened based on documentation received Sunday. the case has moved again—from a delayed release and a prior finding of “horseplay” to a fresh round of scrutiny that could determine what happened in the minutes the dashcam shows and what the video does not.
Pasadena police Gene Harris Roy Alatorre police shooting dashcam video horseplay investigation officers on leave Victor Gordo 240 Ramona St.