A teenage girl was fatally shot inside an Arcadia home Thursday, while the 20-year-old man authorities identified as her boyfriend was hospitalized in critical condition after shooting himself in Pasadena later that day.
Authorities said Paul Anthony Cruz Jr. allegedly forced his way into the residence, opened fire and then fled the area.
Arcadia police responded to the 800 block of West Huntington Drive at about 11 a.m. after receiving a report of a possible shooting. The caller told dispatchers that a man was inside the home and had fired a gun.
Officers found the teenage victim suffering from a gunshot wound when they arrived. She was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Her name has not been released.
Cruz had left the residence before officers arrived, according to Arcadia police. Investigators believe he went to Pasadena, where he attempted to take his own life roughly an hour later.
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Around 12:30 p.m., Cruz was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Pasadena city spokesperson Lisa Derderian told The Los Angeles Times. He was transported to a hospital in critical condition.
A witness told The Times that several people saw the Pasadena shooting unfold on a sidewalk in broad daylight. The witness said the man was lying face down and that police arrived approximately “five seconds” later. “It was really fast,” he said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Cruz shot himself as Pasadena police officers were preparing to contact him. Investigators have not disclosed additional information about what prompted the shooting or the circumstances surrounding the alleged attack in Arcadia.
Anyone with information about the case was asked to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.
Those wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submit a tip online at lacrimestoppers.org.
