Crimeupdated 55m ago2 min read
Paul Anthony Cruz Jr. Kills Teen Girl After Forcing Entry in Arcadia Home
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Teenage girl fatally shot inside Arcadia residence after suspect forced entry. Suspect identified as Paul Anthony Cruz Jr., a 20-year-old man she had been dating.
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Arcadia killing and suicide
Authorities investigated the shooting death of a teen girl after a suspect forced entry into an Arcadia residence on the 800 block of W. Huntington Dr. early Thursday morning.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide detectives assisted the Arcadia Police Department as investigators determined the victim had been in a dating relationship with the suspect, identified as Paul Anthony Cruz Jr., a 20-year-old Hispanic male.
Investigators said the victim was pronounced deceased at the scene, and no additional persons were injured.
Pasadena PD officers located Cruz in the city of Pasadena, and Cruz sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound as officers were preparing to contact him.
Authorities said the initial shooting occurred at approximately 11:07 a.m., and the subsequent incident involving Cruz occurred approximately one hour later.
What police and witnesses said
Arcadia police said they responded to the 800 block of West Huntington Drive regarding a disturbance after a caller reported that a man inside a residence had fired a gun.
Arcadia police said, "When officers arrived, the man had fled the scene, and officers discovered a juvenile female suffering from a gunshot wound," and the teen victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Pasadena city spokesperson Lisa Derderian said the suspect died from the self-inflicted gunshot wound after being transported, while L.A. County sheriff's officials said the man remains in critical condition.
Michael Amini, manager at Alliance Auto Body Works, said, "We look out the window, there's this guy, he's laying face down on the floor," as police closed off the area.
Arcadia and Pasadena police also investigated a second shooting at South Arroyo Parkway and East Glenarm Street where crime-scene tape blocked off a parking lot near a Petco.
Investigation details and calls
Arcadia police cordoned off a section of the Arcadia apartment complex as they collected evidence and conducted interviews Thursday night.
LASD Lt. German Ochoa said, "We won’t be releasing any information regarding the victim’s background at this time," while investigators continued looking for surveillance video.
Investigators asked anyone with information about the shooting to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at 213-229-1700.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Cruz shot himself as Pasadena Police Department officers were preparing to contact him, and KTLA said the motive behind the deadly incident remains unclear.
Investigators urged anonymous tips through L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online atlacrimestoppers.org, as the incidents remained under investigation by LASD’s Homicide Division.