The exchange of gunfire followed an earlier report of a shoulder shooting at a Metro station.
Pasadena, Calif. — A Pasadena police officer recovering from gunshot wounds and a family grieving a 32-year-old man who was killed are at the center of a growing investigation after a Metro-station shooting led to a chase and a deadly gun battle, officials said.
The violence began about 7:30 p.m. Monday near the Sierra Madre Villa Metro A Line station, where police said a man was shot in the shoulder. That wounded man was taken to a hospital and later listed in stable condition, authorities said. The suspected shooter ran, and officers fanned out across nearby streets as they tried to locate him.
Within a short time, police said, officers spotted a person matching the suspect’s description several blocks from the transit station and moved in to detain him. The man ran, and officers followed on foot through East Pasadena streets near the station’s parking structure and bus plaza. The pursuit ended near Sierra Madre Villa Avenue and Electronic Drive, where officials said the suspect and an officer exchanged gunfire.
Officer Bryan Vasquez, a five-year veteran of the Pasadena Police Department, was wounded and rushed to a hospital, authorities said. Police Chief Gene Harris said Vasquez underwent critical surgery and was later in stable but guarded condition. Harris praised the medical team and the officers who responded. “We are incredibly grateful to the medical team for their swift and skilled care,” Harris said in a statement, adding that the officer’s recovery was expected to take time.
The suspect was shot and died at the scene, officials said. The Los Angeles County medical examiner later identified the man as Malcom Buchanan, 32, after family members initially shared his name publicly. Police said they had not released a complete account of the suspect’s movements after the station shooting or what sparked the first confrontation, and they have not said whether the suspect had any relationship with the man wounded at the station.
As investigators worked behind police tape, Buchanan’s relatives spoke about a life they said had been shaped by mental illness. Family members told reporters Buchanan had attended Howard University and had struggled with his mental health in recent years. Rose Webster, who identified herself as his grandmother, said she believed he may have been off medication. “Right now, I’m in shock,” Webster said. “I love my grandson and he wanted to live,” she added, saying she could not explain what led to the shooting.
Neighbors described the gun battle as loud and sudden, with a rapid string of shots followed by a heavy police presence. Some residents said they heard what sounded like 15 to 20 gunshots and later saw bullet damage in the area, including holes in a brick wall. By late night, multiple streets were blocked as detectives photographed the scene, marked evidence locations, and interviewed witnesses who had been walking or driving nearby.
Officials provided only limited details about what officers encountered when they caught up to the suspect. Video from the scene showed the suspect’s body on a sidewalk and investigators working near items on the ground, including a gun visible near evidence markers. Authorities have not said whether the suspect fired first during the final confrontation, how many rounds were fired, or whether any nearby surveillance footage captured the start of the exchange.
City leaders tried to balance support for the injured officer with the reality that a resident had been killed. Mayor Victor Gordo called for unity and said the city was praying for Vasquez’s recovery. Gordo said the shooting was a reminder that police officers are also neighbors and family members, and he thanked the department for its service during what he called difficult hours for the city.
The case is expected to move through multiple layers of review in the coming weeks. Officials said the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office would review the police use of deadly force, a step that typically includes interviews, evidence analysis, and a review of video when available. Pasadena police said their own investigators were also working to reconstruct the timeline from the station shooting to the final gunfire, including where the suspect traveled and how officers tracked him.
Authorities have not announced any public timeline for releasing additional details, and they have not said whether the wounded shoulder-shooting victim will be able to help identify the suspect or clarify what happened at the station. Police said they were not seeking additional suspects tied to the incident and did not indicate that the shooting was part of a broader, ongoing threat to the community.
For now, the investigation remains focused on unanswered questions about what led to the first shooting and how the encounter escalated into deadly force. Vasquez remained hospitalized as doctors monitored his condition, officials said, while detectives continued gathering witness statements and reviewing any video evidence from the area.
Author note: Last updated March 5, 2026.