On Thursday night, September 10, 2026, officers from the Pasadena Police Department opened fire after a suspect deliberately backed his vehicle into two police patrol units on a city street. The collision prompted the officers to discharge their firearms in response to the immediate threat posed by the moving vehicle.
The incident unfolded in Pasadena, California, when the suspect maneuvered his car so that it struck the rear of two marked patrol cars positioned side by side. As the suspect continued to press the vehicle backward, officers on the scene reported that the impact created a dangerous situation that left them with little alternative but to use lethal force. The police department confirmed that the weapons were discharged in accordance with department policy governing threats to officer safety.
Pasadena police officials said the suspect’s actions were intentional, describing the maneuver as a deliberate attempt to force the police vehicles. The department has not released further details about the suspect’s identity, any injuries sustained, or the condition of the patrol units following the exchange of gunfire. The focus of the investigation remains on reconstructing the sequence of events that led to the suspect’s decision to drive into the police cars.
The shooting adds to a series of recent high‑profile confrontations in the region that have raised questions about how law‑enforcement agencies respond when a civilian vehicle is used as a weapon. While the department has not issued a public statement beyond confirming the use of force, standard protocol dictates that any discharge of a firearm by officers is reviewed internally and, when appropriate, examined by external oversight bodies.
Authorities are continuing to gather evidence, including dash‑camera footage and witness statements, to determine the full scope of the incident. The Pasadena Police Department has indicated that additional information will be released as the investigation proceeds, and that the case will be handled in accordance with state and local statutes governing use of force.