A Pasadena Police Department officer accidentally shot a colleague in the shoulder during an incident involving loaded firearms in a parking garage [1].
The event highlights critical failures in firearm safety and adherence to departmental protocols among law enforcement officers. When officers disregard safety rules with lethal weapons, it creates significant risks to personnel and public safety.
According to the department, the shooting occurred during what was described as unsafe, out-of-policy horseplay [1], [2]. The incident took place in the Pasadena Police Department parking garage in Pasadena, California [1], [3]. The officers involved were handling loaded weapons when the accidental discharge occurred [1], [2].
Dash-cam video of the encounter was released June 10, 2024 [1], [4]. The footage shows the moments leading up to the shooting and the immediate aftermath in the garage. The shooting itself took place in September [1], [4].
One officer was wounded in the shoulder during the discharge [1]. Police Chief Gene Harris said the incident following the release of the footage.
"The wounded officer has recovered from his injuries," Harris said [1].
The department's investigation focused on the breach of safety protocols. The use of loaded firearms during non-operational activities is a violation of standard police procedure, a failure that led directly to the injury of the officer [1], [2].
“The shooting occurred during what was described as unsafe, out-of-policy horseplay.”
This incident underscores the danger of 'normalization of deviance' within high-stress professions, where safety protocols are ignored in casual settings. The release of the dash-cam video serves as a public record of the breach, likely triggering internal reviews of training and discipline within the Pasadena Police Department to prevent future accidental discharges.
