A newly released police video is drawing scrutiny. It shows a Pasadena police officer being shot by a colleague during an incident involving loaded firearms inside a department parking garage.
Although the shooting occurred on September 7, 2025, the footage did not become public until June 2026, nearly nine months after the incident took place. The video was released by the Pasadena Police Department as part of a critical incident briefing on June 10.
The footage captures several officers gathered in a parking structure during a shift change. Investigators say the group was handling loaded service weapons in a manner that violated department policy and firearm safety standards.
One officer suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder and survived. Department officials say he has since made a full recovery.
Video Captures Shooting Inside Police Facility
The incident unfolded at approximately 6:20 p.m. inside the Pasadena Police Department’s parking garage. Dashcam and cellphone footage released by the department show officers standing near parked vehicles while preparing for duty.
According to officials, one officer drew his handgun and pointed it toward a colleague seated inside a patrol vehicle. The action appeared to be part of an exchange between officers rather than a law enforcement response.
Moments later, the officer inside the patrol car drew his own firearm. During the exchange, the weapon discharged. The round traveled through the patrol vehicle’s windshield before striking the standing officer in the left shoulder.
The video shows an immediate reaction from those present as the injured officer grabbed his shoulder and moved away from the scene. No other officers were injured.
Chief Calls Conduct ‘Out-Of-Policy Horseplay’
In the department’s critical incident video, Pasadena Police Chief Gene Harris said the shooting resulted from officers engaging in “unsafe and out-of-policy horseplay involving loaded firearms.” Harris said the conduct violated department expectations and firearm handling standards.
He also acknowledged the seriousness of the incident, noting that officers are expected to follow policy whenever they are armed. Investigators determined the shooting was not connected to a criminal suspect, police operation, or public safety call.
Instead, it stemmed from conduct involving officers interacting with one another before their shifts. The footage shows actions that conflict with firearm safety principles taught to law enforcement personnel, including avoiding the pointing of a firearm at another person and maintaining trigger discipline while handling a weapon.
Discipline Imposed as Investigation Continues
The Pasadena Police Department said disciplinary action followed an administrative investigation, though officials initially did not disclose specific measures taken against those involved. Reports have since identified the officer who fired the weapon as Officer Roy Alatorre.
Multiple outlets have reported that Alatorre was terminated following the incident. The shooting remains under investigation by both the Pasadena Police Department and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities are examining the circumstances surrounding the discharge and whether any criminal charges are warranted. The footage’s release this month has generated criticism online, with many viewers questioning how trained officers came to be pointing loaded weapons at one another inside a police facility.
Others have focused on the length of time between the September 2025 shooting and the public release of the video in June 2026. While the injured officer recovered from his wound, the case continues to draw attention because it occurred inside a police department facility and involved officers handling service weapons in a manner prohibited by policy. The newly released footage offers the public its first look at an incident that remained largely out of view for nearly nine months.