Police Chief Eugene Harris said the department wanted to make sure the family of Malcolm Buchanan, who was fatally shot by police, saw the video before it was released to the public.
“We thought that that was the most prudent way to move forward and to let the officers as well,” said Harris. “So we’ve done that. We’ve completed it and we’re scheduling the release of that video tomorrow at 5 o’clock.”
Buchanan, 32, was fatally shot following a confrontation with police near the Sierra Madre Villa Metro Station after officers responded to reports of a shooting at the transit stop.
According to Pasadena police, officers later encountered Buchanan, leading to a foot pursuit and an exchange of gunfire that seriously wounded Officer Bryan Vasquez, a five-year veteran of the department.
Vasquez underwent surgery and spent weeks recovering at Huntington Hospital. Buchanan died at the scene.
Family members identified Buchanan after the shooting and told reporters he had struggled with mental health issues.
According to a presentation by Independent Police Auditor Teresa Magula on Thursday, the Buchanan case remains under both criminal and administrative review.
Last month, the department announced that release of the video footage was being delayed under California transparency laws governing critical incidents involving law enforcement. Although the officer involved in the shooting has since been discharged from the hospital, officials said he continues to receive medical treatment and has not yet been interviewed by investigators.
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