Police Officer, Ralph’s Employee Injured During Armed Robbery on New Year’s Day

A robbery at a grocery store early Wednesday morning left a store employee and a police officer injured, according to Pasadena Police Lieutenant Matt Campeau.

The incident occurred at 5:21 a.m. on January 1 at the Ralphs located at 100 block of North Lake Avenue. Campeau said that police received a call about a theft in progress, with the suspect threatening employees.

Police found the suspect was armed with an Exacto knife. As the suspect attempted to flee with stolen food and groceries, he stabbed an employee in the left forearm, Campeau said.

When an arriving officer tried to detain the suspect, a struggle ensued outside the store.

The officer sustained a puncture wound to his right forearm from the Exacto knife still in the suspect’s possession, according to Campeau.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies, who were working on the nearby Rose Parade route, assisted the officer in handcuffing the suspect, Campeau said.

Campeau identified the suspect as Christopher Green, a 37-year-old man from West Covina. Green was arrested on charges of armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and assaulting a peace officer.

Approximately $250 worth of merchandise was recovered from the scene, and the Exacto knife was seized as evidence, Campeau said.

The store employee, a Palmdale man, refused medical treatment for his injury. The wounded officer received treatment at the scene from the Pasadena Fire Department, according to Campeau.

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the Pasadena Police at (626) 744-4241 or report information anonymously by contacting “Crime Stoppers” at (800) 222-TIPS (8477) via your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile App on Google Play or the Apple App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org