Arcadia Shooting, Teen Girl Killed in Apartment, Paul Anthony Cruz Jr. Critically Injured in Pasadena

A teenage girl was shot and killed inside an apartment in Arcadia, California, on Thursday, October 22, 2026. Authorities identified 20-year-old Paul Anthony Cruz Jr., the girl’s boyfriend, as the suspected shooter. They say he forced his way into the residence before the shooting.

Investigators say Cruz left the apartment before police arrived. About an hour and a half later, Pasadena police located him near South Arroyo Parkway and Glenarm Street. He shot himself as officers were preparing to contact him and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, according to statements attributed to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD).

The LASD Homicide Bureau is investigating. The victim’s name has not been released. As of October 23, 2026, no criminal complaint or court case number had been publicly verified. Everything below about Cruz is an allegation or investigative statement, not a finding of guilt.

Arcadia Shooting: Quick Facts

Detail	Confirmed information
Incident date	Thursday, October 22, 2026
Location	Apartment, 800 block of West Huntington Drive, Arcadia, CA
Victim	Teenage (juvenile) girl; identity not publicly released; pronounced dead at the scene
Suspect	Paul Anthony Cruz Jr., age 20
Relationship	Authorities described Cruz as the victim’s boyfriend
Alleged conduct	Forced entry and fatal shooting, per authorities
First police response	Around 11 a.m.
Second scene	800 block of South Arroyo Parkway near Glenarm Street, Pasadena
Suspect’s condition	Critical condition, self-inflicted gunshot wound (latest report: Thursday evening)
Lead agency	LASD Homicide Bureau, with Arcadia PD and Pasadena PD
Charges	None publicly verified as of October 23, 2026
Court case number	Not publicly verified
Tip line	LASD Homicide Bureau: (323) 890-5500
Anonymous tips	Crime Stoppers: (800) 222-8477 (TIPS)
Emotional support	Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline); National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

What Happened in the Arcadia Shooting?

Around 11 a.m.: Police respond to the apartment

Arcadia police received a report of a man inside a residence who had fired a gun. Officers went to an apartment in the 800 block of West Huntington Drive. The man was gone. Officers found a juvenile female with a gunshot wound, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported in the sources reviewed.

Video from the complex showed damage to a glass balcony door, and a neighbor told local media residents heard a loud bang before police arrived. Public reports do not establish how many shots were fired or what happened inside the unit beforehand. Those details are unconfirmed.

Around 12:30 p.m.: Pasadena police locate the suspect

Arcadia police shared the suspect’s description with nearby agencies. Pasadena police located Cruz in the 800 block of South Arroyo Parkway. According to the sheriff’s department, he shot himself as officers prepared to contact him. Witnesses told the Los Angeles Times it happened on a public sidewalk in daylight with people nearby. Paramedics took him to a hospital under law enforcement guard.

Evening: Condition reported as critical

The latest verified report said Cruz remained in critical condition. No later official medical update had been confirmed as of October 23, 2026. This section will be updated when authorities release new information.

Timeline of the Arcadia–Pasadena Incident

Date and time	Event
Oct. 22, 2026, about 11 a.m.	Arcadia police receive a report of a man who fired a gun in an apartment on West Huntington Drive
Shortly after	Officers find a juvenile female with a gunshot wound; she is pronounced dead at the scene
After the shooting	Suspect leaves the apartment; description shared with neighboring agencies
About 12:30 p.m.	Pasadena police locate the suspect near South Arroyo Parkway and Glenarm Street
Same afternoon	Suspect sustains a self-inflicted gunshot wound as officers prepare to contact him
Thursday evening	Reports say he remains in critical condition
Oct. 23, 2026	Investigation continues; no charging document verified

Times are approximate and based on statements attributed to Arcadia police, Pasadena officials and the LASD.

Who Is Paul Anthony Cruz Jr.?

The LASD identified the suspect as Paul Anthony Cruz Jr., 20. Because he is over 18, any prosecution would proceed in adult criminal court, not juvenile court, regardless of the victim’s age.

Public reports reviewed do not establish his criminal history, employment or background. They also do not show whether a restraining order existed, whether the victim had reported threats, or whether police had responded to earlier incidents involving the two. Those facts should not be assumed because of the dating relationship.

California Laws That Could Apply

Charges depend on the evidence and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s charging decision. The statutes below are the general legal framework, not a statement that Cruz has been charged under any of them.

Murder: Penal Code §§ 187, 188 and 189

• § 187 defines murder as the unlawful killing of a human being (or fetus) with malice aforethought.
• § 188 defines express malice (intent to kill) and implied malice (a deliberate act dangerous to life with conscious disregard for life).
• § 189 defines first-degree murder, including willful, deliberate and premeditated killings, killings by certain means such as lying in wait, and killings committed during specified felonies, including burglary. All other murders are second degree.

Punishment for murder: Penal Code § 190

• First-degree murder: 25 years to life in state prison.
• Second-degree murder: 15 years to life.
• First-degree murder with a special circumstance under § 190.2 (for example, murder committed while engaged in a burglary, or by lying in wait) carries life without the possibility of parole. California has a moratorium on executions, so the death penalty is not being carried out.

Prosecutors must prove each element beyond a reasonable doubt. A shooting does not automatically equal first-degree murder, and a defense may contest intent, premeditation or identity.

Burglary: Penal Code §§ 459, 460 and 461

• § 459 defines burglary as entering a building or room with intent to commit theft or any felony.
• § 460(a) makes burglary of an inhabited dwelling, such as an apartment, first-degree burglary.
• § 461 sets the penalty: first-degree burglary is punishable by two, four or six years in state prison.

Forced entry alone does not prove every element. Prosecutors would need evidence of the intent held at the time of entry. First-degree burglary is also classified as a serious and violent felony under California’s Three Strikes framework (Penal Code §§ 667.5(c) and 1192.7(c)).

Firearm sentencing enhancements: Penal Code §§ 12022.5 and 12022.53

• § 12022.53(b): personally using a firearm in certain felonies, including murder, adds 10 years.
• § 12022.53(c): personally and intentionally discharging a firearm adds 20 years.
• § 12022.53(d): personally and intentionally discharging a firearm causing death adds 25 years to life.

Enhancements apply only if specifically charged and proven. No specific firearm allegation has been verified for Cruz.

Firearm possession and ownership laws

California separately regulates unlawful firearm possession (see Penal Code § 29800 et seq. for prohibited persons and § 27500 et seq. for sales and transfers). Whether any possession or acquisition charge applies depends on how the weapon was obtained and who owned it. No such information has been confirmed.

Does the dating relationship matter?

Yes, in certain statutes:

• Family Code § 6211 includes people in a dating relationship within the definition of domestic violence for protective-order purposes.
• Penal Code § 13700 defines “domestic violence” for law-enforcement reporting purposes to include abuse of a person with whom the suspect has a dating relationship.
• Penal Code § 273.5 punishes willful infliction of corporal injury resulting in a traumatic condition on a current or former dating partner. In a death case, prosecutors would ordinarily focus on homicide counts instead.

The relationship supplies context but does not by itself prove intent, premeditation or guilt.

What Happens When a Suspect Is Critically Injured Before Charges?

A suspect’s injury does not end an investigation. Detectives continue processing the scene, collecting video, interviewing witnesses and obtaining search warrants where legally justified. They then present findings to the District Attorney.

If Cruz survives and is medically able to proceed:

1. Arraignment. Under Penal Code § 825, a person arrested must generally be brought before a judge within 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. Medical circumstances can affect timing in practice.
2. Bail. California Constitution, Article I, § 12 allows courts to deny bail in capital cases when the proof is evident or the presumption great, and in certain violent felonies on findings of danger to others. Any bail decision would be made by the court.
3. Counsel. The defendant has the right to an attorney and, if indigent, a public defender.
4. Competency. If doubt arises about his ability to understand the proceedings, Penal Code § 1368 allows proceedings to be suspended for a competency evaluation.
5. Preliminary hearing and trial. The prosecution must establish probable cause at a preliminary hearing (Penal Code § 859 et seq.) before trial.

If a suspect dies before conviction, criminal proceedings against him end. Investigators may still determine what happened, and civil claims may remain possible.

Discovery and Evidence in a Case Like This

In an intimate-partner homicide prosecution, evidence typically includes:

• Ballistics and firearm-trace records
• Surveillance and doorbell video, including the complex’s cameras
• Cell phone data, text messages, call logs and location records
• Social media and direct messages
• 911 recordings and body-worn camera footage
• Autopsy findings from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner
• Any prior police reports or protective-order history

Under Penal Code § 1054 et seq., the prosecution must share discoverable evidence with the defense.

Rights of the Victim’s Family

Wrongful death and survival claims

• Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60 lets certain relatives, such as spouses, domestic partners, children and parents in qualifying circumstances, sue for wrongful death.
• Code of Civil Procedure § 377.30 allows the victim’s estate to pursue a survival action for harm the victim suffered before death.
• The general limitation period for personal injury and wrongful death is two years (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1).
• A civil case is separate from the criminal case and has a lower burden of proof. No lawsuit tied to this shooting has been verified.

Crime victim compensation

The California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB) can reimburse eligible family members for funeral and burial costs, counseling and certain other expenses (Government Code § 13950 et seq.). Compensation is generally paid regardless of whether anyone is convicted. Applicants should confirm current eligibility and caps with CalVCB or the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Bureau of Victim Services.

Marsy’s Law

California’s Victims’ Bill of Rights (Cal. Const., Art. I, § 28(b)) gives victims, and family members of homicide victims, rights to notice of proceedings, to be present, to be heard at sentencing and parole hearings, and to restitution. Penal Code § 1191.1 implements the right to be heard at sentencing.

Restitution

If a defendant is convicted, the court must order restitution to victims for economic losses (Penal Code § 1202.4). Restitution orders are enforceable as civil judgments.

What Should People With Information Do?

Anyone who witnessed the incident, has video or knows relevant events before or after the shooting should contact:

• LASD Homicide Bureau: (323) 890-5500
• Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers: (800) 222-8477, or lacrimestoppers.org for anonymous tips

Please send information to investigators rather than circulating unverified names, rumors or alleged motives online. The victim’s identity has not been released, and her family is entitled to privacy while notification and investigation continue.

Support Resources

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 anytime in the U.S. if you or someone you know is in crisis.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788.
• Love Is Respect (teen dating abuse): text LOVEIS to 22522.
• California Victim Compensation Board: 1-800-777-9229.

Red Flag Laws and Prevention

California’s Gun Violence Restraining Order law (Penal Code § 18100 et seq.) allows family members, household members, employers, coworkers, school staff and law enforcement to ask a court to temporarily restrict firearm access for a person who poses a danger. Domestic violence restraining orders under Family Code § 6200 et seq. can also include firearm restrictions. Whether either tool was available or used in this case has not been reported.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was killed in the Arcadia shooting?

A teenage girl was fatally shot in an apartment in the 800 block of West Huntington Drive on October 22, 2026. Her name has not been publicly released.

Who is the suspect in the Arcadia shooting?

Authorities identified him as Paul Anthony Cruz Jr., 20, described as the victim’s boyfriend.

Where did the shooting happen?

In an apartment on West Huntington Drive in Arcadia. A second incident involving the suspect occurred near South Arroyo Parkway and Glenarm Street in Pasadena.

Did Paul Anthony Cruz Jr. die?

Reports published Thursday evening said he was in critical condition after a self-inflicted gunshot wound. No later official medical update had been confirmed as of October 23, 2026.

Has Paul Anthony Cruz Jr. been charged with murder?

No formal charging document was publicly verified as of October 23, 2026. The investigation is ongoing.

What is the possible penalty for murder in California?

First-degree murder carries 25 years to life; second-degree carries 15 years to life; special circumstances can bring life without parole. Firearm enhancements under Penal Code § 12022.53 can add 10 years, 20 years or 25 years to life.

Will Cruz be tried as an adult?

He is 20, so any criminal case would be filed in adult court.

Who is investigating?

The LASD Homicide Bureau leads, working with the Arcadia and Pasadena police departments.

Can the victim’s family sue?

Qualifying relatives may bring a wrongful death action under Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60, usually within two years. No lawsuit has been verified.

Can the family get help with funeral costs?

Eligible family members may apply to the California Victim Compensation Board.

Where can I get official updates?

From the Arcadia Police Department, the LASD Homicide Bureau and the Pasadena Police Department.

This article is for general legal information only and is not legal advice. The investigation is ongoing, no conviction has been established, and every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The victim’s identity has not been released in the sources reviewed. Statutes are summarized and may be amended; consult a licensed California attorney for advice on a specific situation.

Related Reading

• Jessica Antolini Dies After Shooting; Boyfriend Charged With Murder (AllAboutLawyer.com)
• Jasmine Gill Sacramento: Husband Arrested for Murder After Burned Remains Found in El Dorado County (AllAboutLawyer.com)

Sources

1. Los Angeles Times: Teenage girl killed at Arcadia home; suspected shooter attempts suicide in Pasadena (Oct. 22, 2026)
2. ABC7 Los Angeles: Arcadia and Pasadena shooting investigation (Oct. 22, 2026)
3. CBS Los Angeles: 20-year-old man allegedly shoots juvenile girl to death in Arcadia apartment (Oct. 22, 2026)
4. Arcadia Police Department: public statements and website
5. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Homicide Bureau: statements and tip line
6. Pasadena Police Department: public statements
7. California Penal Code §§ 187, 188, 189, 190, 190.2, 273.5, 459, 460, 461, 667.5, 825, 859, 1054, 1191.1, 1192.7, 1202.4, 1368, 12022.5, 12022.53, 13700, 18100 et seq., 27500 et seq., 29800 et seq. (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
8. California Family Code §§ 6200 et seq., 6211 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
9. California Code of Civil Procedure §§ 335.1, 377.30, 377.60 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
10. California Government Code § 13950 et seq.; California Victim Compensation Board (victims.ca.gov)
11. California Constitution, Article I, §§ 12 and 28