Father of Slain Pasadena Teen Speaks Out, Breaks Down On Local Radio Show

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The father of a Pasadena teen killed by police broke down crying on a local radio show this morning. Officers shot 19-year-old Kendrec McDade last month after a false armed robbery report. Around 11 p.m. on March 24 police were responding to an armed robbery call. The caller claimed two men robbed him at gunpoint and fled the scene. According to police, two officers tried to detain Kendrec McDade, but then opened fire on him as he reached for his waistband. They believed he was carrying a gun. No weapon was found and McDade later died at a hospital. The case has caused many to draw comparisons to the Trayvon Martin killing in Florida. This morning Kenneth McDade called in to KJLH Radio’s Front Page show to say his son’s shooting wasn’t right and vowed to fight for justice. “[H]e was a good boy, he didn’t deserve that.” The second suspect, a 17-year-old Pasadena boy, was arrested nearby. He’s facing felony counts of burglary and grand theft. According to KABC, police blame Oscar Carrillo, the 911 caller, for falsely claiming the suspects were armed. Prosecutors say they need to investigate more before Carrillo can be charged with involuntary manslaughter. Carrillo is being held in jail on an immigration hold. The McDade family’s lawyer and community activists say they have serious questions about the killing. The Pasadena Police Department says it is investigating the shooting internally as well as with the county’s officer-involved shooting team and an independent review group.