Fifteen-year-old Mina Kurdian was killed after authorities say a 20-year-old man she had been dating forced his way into a residence.
ARCADIA, Calif. — Authorities have identified a 15-year-old girl killed in an Arcadia shooting as Mina Kurdian while investigators continue examining the circumstances surrounding the violence and the actions of a 20-year-old man who was later found critically wounded in Pasadena.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office identified Kurdian after the Thursday, Oct. 22, shooting. Authorities said Paul Anthony Cruz Jr., 20, had been in a dating relationship with the teenager and is suspected of forcing his way into the residence before shooting her. Investigators have not publicly established a motive, and the case remains under investigation.
Arcadia police were called shortly after 11 a.m. to an apartment complex in the 800 block of West Huntington Drive after receiving reports of a disturbance and gunfire. Officers found Kurdian suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said Cruz had left the area before officers arrived.
Investigators later traced Cruz to Pasadena, about five miles from the Arcadia residence. Pasadena police located him near South Arroyo Parkway roughly an hour after the initial shooting. Authorities said Cruz suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound as officers were preparing to contact him. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
The sequence left investigators working across two cities. Arcadia police responded to the homicide scene, while Pasadena officers handled the encounter involving Cruz. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau took part in the investigation into Kurdian’s death. Authorities had not announced criminal charges as of the latest publicly available reports.
Officials have described Kurdian and Cruz as having been in a dating relationship, although accounts from people in the neighborhood differed about whether the relationship was continuing at the time of the shooting. Some neighbors told reporters they believed the pair were still together, while others said they had broken up about two weeks earlier. Investigators had not publicly clarified that point.
The five-year age difference between Kurdian and Cruz also drew attention from neighbors after authorities identified the victim. Police, however, have focused their public statements on the shooting itself and have not announced any separate finding related to the nature or duration of the relationship. No motive has been publicly confirmed.
The Arcadia Unified School District said Kurdian was a former student but was not enrolled in the district when she died. The district expressed condolences to those affected by her death. Authorities have released few additional details about the teenager as the investigation continues.
Cruz remained hospitalized in critical condition in the most recent reports available after the shooting. Investigators have not announced when he might be medically cleared or what legal proceedings could follow. The homicide investigation remains active, and authorities have not publicly disclosed a suspected motive.
Author note: Last updated October 26, 2026.