Man Is Fatally Shot at Santa Anita; Suspect Held

A man died Sunday, about an hour after he was shot five times by an acquaintance on a crowded stairway at Santa Anita Park race track in Arcadia, authorities said.

Santa Anita officials said it was believed to be the first shooting in the 55-year history of the track.

The victim, Henry Miller, 27, of Los Angeles, was pronounced dead at 4:23 p.m. at Arcadia Methodist Hospital.

Patrick Patterson, 23, of Inglewood, was tackled near the gift shop after the 3:05 p.m. shooting by several race track security guards and at least two spectators. He was being held by Arcadia police without bail on suspicion of murder, authorities said. A .380-caliber Beretta semiautomatic pistol was recovered, police said.

A witness, who asked that his name not be used, said that Miller and Patterson were arguing on a first-floor grandstand stairway overlooking the pre-race walking ring. Horses had left the area minutes earlier and were on the track for the sixth race at the time.

Just before the shots rang out, Miller was heard shouting, “Shoot me, shoot me,” to Patterson, the witness said.

Police said a dispute between Miller and Patterson “had been simmering for several months. The suspect had allegedly sought out the victim at Santa Anita with the intention of confronting him.”

The stairway where the shooting took place is a popular place for racing fans to sit or stand. More than 30,000 people were at the track Sunday and the stairs were jammed with spectators, authorities said.

Track security officer Evelyn Hartsfield said the two men argued before the shots were fired.

“I turned my back, and that’s when the shooting started,” Hartsfield said. “I think the one with the gun waited until I turned around before he started firing.”

“As close together as people get down there, it’s a miracle no one else was even hurt,” Santa Anita racing steward Pete Pedersen said.