UPDATE (3:30 P.M.): One person is dead following a shooting involving the Bakersfield Police Department on Tuesday morning. The incident took place over two different locations and involved several officers.
According to BPD, officers responded to a call Tuesday morning from a railroad worker reporting that an individual was on the railroad tracks waving a handgun. According to BPD Sergeant Robert Pair, when officers arrived, the deadly shooting took place.
"The individual ran from officers towards additional officers ultimately here on Daniels where a second officer involved shooting took place. The adult male that was armed with the firearm was fatally struck," said Pair.
Pair says the person who was shot died at the scene. The incident started at East Belle Terrace and Madison Street in southeast Bakersfield around 9:40 am.
According to Pair, shots were fired, and that's when the man with the gun ran to Daniels Lane and Union Avenue, where a second shooting took place.
Pair says 8 officers fired their weapons. No officers were injured, and a handgun and knife were found at the scene.
The location where this incident happened has become problematic for the people who live and work there, like Sarmen Yeghkin, who owns property on Daniels Lane.
"It's a big issue. I mean, as you can see, there's my makeshift building here. There's people going there, there's some drug dealing happening back there, there's a lot of them," said Yeghkin. "There's a lot of them, but there's an issue on this street. There's definitely an issue on this street."
Yeghkin also says he doesn't feel safe when stopping by his property.
"The couple of days that I was here, I had to bring my handgun. I wasn't feeling safe," said Yeghkin. "I don't know if people are just walking up and, you know, trying to get money out of me."
According to Sergeant Pair, the officers involved in both shootings were all wearing body cameras, and that no motive has been determined at this time.
"The who, what, where, when, why, and how, and the motive of the individual and exactly what transpired, those are things that we definitely want to find out, but it's too early at this point," said Pair. "As more details come out, we will definitely release them."
Pair says police are in the beginning stages of the investigation, and as of now, the individual has not been identified. The officers involved have all bee placed on administrative leave.
Bakersfield police are investigating a shooting involving one of their officers in the area of E. Belle Terrace and Madison Street.
No details are available at this time.
BPD is advising drivers to avoid the area.
This is a developing story. More information as it becomes available.
Law enforcement activity in the area of E Belle Terrace & Madison St. due to officer involved shooting. Please avoid the area. More information forthcoming.
— Bakersfield Police (@bakersfieldpd) December 20, 2022
