{"id":443604,"date":"2026-08-26T02:06:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T02:06:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/443604\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T02:06:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T02:06:14","slug":"7-arrested-after-teen-gunned-down-as-bakersfield-battles-gang-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/443604\/","title":{"rendered":"7 arrested after teen gunned down as Bakersfield battles gang violence"},"content":{"rendered":"

Six more people have been arrested following the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old during a high school football game<\/a> in Bakersfield as police move to head off possible retaliatory gang violence after the killing.<\/p>\n

Levi Brown was gunned down in the stadium at Independence High School<\/a> Friday night during the team\u2019s season-opening game. An unidentified 15-year-old was later arrested on\u00a0murder charges\u00a0and gang activity,\u00a0police said.<\/p>\n

People and football players run for safety following a shooting at Independence High School in Bakersfield. KBAK\/KBFX<\/p>\n

The victim, 17-year-old Levi Brown, was a former standout high school quarterback. Facebook\/@Vince Carter<\/p>\n

Police announced on Monday that they had arrested an additional six people \u2014\u00a0including three teenagers \u2014 to avert any additional violence in the wake of the shooting, ABC 23 reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe age range really isn\u2019t any different from what we see a lot of other times as well. This is the unfortunate reality that people involved in gang shootings are oftentimes about this age,\u201d Bakersfield Police Chief Brent Stratton said.<\/p>\n

Investigators stressed that none of those arrested Monday were directly tied to Brown\u2019s slaying.<\/p>\n

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The arrests came as the community gathered Monday night to remember Brown, who was described as an \u201cexceptional athlete\u201d who had \u201call the talent in the world,\u201d his former coach told the California Post.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt in my mind, he would have been a college football athlete,\u201d the coach, Vince Carter, said.<\/p>\n

The vigil featured prayer and music as mourners paid tribute to Brown, who leaves behind a one-year-old daughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was a great kid. He had a lot of goals, and he was looking towards his future.\u201d Facebook\/@Lindsay Bernstein<\/p>\n

Brown leaves behind a one-year-old daughter. Facebook\/@Lindsay Bernstein<\/p>\n

Manuel Carrizalez, founder and director of Stay Focused Ministries, knew Brown through the group\u2019s work mentoring teenagers and other students.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was a great kid. He had a lot of goals, and he was looking towards his future,\u201d Carrizalez told ABC 23<\/a>, noting he last saw Brown only a couple of weeks ago.<\/p>\n

An unidentified 15-year-old was later arrested on\u00a0murder charges\u00a0and gang activity,\u00a0police said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were never made to be gang members; they were never made to be drug addicts. This is when they are going to have to make decisions, as far as what they\u2019re going to be involved in as juveniles,\u201d Carrizalez added.<\/p>\n

Brown was shot Friday night just minutes into the game between Independence and Centennial High School.<\/p>\n

Police said a fight broke out outside the inner chain-link fence surrounding the field before the shooting.<\/p>\n

Officers arrived shortly after 8 p.m. and found Brown suffering from gunshot wounds. <\/p>\n

He was taken to Kern Medical Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.<\/p>\n

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