A suspect has been taken into custody after a 17-year-old boy was killed in a shooting at a high school football game in Bakersfield, California.
The Bakersfield Police Department said that officers were called to Independence High School following reports of gunfire on Friday, August 21, 2026, after 8 p.m.
The shooting took place south of the school’s football field, but inside the stadium gates, as a football game was happening.
The Kern County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Bakersfield resident Levi Jermaine Carter Brown, according to Bakersfield Now.
Once officers reported to the scene, Brown, 17, was found suffering from gunshot wound injuries. He was then taken to Kern Medical, where he was pronounced dead.
“We know that families look forward to coming out every Friday night to watch their kids play,” Bakersfield Police Officer Eric Celedon said in a news conference held shortly after the shooting. “This was an isolated incident, and we want to reinforce that school games in Bakersfield remain safe.”
One day after the killing, police announced that a 15-year-old boy had been arrested for murder and alleged participation in a criminal street gang. However, his name has not been publicly revealed because he is a minor.
Videos of the shooting and chaotic aftermath surfaced on social media after the incident.
“Our hearts are with the family of the 17-year-old who lost his life, [and] all those impacted by this tragedy,” the police department wrote via X on Saturday, August 22. “We have a strong community. That strength will carry us forward.”
Police added that the suspect and Brown knew each other and the shooting was not a random attack.
Brown was a student at Independence High and he played on the school’s football team. Following the tragedy, football coach Vince Carter took to Facebook to mourn Brown.
“It’s hard to put into words how I feel right now, yes he was from where he was from but Levi was a good kid I tried my hardest to help him in any way that I could. I knew football was his outlet and he was really good at it,” Carter wrote. “I did everything I could to get him into Garces and give him the opportunity I feel like he deserved.”
Carter also said that Brown was “around the wrong crowd” and was “misguided.”
“It hurts to see this is how it ended. Levi had crazy potential and I always believed him,” Carter added. “It just sucks this is how it ended for my guy.”
In addition to the tribute, Carter told the California Post that Brown is survived by a 1-year-old daughter.
