Video: Calif. Officer Fatally Shoots Suspect During Chase, Gunfight
By Ishani Desai
Source The Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield Police Department released footage Wednesday of an officer fatally shooting a man on Planz Road in April.
An investigation to determine whether the officer's use of force complied with departmental policy is ongoing. This investigation will be submitted to the Kern County District Attorney's Office to see if the shooting violated the law, as is standard, according to a BPD news release.
A two-officer patrol unit attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a maroon Chevrolet Tahoe "driving recklessly" in the areas of South H Street and Planz Road on April 20, according to the video. The vehicle matched the description of a recently stolen vehicle, the video noted.
The driver did not yield to officers and accelerated away from them, according to the footage. Within seconds, the driver struck a pole in the 1600 block of Planz Road, police said in the video. The driver and passenger, Jesus Javier Aleman, of Shafter, got out of the Chevrolet.
The driver was taken into custody, but the passenger started to run from officers, according to a BPD news release about the incident. Aleman, 33, fired two times at the officer from several feet away, according to the footage. The officer dived into the bushes to avoid getting hurt, before returning fire, the video said.
The footage shows a police officer, only identified as Officer B. Peterson, running toward the suspect while holding a taser. Peterson is heard telling Aleman to "get on the (expletive) ground" and to stop reaching for his waistband or risk being tased.
Gunshots are heard, and the officer seeks cover behind some nearby bushes, according to the video. After Peterson returned several shots, he can be heard in the footage reporting that Aleman has a gun in his hand.
The video noted Aleman's gun was recovered, as well as two spent shell casings that matched the gun. No one else was injured.
Peterson has been with the department for three years, according to a news release about the footage. Peterson is on modified duty until BPD Chief Greg Terry decides on the appropriateness of the officer's actions based on state law and BPD policy.
___
(c)2022 The Bakersfield Californian (Bakersfield, Calif.)
Visit The Bakersfield Californian (Bakersfield, Calif.) at www.bakersfield.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
