The Bakersfield Police Department has identified the officers involved in the Jan. 2 shooting in south Bakersfield that left a 41-year-old man dead. Officers Joel Heredia and Alejandro Mendez were involved in the incident.
Police said on Jan. 2, 2026, at around 10:11 p.m., officers were called to the 3700 block of El Alisal Street, near Hughes Lane, to check the welfare of a resident who had been involved in a peace disturbance and reportedly threatened family members.
Upon arrival around 10:20 p.m., officers encountered the man, who was uncooperative and armed with a handgun, leading to an officer-involved shooting.
The Kern County Coroner’s Office identified the man as Jerry Lynn Steele Jr., 41, of Bakersfield.
Officer Heredia has been with the Bakersfield Police Department since September 2022 and Officer Mendez since March 2023; neither had prior officer-involved shootings.
Both officers remain on routine administrative leave, according to the department.
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