BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — 17 News has confirmed with the Bakersfield Police Department that the teen who died during the Marketplace shooting was wearing a ski mask and holding a pistol at the time he was killed.
Police also say the victim and the suspect likely knew each other.
Since the Sunday incident, social media has buzzed nonstop with questions on the relationship between the boys and how the two teens were armed.
“Well, we responded to reports of a fight because that’s what was originally reported, and then we arrived sometime later and discovered there had been a shooting…” said BPD Chief Greg Terry, Wednesday morning on 17 News at Sunrise.
“There is some information to believe that these two had some sort of a history or connection or knew each other prior to that night…But it’s not just some random event that everybody’s out and these two strangers run into each other,” the chief continued.
BPD said it’s unclear if the suspect and/or victim were involved in the initial fight.