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Lake Isabella, California – A late-night law enforcement encounter ended in a fatal officer-involved shooting after an armed man allegedly fired a handgun and fled deputies, prompting a prolonged pursuit and road closure near Highway 178.
According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched around 12:40 a.m. Jan. 11 to the 5300 block of Lake Isabella Boulevard following multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting shots fired. Investigators later identified the suspect as Fernando Padilla, 39, who allegedly discharged a firearm in a populated area before fleeing on foot toward Highway 178…