7 arrested after teen gunned down as Bakersfield battles gang violence

Six more people have been arrested following the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old during a high school football game in Bakersfield as police move to head off possible retaliatory gang violence after the killing.

Levi Brown was gunned down in the stadium at Independence High School Friday night during the team’s season-opening game. An unidentified 15-year-old was later arrested on murder charges and gang activity, police said.

Police announced on Monday that they had arrested an additional six people — including three teenagers — to avert any additional violence in the wake of the shooting, ABC 23 reported.

“The age range really isn’t any different from what we see a lot of other times as well. This is the unfortunate reality that people involved in gang shootings are oftentimes about this age,” Bakersfield Police Chief Brent Stratton said.

Investigators stressed that none of those arrested Monday were directly tied to Brown’s slaying.

The arrests came as the community gathered Monday night to remember Brown, who was described as an “exceptional athlete” who had “all the talent in the world,” his former coach told the California Post.

“There’s no doubt in my mind, he would have been a college football athlete,” the coach, Vince Carter, said.

The vigil featured prayer and music as mourners paid tribute to Brown, who leaves behind a one-year-old daughter.

Manuel Carrizalez, founder and director of Stay Focused Ministries, knew Brown through the group’s work mentoring teenagers and other students.

“He was a great kid. He had a lot of goals, and he was looking towards his future,” Carrizalez told ABC 23, noting he last saw Brown only a couple of weeks ago.

“They were never made to be gang members; they were never made to be drug addicts. This is when they are going to have to make decisions, as far as what they’re going to be involved in as juveniles,” Carrizalez added.

Brown was shot Friday night just minutes into the game between Independence and Centennial High School.

Police said a fight broke out outside the inner chain-link fence surrounding the field before the shooting.

Officers arrived shortly after 8 p.m. and found Brown suffering from gunshot wounds.

He was taken to Kern Medical Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

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