Bakersfield police said the Independence High School shooting during Friday night’s football game was gang-related, and the killing of 17-year-old Levi Jermaine Carter Brown set off a fast-moving investigation. Within days, officers made 6 arrests in two separate incidents they tied to possible retaliatory violence.
Police said Brown died in the shooting at Independence High School on Friday, August 21, 2026. They also announced the arrest of a 15-year-old boy for murder and participation in a criminal street gang, the clearest criminal case tied directly to the death.
Levi Jermaine Carter Brown
Special Enforcement Unit officers said they have been working to identify and prevent potential retaliatory violence within the community. On Saturday night, they arrested 18-year-old Jaheim Leverett and two 15-year-old teens, and said they found a gun, face coverings, and gloves.
Early Monday morning, Bakersfield police stopped another vehicle occupied by 18-year-old Adam Porras, 18-year-old Sean Reyes, and a 17-year-old juvenile. Officers recovered two guns, masks, and gloves during that investigation.
Special Enforcement Unit
Police said all of the people involved in those incidents are known gang members. The department said the arrests were based on circumstances surrounding the cases and information developed during the investigations.
“Based on the circumstances surrounding these arrests and information developed during the investigations, investigators believe these individuals may have been preparing to commit retaliatory acts of violence related to the ongoing gang conflict.”
The department also urged adults to watch for warning signs in young people, including changes in behavior, social circles, and access to weapons, masks, gloves, or other items that cause concern. It added, “Having that conversation may be uncomfortable, but the alternative can be devastating. Our goal is not simply to make arrests. Our goal is to intervene before another young person loses their life, takes someone e”
Bakersfield Police Department
The arrests show police treating the football-game shooting and the later vehicle stops as part of one continuing threat, not separate events. The unanswered issue is what specific evidence tied each person arrested to the retaliatory risk police described.
