Jerry Lynn Steele Jr. dies in fatal Bakersfield officer-involved shooting

Jerry Lynn Steele Jr. dies in fatal Bakersfield officer-involved shooting

Fatal Bakersfield officer-involved shooting death of Jerry Lynn Steele Jr. – Obituary

Jerry Lynn Steele Jr., 41, of Bakersfield, was killed in an officer-involved shooting on January 2 in south Bakersfield. Officers Joel Heredia and Alejandro Mendez responded around 10:11 p.m. to the 3700 block of El Alisal Street near Hughes Lane for a welfare check after reports of a resident involved in a peace disturbance and threatening family members.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with Steele, who was reportedly uncooperative and armed with a handgun, prompting the shooting. Steele was pronounced dead at the scene, and the Kern County Coroner’s Office confirmed his identity.

Officer Heredia, with the department since September 2022, and Officer Mendez, serving since March 2023, have no prior officer-involved shootings. Both officers have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues.