Father recounts holding his dying son after teens open fire in Bakersfield

During a July incident on the 800 block of Crane Street, Vernon “Wes” Lancaster and his adult son Eric, 53, were shot by a group of three juveniles. Wes survived after reaching for his son and urging him to stay, but Eric succumbed to his injuries. Authorities allege the teens attempted to take Eric’s backpack, prompting the shooting that left the father wounded and the son dead.

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office has detained a 16-year-old, a 12-year-old and a 13-year-old, charging them with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, and participation in a criminal street gang. Additional counts include assaults with a semiautomatic firearm and possession of a handgun by a minor. Wes emphasized that his son was an innocent bystander who was trying to leave the scene on his bike when he was shot.