A shooting at a high school football game in Bakersfield, California, sent spectators scrambling for safety Friday night, with a video shared on X appearing to capture the moment a shot was fired at Independence High School. A 17-year-old boy was killed in the incident.
The shooting happened on August 21 during a football game between Independence High School and Centennial High School at Independence High School, located at 8001 Old River Road. The Bakersfield Police Department said officers were investigating the incident and confirmed there was no active shooter at the scene.
“We are at Independence High School for a shooting investigation. There is no active shooter, but we ask that the community stay out of the area while officers conduct an investigation,” police said.
Video appears to capture gunshot
A video shared on X appears to show the moment the gunshot was fired during the football game.
{{/usCountry}}A video shared on X appears to show the moment the gunshot was fired during the football game.
{{/usCountry}}The footage shows people reacting as the situation at the stadium quickly turns chaotic. Other videos circulating online showed spectators rushing away from the football field and a heavy police presence outside the school.
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The video should be viewed with caution because authorities have not publicly confirmed that the footage captures the exact moment of the shooting. HT.com could not verify the authenticity of this video.
What happened at Independence High School?
According to Eyewitness News Bakersfield, an Independence High School staff member said a fight had broken out during the game before the shooting.
One person was shot in the chest, according to the report, although the victim's condition was not immediately known. Police had also not released details about a suspect.
The Bakersfield Police Department asked members of the public to stay away from the area while officers conducted their investigation.
Prayer held at another high school game
The shooting also prompted a prayer during another local football game.
According to Bakersfield Now's report on the prayer gathering, the Bakersfield Christian High School and Faith Lutheran High School football teams joined together in prayer at halftime amid the shooting investigation.
The Bakersfield Police Department had not released additional information about the circumstances surrounding the shooting, the identity or condition of the person who was shot, or a suspect.