Full Notification

On January 11, 2026, at approximately 12:40 a.m., deputies assigned to the Kern Valley substation responded to the area of the 5300 block of Lake Isabella Boulevard for multiple reports of a male subject firing a handgun. Deputies made contact with the suspect, Fernando Padilla, age 39, who fled on foot to the area of Highway 178, where an officer involved shooting occurred.

Approximately 3 hours prior to the officer involved shooting, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call reporting domestic violence in the 1700 block of Kilbreth Avenue. Deputies responded and investigated the report of domestic violence. During the course of the investigation, Padilla refused to communicate with deputies and the victim was transported by deputies to a separate safe location. It was reported Padilla was in possession of a firearm and was possibly suicidal but had not threatened anyone with the firearm. Deputies made the decision to disengage as a de-escalation strategy, due to various factors including the suspect’s mental state and the severity of the crime being a misdemeanor.

At approximately 12:40 a.m., Kern County Sheriff’s Office received multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting shots fired near Lake Isabella Boulevard. Upon arrival, deputies learned of Padilla’s possible location on Lake Isabella Boulevard. Deputies determined Padilla established a behavior pattern of wanton disregard for human life by discharging the firearm in a populated area in violation of PC 246.3(a) - Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm. Deputies first made contact with Padilla at 12:50 a.m., but he ignored lawful commands and fled on foot, with deputies maintaining close pursuit. Throughout the incident, deputies employed multiple de-escalation strategies for more than 20 minutes.

First, they activated their overhead lights to effect a detention, identified themselves over loudspeaker, and advised Padilla that he was under arrest. Deputies then requested additional resources such as Crisis Negotiation Team, Air Support, Drone Team, K-9 unit, allied agencies, and a supervising sergeant. Deputies continued attempting to issue lawful commands for Padilla to comply while developing a plan to deploy a less-lethal option (a 40 mm launcher which fired low-velocity foam or sponge rounds designed to deter or safely subdue a suspect). Deputies followed Padilla for a distance of over a mile. They gave multiple verbal commands and opportunities for Padilla to comply. As Padilla began walking westbound in the eastbound lanes of Highway 178, Deputies warned Padilla that force would be used.

Padilla continued to flee and was struck with the less lethal 40 mm round. Padilla responded by firing 2 rounds into the air. Deputies issued additional commands at gunpoint, but Padilla did not comply and continued walking in traffic lanes of Highway 178. Deputies struck Padilla with a less lethal 40 mm round a second time, at which time Padilla turned to face deputies with the firearm in his hands. An officer involved shooting occurred.

Fernando Padilla was pronounced deceased on the scene.

Homicide detectives responded to the scene to assume the investigation. Deputies Tyler Lathouwers and Caleb Smith were placed on routine critical incident leave pending the completion of the investigation. Kern County Sheriff’s Office detectives investigate any use of deadly force by any member of the department. Investigations are submitted to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office for criminal review.

PC 834a:
If a person has knowledge, or by the exercise of reasonable care, should have knowledge, that they are being arrested by a peace officer, it is their duty to refrain from using force or any weapon to resist such arrest.

PC 835a states in part:
A peace officer is justified in using deadly force upon another person only when the officer reasonable believes, based on the totality of the circumstances, that such force is necessary to defend against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury. The decision to use force shall be evaluated from the perspective of a reasonable officer in the same situation, based on the totality of the circumstances known to or perceived by the officer at the time, rather than with the benefit of hindsight, and that the totality of the circumstances shall account for occasions when officers may be forced to make quick judgments about using force.

On February 4, 2026, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office convened an Incident Review Board examining the use of force in this incident.
The use of force was determined to be within policy.

Anyone with additional information regarding this case is asked to contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at (661)861-3110 or Kern Secret Witness at (661)322-4040.

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