Bakersfield Daily Brief: Sunday, September 13, 2026

Good morning, Kern County. We’re waking up to word of a deadly stabbing investigation at the Target on Ming Avenue, after what police describe as an altercation in the parking lot. It’s a mild, breezy start with a lake wind advisory in effect, and temperatures headed for the mid-80s.

The Kern Overnight

Deputies were called to a Main Street location around 3:22 a.m. after reports of a large fight involving as many as 15 people. A neighbor told dispatchers they could see the group outside, and a firearm was mentioned in the reports. The call was handled as an investigation, with no further details released by early morning.

Fire crews had their own busy stretch. Just after midnight, a grass and brush fire west of Rosamond was reported at three to four acres with a moderate rate of spread and wind out of the west. Command requested a water tender and two additional wildland engines to support the initial attack. Closer to home, engine and truck companies were sent to the East Terrace Way block at 2:11 a.m. for a fire call, and a second fire call in Bakersfield also kept crews moving through the night, though dispatchers did not provide further information on either.

Officers also responded to a handful of other calls across the city and county. A woman at a Quincy Street apartment reported at 3:57 a.m. that her daughter’s boyfriend was assaulting her. In the Norris Road area, a report came in of a young person going door to door seeking help before running east. The overnight log also included a semi pulling an aluminum trailer on Interstate 5 north of Highway 46 that was reported unable to maintain its lane, a full closure of eastbound Highway 58 at Mohawk that was expected to last until 5 a.m., and a neighbors’ dispute on Terrace Way over a bearded dragon that had been missing for months. Two units were sent to that one. A disturbance on Donna Avenue involved a brother-in-law at a front door, and a suspicious person was seen in the east part of the city with a crowbar trying to open a tan sedan. Elsewhere, an ambulance crew was flagged down on an F Street block for a patient in an alley, crews went to a San Marino Drive address for a pesticide exposure, and a caller at the Wheeler Ridge Road travel center reported a man who appeared to be under the influence in the store.

Today's weather

Expect a high near 86 today and a low around 61 tonight. Right now it’s 66 degrees at Meadows Field. The National Weather Service in Hanford has issued a lake wind advisory in effect until 11 p.m., with the strongest gusts expected on area lakes. Air quality is moderate, with an AQI of 100, and the only active fire in Kern County is the Rocky Fire, according to CAL Fire. No other fire-related alerts are in effect for the valley.

Top stories

KGET 17 reports that Bakersfield police are investigating a deadly stabbing that began with an altercation in the parking lot of the Target store on Ming Avenue. The department confirmed the stabbing was deadly but has not released the victim’s name or said whether any arrests have been made. Investigators are expected to piece together what led to the fight, and anyone with information is being urged to contact the department.

According to 23ABC, hundreds of people gathered in Southwest Bakersfield on Friday for the city’s 25th anniversary 9/11 memorial ceremony. The event at the 9/11 Memorial brought together first responders from local and state agencies, with remarks from Fire Chief Kevin Albertson, Police Chief Brent Stratton and Congressman Vince Fong. Deputy Chief Bryce Patterson told the crowd to remember the families whose lives were changed forever, and the firefighters, officers and ordinary citizens who moved toward danger. Attendee Harold Raymond shared his hope that more people would come to know the memorial exists.

KGET 17 also reports that two brothers rescued a group of elderly people from a burning assisted living facility in California. The rescue took place as a fire swept through the facility, and the brothers managed to get the residents out safely. No further information about the location or the condition of those rescued was included in the report.

Something good

The annual Kern Cancer Run/Walk brought more than 1,500 people to the Park at Riverwalk on Saturday, a turnout that included over 200 cancer survivors. As 23ABC reported, the Kern County Cancer Foundation has raised more than $2 million through this event over the years. Executive director Michelle Avila said the foundation pays patient bills, sometimes for as much as $10,000, and provides transportation so people can get to treatment. Survivor Melody Saberon Ibarra, a Delano native who has been cancer free for more than two decades, said the foundation was a blessing when she was a young college student with no income. Another survivor, Trella Linley, said the foundation that once helped her is now helping her son with his medical expenses during his cancer treatment. It’s a good reminder that in Kern County, a lot of people show up for each other.

Coming up this week

The coming week offers a full slate of public meetings and a few chances for a fun night out. On Monday, the Fire Civil Service Commission convenes at 3 p.m., and the Fox Theater continues its Cults & Classics series with a screening of “Fargo” on Monday night. Tuesday has a trio of city meetings: the Development Streamlining Ad Hoc Committee at noon, the Miscellaneous Civil Service Commission at 2 p.m., and the Historic Preservation Commission at 4 p.m. Wednesday is the busiest day, with two City Council meetings — Meeting 330 at 3:30 p.m. and Meeting 515 at 5:15 p.m. The Planning Commission meets Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

For entertainment, country artist Clay Walker brings his “Doin’ What I Love Tour” to the Fox Theater tonight, and the theater hosts “It’s a 2000s Party” on Friday. Looking further ahead, the Cults & Classics series will screen “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” on Monday, Sept. 21. All city meetings are open to the public, and details on agendas are typically posted online ahead of each session.