Suspect Shoots Kern County Deputy in the Hand During Gunfight
Bakersfield, California — A dramatic and violent confrontation unfolded early in the morning on May 9, 2025 , when deputies with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of an armed man terrorizing a neighborhood. The encounter, which took place on the 600 block of Water Street , ended in gunfire, leaving one deputy injured, a female civilian shot, and the suspect facing multiple felony charges. At approximately 6:30 a.m. , dispatchers received a call describing a man who was reportedly armed with a hammer, a machete, and a firearm. The caller warned that the man was acting aggressively, posing a serious threat to nearby residents. Deputies were quickly sent to the scene to investigate and protect community members from potential harm. When deputies arrived, they encountered a man later identified as 42-year-old Sadi Geovani Diaz . According to initial reports and later confirmed by body-worn camera footage, Diaz was visibly armed with a handgun at the time offic...