Five Officers Involved in Fatal Shooting Near Garces High

Police say five officers are on leave after shooting a man suspected of raping a woman and setting fire to home in southwest Bakersfield.

Sgt. Joe Grubbs said Rick Wimbish, Edgar Aguilera, Jaime Hayes, Michael Malley and Damian Romero are the five officers that opened fire on 22-year-old Adrian Hernandez last Friday.

Two of the officers have been placed on paid leave before. Wimbish was in a 2013 shootout on California Avenue where two were killed, and Aquilera was involved in a shooting last November on Mount Vernon Avenue.

Grubbs said prior incidents will not be factored into the internal investigation.

Hernandez led a chase from Hart Park on Friday, hitting spike strips near Garces Memorial High School. Police say he then left the vehicle with a gun.

Investigators later recovered a BB gun from the scene.

– Anthony Pollreisz