Shawn Alvarez describes his east Bakersfield neighborhood on Plaza Street as nice, quiet and peaceful. But, he said that all changed Wednesday morning. Alvarez said he woke up to the sound of sirens and saw his home was blocked in by yellow tape.
"I get my paper, and I see my streets blocked off and everything by police officers asking questions," said Alvarez.
Sheriff's deputies responded to his neighbor’s home across the street around 6 a.m. They say a resident called 911 and said a man knocked on the door. When the resident answered, he fell to the ground.
Deputies found 27-year-old Simon Gomez, Jr. unconscious when they arrived. He had a gunshot in his upper body. Emergency crews performed CPR and took Gomez to Kern Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Detectives say the case is unusual.
"We haven't determined the exact location where he was shot,” said Ray Pruitt of the Kern County Sheriff's Dept. “But, we do believe it was in the neighborhood somewhere."
Pruitt adds there were no bullets or a blood trail near the home, but detectives will continue to investigate.
“It appears he was possibly shot at another location and then either walked or ran to the residence on Plaza Street and knocked on the door,” he said.
The residents of the home were not home Wednesday afternoon when Gomez’s brother knocked on the door. He had tears in his eyes and said he was upset. His father and cousins showed up too and spoke to neighbors, hoping to get answers as to why Gomez was killed.
We checked out Gomez’s record with Kern County's Superior Court. He was charged with first degree burglary and battery on a person in 2003. He served a two-week sentence in Wasco jail.
The street where Gomez was found is just a block away from Sierra Middle School.
“Now, it's really shocking somebody got killed across the street, you know, that's really hard,” Alvarez said.
Detectives say they haven't determined Gomez’s connection to the residence. The uncertainty leaves some neighbors in fear.
“Hopefully it doesn't come near us again,” Alvarez said. “It's scary because we have kids, you know, there out at danger, this danger you never know.”
If you have any information about Gomez’s death, you can call the Sheriff's Department at 861-3110, or Secret Witness at 322-4040.
