A 19-year old Bakersfield man was arrested Tuesday morning after police said he brought a B.B. gun to school and threatened to kill two female students.
Jermaine Turner is charged with the felony of making terrorist threats, participating in a street gang, and brandishing a firearm replica.
Around 9:30 a.m. in the Bakersfield College cafeteria, investigators said Turner told two girls he would kill them. He reportedly displayed a B.B. gun in his waistband.
Witnesses contacted campus security, who in turn called Bakersfield Police.
Student Chris Urbano saw the group of officers and security make a bee-line for the cafeteria.
"Some girls had said that some guy had a gun in the cafeteria," Urbano said. "And then I seen security people coming this way, and they stopped people from coming in this area."
Bakersfield College spokesperson Amber Chiang said officers put the cafeteria on a brief lockdown as police interviewed witnesses. Chiang said when Turner saw police, he passed the gun to a friend, and that friend placed the weapon in Turner's locker.
Turner was arrested when he walked by police and witnesses pointed him out as the suspect. Later, investigators said Turner told them where to find the B.B. gun.
Detective Ben Herrera said it is not against the law to possess a B.B. gun, but it is illegal to use it in a threatening manner.
"There is a charge that deals with brandishing a replica firearm," Herrera said.
A check of Turner's court records show he has no criminal history in Kern County as an adult. He is being held at the downtown jail.
Student Aimee Klakong said the incident scared her.
"It could have been real, the gun, and he could have actually ... someone would have been dead or anything," she said.
