A grieving father is recounting the final moments he spent with his son, who was fatally shot in an incident involving juveniles. Vernon "Wes" Lancaster and his son, Eric Lancaster, 53, were shot in mid-July in Bakersfield, California.
Wes Lancaster survived the shooting, but his son did not. "Seeing my son go down and seeing his fixed eyes. That is something I will never forget," Wes told KGET News. He recounted reaching for his son after he was shot, trying to keep him alive. "When my son fell, I reached over as hard as I could to hold his hand and tell him to stay with us. Stay with us. And it was too late. It was too late already," he told ABC23.
Three juveniles, ages 12, 13, and 16, have been arrested and charged in connection with the shooting, according to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. The charges include murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, and participation in a criminal street gang. The suspects are accused of opening fire on the father and son, resulting in Eric's death and Wes's injury.
According to reports, the father and son were targeted when the group of teens attempted to steal Eric Lancaster’s backpack. Eric was shot as he attempted to flee on his bike. "He got caught up in it randomly. It wasn’t his fault. He didn’t do anything. He didn’t know those kids," Wes stated.
The 16-year-old suspect was the first to be detained and was also arrested in connection with an unrelated investigation. The 12-year-old faces additional charges, including two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm and possession of a handgun by a minor. The 13-year-old has been charged with assault and participating in a criminal street gang.