A 15-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting a 17-year-old during a high school football game in Bakersfield, California, had a history of violence, including an assault on his mother with a knife, prosecutors revealed.
Gabriel Torres Reyes faces first-degree murder charges in the shooting of Levi Brown at Independence High School. Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer stated that Reyes, an alleged member of the Warlord Piru Bloods street gang, also threatened his stepfather and engaged in a vehicle theft in July 2025.
Brown, who prosecutors said belonged to the rival East Side Crips gang, was shot during a game on Friday. The shooting caused panic, with spectators running for safety.
Reyes is charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances related to gang involvement, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and probation violation. Under California law, individuals under 16 cannot be tried as adults, meaning Reyes would face a maximum sentence of four to seven years if convicted of murder, a point of contention for District Attorney Zimmer.
“It’s not our choice … I’m not happy about it,” Zimmer said, according to KGET.
Judge Keenan Perkins ordered Reyes to be detained due to the severity of the charges. A pre-trial readiness hearing is scheduled for September 8.
Following the shooting, six other individuals were arrested on suspicion of gang-related offenses. The arrests occurred as the community gathered to mourn Brown, who was remembered by his former coach, Vince Carter, as an “exceptional athlete” with considerable talent. Brown also leaves behind a one-year-old daughter.