Marshall Street - Critical Incident
May 31, 2025 – Kern County Sheriff's Office officials report that on April 15, 2025, at approximately 9:00 a.m., Kern County Sheriff's Office Deputies were dispatched to the Rite Aid on South H Street and Ming Avenue for a report of a theft in progress.
While responding to the theft report, before arriving to the Rite Aid, the deputy located a suspicious subject matching the description of the theft suspect. The deputy slowly followed in his vehicle while actively providing updates to dispatch regarding the subject’s description and direction. Due to the rapidly unfolding circumstances, the deputy did not activate the body worn camera until after the officer involved shooting occurred.
The suspect, later identified as Jeremy Pletcher, age 34, fled into an alley on a skateboard, then abandoned his skateboard and fled into the backyard of a home on Marshall Street and the deputy then pursued on foot. As the deputy entered the backyard, Pletcher pointed a firearm at the deputy. The deputy shot at Pletcher and Pletcher returned fire. Pletcher surrendered and was arrested near the intersection of Benton Street and Mark Court still in possession of the firearm when taken into custody.
Neither the involved deputy nor Pletcher sustained any injuries.
View video here.
Jeremy Pletcher was arrested for exhibiting a firearm at a peace officer, attempt murder of a peace officer, theft with 2 or more priors, assault on a person with a semi-automatic firearm, prohibited person in possession of ammunition, prohibited person in possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm with a prior felony, resisting/obstructing a peace officer, and resisting a peace officer with force.
On May 23, 2025, the Kern County Sheriff's Office convened an Incident Review Board examining the use of force in this incident. The use of force in this case was determined to be within policy.
Anyone with additional information regarding this case is asked to contact the Kern County Sheriff's Office at (661) 861-3110 or Kern Secret Witness at (661) 322-4040.
Source & photo: Kern County Sheriff's Office