Dec. 17—A Kern County jury found a man guilty of shooting two people several times while they walked in downtown Bakersfield.
Three people were walking along 19th Street outside Hart Hotel in March 2021. As they reached M street, they noticed Derrick Lamonte Rice walking behind them and tried to get away.
Rice got out a handgun and shot at the group several times, the Kern County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release. One bullet hit a person in the shoulder while Rice fled.
Kern County jurors found him guilty Thursday of attempted murder, assault with a firearm, possessing firearms as a felon and possessing ammunition illegally.
“Effective prosecution of violent criminals is key to reducing overall homicide rates and making our streets safer,” Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer said in a news release. “We will continue to aggressively prosecute violent crimes and seek enhanced penalties that protect our communities from increased violence.”
Rice faces 49 years to life in prison at his sentencing scheduled for Jan. 10.
