Graciano Ceballos, 38, of Bakersfield died on April 18, 2020, in an officer-involved shooting after a pursuit that began when deputies responded to reports of shots fired from a moving vehicle in Oildale. Deputies say Ceballos fired at them and attempted to ram patrol cars; after a high-speed chase ended near California Avenue and Easton Drive, Ceballos exited his vehicle, fled on foot, and was shot and killed by deputies.Known discrepancies between accounts are central to the dispute. The Ceballos family, represented by attorney Christian Contreras, filed a civil rights lawsuit alleging Ceballos was unarmed and posed no immediate threat when he was shot in the back while running away.

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office released body camera footage more than a year later; the family says the video shows Ceballos being shot while running, while the KCSO maintains deputies acted in self-defense. The department has not disclosed details about any recovered firearm.The case also involved Graciano’s brother, Eduardo Ceballos, who was arrested and initially charged with multiple counts including attempted homicide and conspiracy; he later pleaded no contest to resisting arrest, served time in jail, and received probation while other charges were dropped.

Does anyone have information about the incident or the events leading up to the pursuit?