Shell casings and bullet holes were all that were left by the time police arrived outside of Chuck E. Cheese's on Ming Avenue. Investigators say the shooting happened just before 7 P.M. on Saturday, during a time when several kids were playing inside.
Cedric Inge was arrested in connection with the shooting and is being held on 1 million dollars bail. Police are still searching for two other suspects, identified as Brent Pratt and Melton Smith.
NAACP President Patrick Jackson had friends that were inside of Chuck E. Cheese's during the shooting.
"Chuck E. Cheese's is a place where a kid can be a kid and for a kid to go through that traumatic situation and parents being fearful of now debating if they can go there we have to make sure that we take a stance and make sure we take ownership of our community," said Jackson.
And Chuck E. Cheese’s issued this statement today;
“We are aware of the incident that occurred this Saturday outside our Bakersfield location, in which a dispute between guests escalated to violence. Local police were contacted and arrived immediately. In the interest of our guests, we are currently working with the police fully during their ongoing investigation.
We want to assure parents and caregivers that we take great measures to protect the experience children and families have in our stores. Many of the measures we have in place – such as our Kid Check program, employment of security guards, active security camera systems and additional safety precautions – are transparent to our guests to encourage an environment Where a Kid Can Be a Kid. Maintaining a wholesome, safe experience that sets a standard across our more than 590 locations is of utmost importance to us, and we will never stop working to improve how we operate our business.”
Cedric Inge is due in court tomorrow and Pratt and Smith are considered to be armed and dangerous. If you have any information on where they are, you should call Bakersfield Police.
