NewsLocal News

Actions

Shafter man shot during standoff pleaded not guilty

Man refused to come out even after being shot
KCSO exchanges gunfire with standoff suspect in Shafter
Shafter man shot in chest after stand-off with KCSO and SWAT
Posted
and last updated

UPDATE (April 3, 4:45 p.m. p.m.) 

John Wells, 55, the suspect who was shot in Saturday night's standoff in Shafter pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to multiple charges.

Those charges included assault with a deadly weapon, brandishing a firearm and resisting arrest as well as 7 counts of attempted murder and 1 count of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer.

He is due back in court on April 11.

Wells was medically cleared and booked in the central receiving facility on Sunday.

The Kern County Sheriff's Office SWAT team was on scene at a home in Shafter Saturday night and early Sunday morning to assist the Shafter Police Department with a situation that started out as a theft investigation.

KCSO said Wells brandished a firearm and ran back inside of the home on Atlantic Avenue near North Valley.

Around 9 p.m. his mother came out of the home. 

Shots were fired around 11:15 p.m. and Wells refused to come out even after getting shot in the chest, KCSO said. 

The deputies involved in the shooting were not injured and their identities have not yet been released. Authorities served a search warrant at the home around 4:45 a.m. on Sunday.

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Friday

02/20/2026

Cloudy

53° / 35°

3%

Saturday

02/21/2026

Sunny

66° / 40°

3%

Sunday

02/22/2026

Mostly Sunny

68° / 43°

4%

Monday

02/23/2026

Partly Cloudy

70° / 51°

3%

Tuesday

02/24/2026

Partly Cloudy

72° / 54°

4%

Wednesday

02/25/2026

Partly Cloudy

71° / 54°

11%

Thursday

02/26/2026

Partly Cloudy

72° / 53°

7%

Friday

02/27/2026

Partly Cloudy

72° / 54°

10%