Daniel James Ruiz was a 23-year-old man from Bakersfield, California, whose world revolved around his young daughter, Annaleah. To his family, she was his pride and joy. His older sister, Savannah Ruiz, remembered how much he loved his baby, saying that even if he cared about nothing else in the world, he always cared for her. His sudden death left his loved ones reeling, struggling to process a future without him.
"It's been a hard 24 hours to sit here and process that I'm never going to go into his room," Savannah said shortly after his death. "Never going to see my brother. Never going to hear him again."
The final moments of Daniel’s life unfolded on the evening of Wednesday, October 14, 2026. At approximately 9:15 p.m., officers with the Bakersfield Police Department attempted to make contact with two males in the 1000 block of Pacheco Road, near Monitor Street in a residential area of south Bakersfield. The two individuals, later identified as Daniel and a 16-year-old companion, fled from the officers on foot. The attempt to contact them quickly escalated into a chase and then a fatal confrontation.
According to the Bakersfield Police Department, as the two fled, they began firing at the officers, which led the officers to return fire. In the exchange of gunfire, Daniel was struck. Police and emergency responders provided medical aid at the scene, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead. Investigators stated that a firearm was recovered from the location of the shooting. The department did not immediately state why officers had initially sought to contact Daniel and the teenager.
The shooting shattered the quiet of the neighborhood, terrifying nearby residents. A family of four living in a home on Pacheco Road found themselves in the middle of the chaos. They told reporters they heard the screech of tires and saw flashing police lights just before the sound of gunfire erupted. Several bullets pierced the walls of their home. "Everything happened really fast, so it was like lights, like a screech, and then lights, and then boom, boom, boom, and then it was chaos," one resident said. Another family member described crawling on the ground in fear. While the family was left traumatized, no one inside the home was physically injured.
The investigation was handled by the Bakersfield Police Department. The three officers who were involved in the shooting were identified as Thomas Jannuzi, Dillon Cravens, and Rudy Ulloa-Berumen. In accordance with department policy, all three were placed on routine administrative leave. The department confirmed that the officers were equipped with body-worn cameras and that this was the first officer-involved shooting for each of them.
While Daniel died at the scene, the 16-year-old male who was with him escaped. Police launched a search for the teenager, who was last seen wearing a black hoodie and black pants. Nearly a week later, on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 20, the 16-year-old surrendered to police. He was arrested on a warrant for weapons charges and booked into the Kern County Juvenile Hall. Authorities reported that there were no other outstanding suspects.
Just a day after the shooting, dozens of grieving family members and friends gathered at the spot where Daniel lost his life. They adorned the sidewalk with candles and flowers, holding a vigil to mourn and remember him. His sister Savannah spoke to the crowd, urging them to focus on the bigger picture. "He's okay, he's happy, he's in God's arms," she said. She made it clear that the family's priority now was to care for Daniel's daughter, Annaleah, who would have to learn about her father through their memories and stories.
As of late October 2026, the investigation into the shooting remained active and ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the incident was asked to contact the Bakersfield Police Department at (661) 327-7111.
