BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder after a 20-year-old Bakersfield resident was fatally stabbed inside a Target store on the evening of Sept. 11, 2026, following a confrontation that began in the store’s parking lot and moved inside.
The Kern County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Aden Alejandro Aguilar, 20, of Bakersfield. His mother, Aldennisha Andrea Rowel, told local media that her son was not a participant in the original dispute — he stepped in to stop it. Police arrested Brett O’Leary, 33, the following day on a charge of first-degree murder. The case has drawn attention to a pattern of violent incidents near Valley Plaza Mall and raised fresh questions about public safety at one of Bakersfield’s busiest retail centers.
According to the Bakersfield Police Department, officers were dispatched at approximately 8:20 p.m. to the Target located at 2901 Ming Avenue after receiving a report of a stabbing. Responding officers arrived within three minutes and found Aguilar suffering from severe injuries inside the store. Officers rendered first aid until paramedics arrived and transported Aguilar to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:26 p.m. His mother said she did not learn of his death until 1 a.m. “I’m hurting, but I’m so upset because I don’t know what happened to my baby,” Rowel said. “I just feel lost because I don’t know what happened to him.” Officers simultaneously located and detained a possible suspect at the scene without incident. Investigators later recovered a knife near the store that is believed to have been the weapon used in the attack.
Homicide detectives formally arrested O’Leary on Saturday, Sept. 12, according to Bakersfield police. Jail records from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office indicated O’Leary was expected to be arraigned on the first-degree murder allegation the following Tuesday. BPD’s investigation determined that O’Leary and Aguilar became involved in an altercation that began in the Target parking lot and escalated as it moved into the store. Police have not publicly disclosed what triggered the initial confrontation, and that aspect of the case remains under investigation. A GoFundMe campaign established by Aguilar’s family states that he was “killed while trying to stop a fight,” a characterization his mother reiterated in interviews. Police have not confirmed or disputed the family’s account of Aguilar’s role in the dispute, and no additional suspects have been publicly identified.
The stabbing did not occur in isolation. Data from the Bakersfield Police Department shows that between Sept. 1, 2025, and Aug. 31, 2026, officers investigated 56 violent crimes in the area around Valley Plaza Mall — offenses ranging from assault and robbery to assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury. Records show the Target location itself was the site of two assault-with-a-deadly-weapon cases during that 12-month period. The broader pattern prompted concern among community members who live and shop near the mall. Brandon Santiago, a Bakersfield resident who was near the store the night of the stabbing, said the incident reflected tensions he had observed building in the area. “You have families coming out of here, you have young people, you have adults and children walking in and out of Target, you have folks who work here,” Santiago said. “So, that creates a sense of a lack of safety, which is unfortunate, but also the reality is right now current circumstances, there are so many tensions that are so high.”
O’Leary faces a charge of first-degree murder, which under California law requires prosecutors to prove that the killing was willful, deliberate, and premeditated. No arraignment outcome had been publicly reported as of the time of this writing. The Bakersfield Police Department credited cooperation from store personnel and mall security as critical to the early stages of the investigation, issuing a formal statement of thanks to Target staff, the store’s asset protection team, and Valley Plaza Mall security. A spokesperson for Target’s corporate office confirmed that the company’s team acted quickly to provide assistance and contact law enforcement, adding that safety is the company’s top priority. Investigators are still seeking additional witnesses and evidence. Anyone with information, video footage, or who witnessed the incident is asked to contact Detective Orozco at (661) 852-7007 or the Bakersfield Police Department at (661) 327-7111.
Aguilar’s mother described her son as empathetic and loving, a young man who had fought his way through serious hardship. Rowel said Aguilar struggled with drug addiction as a teenager but had overcome it with the support of his family. At the time of his death, she said, he had been sober for one year. “I thought as a mom that I was going to lose my baby through fentanyl,” Rowel said. “And he was murdered, you know? It’s crazy.” Aguilar leaves behind four younger siblings; the youngest is 3 years old. Rowel said she had not yet told the toddler what happened. “I just told him that his brother is sleeping in the hospital,” she said. “I don’t know how I’m going to tell him.” Rowel said she hopes to establish a foundation in her son’s memory. The family has also set up a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral costs. Aguilar would have turned 21 in the coming months — a birthday he will not reach.
O’Leary remained in custody as of the most recent reports, with arraignment proceedings expected in Kern County court. Homicide detectives continue to gather witness accounts and review surveillance footage from inside the store and the surrounding parking lot, with investigators saying the case remains active and ongoing.
