California Golden West Casino Murder Defendant Guilty, Life Sentence Possible

Posted on: May 11, 2022, 11:05h. 

Last updated on: May 11, 2022, 03:39h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

A California jury found a gang member guilty Tuesday in the fatal shooting of a casino security guard. The murder took place on Nov. 3, 2017, at Golden West Casino in Bakersfield.

Keon Brackenridge is wheeled into the courtroom by an officer during his arraignment in November 2021. This week he was found guilty in the California fatal shooting of a casino security guard. (Image: bakersfield.com)

The defendant, Keon Brackenridge, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8. He could face multiple life sentences in prison.

The jury brought back a guilty verdict on several charges following a trial. These include first-degree murder, attempted murder, three counts of assault with a gun, shooting at an inhabited dwelling, and possession of a firearm by a felon, KGET, a California TV station, reported.

Shootout Left One Dead

The incident began when Brackenridge would not show an ID at the casino entrance. Because of this, he was denied entry into the gaming floor, according to the report. He was then ordered to leave the casino.

But rather than leave, Brackenridge allegedly pulled out a 9mm handgun from his waistband while in the parking lot. He then allegedly began shooting at nearby guards.

One security guard, Richard Iloilo, 25, was shot. He died at the gaming property from his upper body injuries. Three other security guards shot at Brackenridge. He was wounded in the forearm and thigh, KGET said.

Despite his wounds, Brackenridge was able to walk to the Playfair Market. That is two blocks from the casino. He was arrested by local deputies at the market.

It was later determined Brackenridge pulled out his gun and fired the weapon before the security guards discharged their weapons, KGET reported. That is based on arrest reports citing surveillance video.

At least one of the guards touched Brackenridge before the gunfire. They wanted to encourage him to leave the casino property, the report adds.

Brackenridge later told authorities he fired the gun in self-defense, the report adds. In 2017, he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Bullet Entered Casino

During the shootout, a bullet entered through one of the windows of the casino. It shattered a drinking glass on a table inside the casino building, but no was else was injured.

The sound of gunfire led visitors to jump onto the floor of the casino to seek safety. A casino worker inside the champagne room also heard the gunfire. To protect the visitors, the worker pulled several of them to an area behind a wall that separated the champagne room from the gaming floor, KGET said.

After his apprehension, Brackenridge was found to be a member of the West Side Crips street gang, KGET said. The Crips are an alliance of street gangs located in Southern California.

This week, Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer called the shooting “senseless violence” that led to the “death of a man who was simply doing his job” and put the lives of “countless others” in danger, KERO, another California TV station, reported.