Vice principal arrested after bringing gun onto Bakersfield campus

The vice principal of a junior high in Bakersfield was arrested Thursday after a handgun was found in his backpack, police said.

A Tevis Junior High School staffer notified a Bakersfield police resource officer at 9:02 a.m. about the firearm in Kent Williams’ backpack, which was in his office on campus in the 3900 block of Pin Oak Park Boulevard, according to police Sgt. Joe Grubbs.

Williams, 51, of Bakersfield cooperated with the officer and was taken into custody for violating the Panama Buena Vista Union School District’s gun policy by bringing the gun onto campus, Grubbs said.

Williams possesses a valid concealed weapons permit, but hadn’t asked district administrators for permission to bring it on campus as required, said Gerrie Kincaid, assistant superintendent of educational services.

In the seven years that Kincaid has worked for the district, only one staffer has asked for permission, and it was denied, she said.

Williams was placed on administrative leave while police investigate the incident, she added.

Kincaid said the district wants to “assure the community the children are safe” and that it is “acting in abundance of caution.”
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