This morning, the Honorable David Zulfa sentenced Houmphanh Phommasouk to serve 22...

This morning, the Honorable David Zulfa sentenced Houmphanh Phommasouk to serve 22 years, 4 months in prison for discharging a firearm with gross negligence.

The sentencing hearing follows a jury conviction in October 2025, in which Phommasouk was found guilty of discharge of firearm with gross negligence, two counts of carrying an unregistered loaded handgun, two counts of felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of felon in possession of ammunition. The case presented by Deputy DA Wooyoung Kim.

The conviction stems from an incident that occurred at about 1:16 a.m. on April 24, 2024 at The Blanco Apartments on White Lane in Bakersfield. Phommasouk was observed by a security guard shoving a female during a family dispute. Phommasouk then retrieved a firearm, pointed it into the air and fired seven times before fleeing the area in his vehicle. Officers from the Bakersfield Police Department (BPD) responded to the scene and located five spent shell casings. Officers were able to obtain surveillance footage and discovered identifying information for the suspect’s vehicle. Later that evening, BPD officers responded to an unrelated traffic collision and discovered that the driver (Phommasouk) of a vehicle involved in the collision was the suspect in the shooting that occurred in the early morning. Officers performed a traffic stop on Phommasouk’s vehicle and located an unregistered loaded handgun in the center console and a small pink purse on the passenger seat which contained additional ammunition. Phommasouk, a convicted felon, is legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Assistant DA Joseph Kinzel commented; “Laws prohibiting convicted felons from possessing firearms are essential for protecting communities from individuals with a demonstrated history of dangerous behavior. Those who disregard these restrictions and engage in reckless acts, such as unlawfully discharging a firearm, will face serious legal consequences.”