2 families left homeless after destructive SWAT standoff in Oildale
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A Monday SWAT standoff left one Oildale home nearly destroyed and another without electricity.
The two families involved don't know where they'll be sleeping tonight.
On Monday, sheriff's deputies searched for 37-year-old Keith Julifs who had warrants for his arrest. One for illegal possession of a firearm and one for evading arrest. They located him hiding in a home near Ray Street. The sheriff's office says Julifs was armed and fired at deputies.
BPD and KCSO SWAT teams were called and the ATF also joined deputies during a 12 hour siege.
Early Tuesday, Julifs was able to escape but was arrested nearby. SWAT officers ripped out the entire garage door and demolished a second floor bedroom. Residents say deputies cut the power line going into the two homes and took away the meter. Deputies fired multiple rounds of tear gas into the home.
On Wednesday, gas canisters were scattered inside, and around the property. The gas still lingers in the air.
'We were having a birthday party for my cousin, cops came, kicked in the door, pointing their guns at us, told us to get out and they were looking for my brother and he don't even live here so,' said Ashley Julifs, Keith's sister, who lived in the demolished home.
Ashley said she and her four kids have no place to stay.
'Thanks. Thanks for making me homeless. My kids want to come home but I have no home for them to come home to so,' said Ashley.
As of Wednesday, her kids are staying with her sister.
'Now they're telling us that we can't live here at all. That they're gonna board up our house and we have to get our belongings out,' said Stephanie Duke, who lives in the home in front of the torn up house.
Her house was not involved, but it has no power. Code enforcement left a notice on their door now saying they have to leave, declaring it uninhabitable.
Duke and her husband were homeless for two years, until they moved into the house in March and now, they've been turned back to the streets.
'I don't know what to do now…I really don't….I think a law ain't fair, I think what they did to my neighbor is very uncalled for,' said Duke. 'It's not right…it's not right. Kern County is just way over the top.'
We reached out to the landlord of the two homes. He hasn't returned multiple phone calls. We also reached out to KCSO with questions including:
Why did they damage the house so severely?
Why did they cut the power?
Did they keep doing damage to the house after the suspect was arrested?
What was used to damage the home?
How many tear gas canisters were used?
Why did they leave them at the scene?
As of Wednesday, KCSO hasn't answered any of these questions.
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