BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — While overall homicides are declining in Bakersfield, killings involving people experiencing homelessness are on the rise, police say, and those cases often present the toughest challenges for investigators.

Eighteen-year-old Brooklyn, who is currently unhoused in Bakersfield, said she has lived through repeated violence on the streets.

“I have tried to report it. I have been physically assaulted. I have been sexually assaulted,” she said. “It’s sad.”

Bakersfield police Sgt. Alex Paiz has worked with victims like Brooklyn for years, first as a homicide detective and now as part of the department’s IMPACT unit, which handles homeless and quality-of-life crimes.

“You can tell at certain times of the day she might be more stable than others,” Paiz said. “That’

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