BAKERSFIELD - New details emerged Wednesday about an 83-year-old man charged with carrying a concealed gun into the Basham Funeral Care Center on Niles Street and holding staff members at bay.
Staff says Kenneth West, a cancer survivor and military veteran, was not being violent.
They say he was despondent about a series of health setbacks and wanted to end his life.
A week before West walked into the funeral home on Tuesday, he prepaid for his funeral.
"He had his hand in his briefcase and sat down and he looked very sad, very distraught and he was ready to end things," said funeral director Kent Smith.
West said he paid off his debts, sold his van, and cleaned up his east Bakersfield home.
"He showed me the butt of a pistol he had in his briefcase. He never pulled it out or pointed it at me. I never felt that was his intention, that I was in danger," added Smith.
A Basham employee called 911 while Smith sat with West in this conference room and tried to talk West down.
"And, we discussed his military career, and we talked about his life and how upset he was about the system failing," said Smith.
But, what really made the ailing Navy veteran sad was his failing health. West's daughter told 17 News by phone her father recently suffered a stroke and survived skin cancer.
But, what set him over the edge was a growth in his eye that robbed West of his eyesight and thus his driver's license and independence.
"I asked him, I said, "Well Ken, well let's go outside." He said, "Okay, it's time."
When West came out the front doors, he saw a series of deputies with their guns trained on him, so he went back inside. As West fumbled with the gun, the magazine dropped out.
"It was one of those now or never things. I quickly forced the gun out of his hand and threw it to the ground," said Smith.
West's daughter said he was being sent to the Mary K. Shell Center for a mental health evaluation.
He is scheduled for a court hearing Thursday on a gun and false imprisonment charge.
Staff says Kenneth West, a cancer survivor and military veteran, was not being violent.
They say he was despondent about a series of health setbacks and wanted to end his life.
A week before West walked into the funeral home on Tuesday, he prepaid for his funeral.
"He had his hand in his briefcase and sat down and he looked very sad, very distraught and he was ready to end things," said funeral director Kent Smith.
West said he paid off his debts, sold his van, and cleaned up his east Bakersfield home.
"He showed me the butt of a pistol he had in his briefcase. He never pulled it out or pointed it at me. I never felt that was his intention, that I was in danger," added Smith.
A Basham employee called 911 while Smith sat with West in this conference room and tried to talk West down.
"And, we discussed his military career, and we talked about his life and how upset he was about the system failing," said Smith.
But, what really made the ailing Navy veteran sad was his failing health. West's daughter told 17 News by phone her father recently suffered a stroke and survived skin cancer.
But, what set him over the edge was a growth in his eye that robbed West of his eyesight and thus his driver's license and independence.
"I asked him, I said, "Well Ken, well let's go outside." He said, "Okay, it's time."
When West came out the front doors, he saw a series of deputies with their guns trained on him, so he went back inside. As West fumbled with the gun, the magazine dropped out.
"It was one of those now or never things. I quickly forced the gun out of his hand and threw it to the ground," said Smith.
West's daughter said he was being sent to the Mary K. Shell Center for a mental health evaluation.
He is scheduled for a court hearing Thursday on a gun and false imprisonment charge.