BAKERSFIELD — FBI personnel fatally shot a man who was holding hostages inside a building in Bakersfield, California. All hostages were freed and none were harmed.
The standoff began Tuesday afternoon when police responded to a bomb threat at the building, which houses a Chase Bank branch on the ground floor and a school district office. The suspect barricaded himself inside with several people, prompting authorities to establish a perimeter and evacuate nearby buildings, including City Hall and police headquarters.
Two hostages were released Tuesday following negotiations with authorities. The Bakersfield Police Department’s crisis negotiation team remained in telephone contact with the suspect throughout the incident. The standoff ended approximately 12 hours after police were first called to the scene.
During the incident, some roads near the building were temporarily closed, and officers warned the public to stay away. “We have every single resource at our disposal out here to bring this to the safest resolution possible,” said Sergeant Eric Celedon. A spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase said the bank branch is on the ground floor of the building and is currently empty.