FBI kills suspect after 15-hour hostage standoff at California office building, all captives freed unharmed
FBI agents shot and killed a 41-year-old man early Wednesday, ending a standoff that began with a bomb threat at a downtown Bakersfield building housing a Chase Bank branch and school district offices.
The standoff begins
Police responded to a bomb threat at a multistory office building in downtown Bakersfield, California, on Tuesday afternoon. The building houses a Chase Bank branch on the ground floor and offices of the Kern County school district. Around 1 p.m. local time, a man barricaded himself inside and took several people hostage. Authorities evacuated surrounding buildings, including city hall and the Bakersfield police headquarters, and closed several roads while warning residents to stay away from the area.
Hostages and negotiations
During telephone negotiations on Tuesday, two hostages were released. The suspect, identified by the FBI as 41-year-old Anthony Scott Searles-Harris, claimed he was wearing explosives and had attached devices to some of the hostages. Authorities later examined the devices and determined they were likely not explosives, according to Sid Patel, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Sacramento field office. Searles-Harris had a violent history and was a registered sex offender. Some of his demands related to files from a previous court case, said Bakersfield assistant police chief Jeremy Blakemore.
The suspect was shot and killed around 4:20 a.m.
The resolution
After approximately 15 hours, the crisis ended when FBI personnel shot and killed Searles-Harris in what police described as an officer-involved shooting. All remaining hostages were freed and found unharmed, though some received medical care at the scene. The exact number of hostages was not immediately confirmed, with NBC News reporting the total remained unclear. The Bakersfield Police Department stated that none of the captives sustained physical injuries.
Law enforcement response
The operation drew a massive law enforcement presence. A SWAT team, a bomb disposal unit, and FBI hostage rescue team agents were deployed to the site. Police sergeant Eric Celedon said during the standoff that authorities had all necessary resources to reach the safest possible resolution. Witnesses described the mobilization as one of the largest seen in Bakersfield in recent years.
We have all the necessary resources to reach the safest possible solution.
The suspect
Searles-Harris was a registered sex offender with a violent past. During the standoff, he restrained several people and made claims about explosives that proved unfounded. Authorities have not disclosed a full motive, though his demands touched on documents from his prior legal proceedings. The investigation remains ongoing, and police said a significant law enforcement presence would remain in the area.
- Police receive a bomb threat at the Chase Bank building in downtown Bakersfield; suspect barricades himself inside with hostages.
- Two hostages are released during telephone negotiations with the suspect.
- FBI agents shoot and kill the suspect, ending the standoff after approximately 15 hours.
- Remaining hostages are freed and found unharmed; some receive medical care at the scene.
Community impact
Bakersfield, a city of roughly 380,000 residents in Kern County, lies about 110 miles (177 km) north of Los Angeles. Mayor Karen Goh said she was monitoring the situation and asked the community to keep those involved in their prayers. A Chase Bank spokesperson told CBS News the company was aware of the situation and cooperating with authorities, noting the branch itself was empty during the incident.
