A more than 24-hour hostage crisis at a downtown Bakersfield, California, bank reached a violent conclusion Wednesday when a suspect holding multiple people captive was shot and killed by FBI agents during a standoff, local law enforcement confirmed.
The Bakersfield Police Department announced the fatality was the result of an officer-involved shooting involving personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, wrapping up a tense siege that began Tuesday afternoon.
The incident first unfolded just after 1 p.m. PST, when emergency dispatch received multiple 911 calls reporting a bomb threat at a multistory building that houses a ground-floor Chase Bank branch, along with reports that an armed man had barricaded himself inside the structure alongside several people he was holding against their will.
In the hours after the initial response, two of the captives were released during ongoing telephone negotiations between law enforcement negotiators and the suspect. By Wednesday morning, all remaining hostages had been freed without injury, police confirmed.
To ensure public safety during the standoff, local authorities evacuated and locked down nearby critical infrastructure, including Bakersfield City Hall and the Bakersfield Police Department headquarters, as well as closing surrounding commercial buildings and multiple major surface streets in the area.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Bakersfield Police Sergeant Eric Celedon outlined the full scope of resources deployed to resolve the situation peacefully. “Every single resource is at the site’s disposal,” he said. “SWAT team, bomb squad, K9 team, gang unit, negotiators, drone team. Every single asset we have to bring this to the safest conclusion is out here right now.”
The FBI also deployed its elite Hostage Rescue Team to the scene to assist local law enforcement, according to CNN, supplementing the extensive local response already in place.
In a statement released early in the standoff, a representative for JPMorgan Chase confirmed that the bank was aware of the ongoing emergency at the building that hosts its branch. “The branch is currently empty, and we are working with authorities,” the spokesperson told CBS News, the BBC’s U.S. partner.
Bakersfield Mayor Karen Gow also confirmed Tuesday that she was receiving regular updates and actively monitoring the evolving situation closely as it unfolded.
The deadly conclusion of the standoff has left local residents shaken, and authorities have not yet released additional details about the suspect’s identity, motive, or what led to the decision to use deadly force to end the siege.