A standoff involving a man who allegedly made bomb threats at a Chase Bank in downtown Bakersfield, California, continued into Tuesday evening as negotiators sought to secure the release of hostages inside the building. The Bakersfield Police Department reported that officers responded shortly after 1 p.m. to the bomb threat at the Chase Bank located near Chester Avenue and 17th Street.
Bakersfield Police Sgt. Eric Celedon stated that an unidentified man entered the bank and was inside with an unknown number of individuals. He assured the community that all available resources were being utilized, including SWAT officers, bomb squad personnel, K-9 teams, negotiators, and drone operators.
The police department described the incident as a confirmed bomb threat and advised residents to avoid the downtown area, indicating that road closures would remain in effect until further notice. Local station KBAK reported that authorities believe the suspect may have had a bomb strapped to his body and had barricaded himself inside the bank with several hostages.
One person was safely released before 5 p.m. following negotiations involving Bakersfield police and the FBI's negotiation team. Sgt. Celedon confirmed that everyone else inside the building remained in good health.
As a precaution, several city buildings, including City Hall North, City Hall South, the Development Services Building, and Bakersfield Police Headquarters, were placed on lockdown due to the nearby incident. Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh stated that city officials were closely monitoring the situation and expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their response.
