Suspect in Bakersfield bank hostage situation killed by FBI

A suspect holding hostages inside a JPMorgan Chase Bank in downtown Bakersfield, California, was shot and killed by the FBI on Wednesday. The incident began on Tuesday afternoon when the suspect barricaded himself inside the bank, reportedly with a bomb strapped to his body. It is unclear how many hostages were held, but two were released late Tuesday evening. By Wednesday, police confirmed that all hostages had been freed without harm during the 12-hour standoff. Officers initially responded to reports of a bomb threat and later determined the suspect had barricaded himself inside. Some personnel inside the bank managed to escape, while an unspecified number of hostages remained with the suspect. Reports indicated that the suspect appeared to have a makeshift detonator and wires coming from his shirt, leading police to believe he was armed with an explosive device. The FBI's Sacramento field office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives's San Francisco field office provided assistance to local law enforcement. A crisis negotiation team from the Bakersfield Police was in contact with the suspect by phone. A large area of downtown Bakersfield was shut down during the standoff, and several municipal buildings were placed on lockdown as a precaution. The identity of the suspect and the motive for the hostage situation have not been released.