Key takeaways:
- Bakersfield police said a confirmed bomb threat was reported Tuesday afternoon at a Chase bank branch on the 1500 block of 17th Street.
- Police said an unidentified man was barricaded inside the bank with an unknown number of people; CBS affiliate KBAK-TV reported at least one hostage was involved.
- The FBI and ATF said they were sending resources, while Bakersfield police closed roads and urged people to avoid the downtown civic center area.
Authorities evacuated part of downtown Bakersfield, California, on Tuesday afternoon after a reported bomb threat at a Chase bank branch where police said an unidentified man was barricaded with an unknown number of people.
Bakersfield police said the incident was unfolding at the bank on the 1500 block of 17th Street and urged the public to avoid the area. In a social media post, the department described it as “a confirmed bomb threat” and said road closures were in effect.
“Please stay out of the downtown area,” police said. “Road closures are in effect and will remain in effect until further notice.”
Bakersfield Police Sgt. Eric Celedon said authorities were alerted to the threat at about 1 p.m. Tuesday, NBC News reported. In an Instagram video, Celedon warned residents and workers to leave the area.
“There’s a very active scene,” Celedon said. “If you’re in the area, please leave.”
Celedon told ABC affiliate KERO that an “unidentified male” had entered the bank and was barricaded inside with an unknown number of people. Police told CBS affiliate KBAK-TV that at least one hostage was involved. The number of people inside the bank and the number of suspects were not immediately clear.
No injuries had been confirmed, and officials had not released additional details about the circumstances of the threat.
The response drew local and federal law enforcement attention. The FBI’s Sacramento office said it was “aware of the crisis in progress” and was sending assistance. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ San Francisco field office also said agency resources were being sent to Bakersfield.
An official with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office told CBS News that Bakersfield police had closed off a three-block radius surrounding the bank. The official said Bakersfield police had alerted the sheriff’s office about the incident but had not requested assistance.
Police also urged people to stay away from the city’s civic center as the response continued.
A California spokesperson for JPMorganChase said the company was focused on safety.
The company’s focus is “on the safety of everyone involved,” the spokesperson said, adding that JPMorganChase was working with law enforcement.
Bakersfield is a city of about 422,000 people on the southern edge of California’s San Joaquin Valley. It is located roughly 110 to 113 miles north of Los Angeles, according to the reports.
Be First to Comment