FBI fatally shoots California hostage-taker after Bakersfield standoff

A man who barricaded himself inside a Bakersfield office building and held several people hostage was shot dead by FBI personnel Wednesday, ending an overnight standoff that began with a bomb threat and forced closures around the city center, police said.

All hostages were freed and were unharmed, according to the Bakersfield Police Department. Two were released Tuesday during negotiations, and the remaining hostages were found inside the building Wednesday and received medical evaluation and treatment at the scene.

Police said the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene after “an officer-involved shooting involving Federal Bureau of Investigation personnel.” His identity was not immediately released, and authorities said the investigation was ongoing. A motive was not clear.

The confrontation began around 1 p.m. Tuesday local time, when police responded to calls about a bomb threat at a multistory building on Chester Avenue and 17th Street in Bakersfield, about 110 to 113 miles north of Los Angeles. Police said a man had barricaded himself inside with several people.

News outlets gave slightly different durations for the standoff. NBC News described it as roughly 15 hours, while Al Jazeera reported it lasted 12 hours.

The building includes a Chase Bank branch on the ground floor, but JPMorgan Chase said the branch was empty and not involved in the standoff. Meghan Durant, a spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase, said in an emailed statement Wednesday that the bank was working with authorities. A Chase spokesperson had earlier said the company was “aware of the ongoing situation occurring at the building where our branch is located on the ground floor” and that “the branch is currently empty, and we are working with authorities,” according to the BBC. The building also houses other offices not connected to Chase Bank, and Al Jazeera reported it includes a school district office.

The standoff brought a large law enforcement response. Bakersfield police said negotiators contacted the suspect by telephone, and the FBI was involved at the scene. CNN reported, according to the BBC, that members of the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team were present.

“Every single resource is at the site’s disposal,” Bakersfield Police Sergeant Eric Celedon told reporters Tuesday, according to the BBC. “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.”

Celedon also said the department had “every single resource at our disposal out here to bring this to the safest resolution possible,” Al Jazeera reported.

Authorities established a wide perimeter around the building. Bakersfield City Hall, the local police headquarters, nearby buildings and multiple roads were closed during the hostage situation, according to the BBC and Al Jazeera. Police said Wednesday that a significant law enforcement presence would remain in the area and urged people to avoid the scene and allow extra travel time.

Earlier in the standoff, officials said there were no reports of injuries and that the hostages were “in good health,” NBC News reported.

Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh said she was monitoring the situation and asked the community to keep those involved in their prayers.