A man remained holed up inside a building in California on Wednesday (local time) with an undetermined number of hostages, as a tense standoff entered its 15th hour. The situation has prompted a large-scale response from law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation () and crisis negotiation teams.
Bakersfield police said the unidentified man made on Tuesday afternoon before barricading himself inside with “several community members” still inside, NBC News reported.
Here’s what we know
In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Bakersfield Police Department said it received a call around 1:00 PM regarding a bomb threat at the Chase Bank building at the corner of Chester Avenue and 17th Street.
During the investigation, it was determined that an adult male subject had barricaded himself inside the building with several community members. No injuries have been reported.
Officers responded to the scene and established a perimeter around the building and surrounding businesses to ensure public safety. Some community members were able to evacuate.
Officers and members of the Crisis Negotiation Team remained in contact with the subject by telephone. No had been made.
Road closures remain in effect until further notice. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.
As of Wednesday morning, at least two had been released during the ongoing situation as crisis negotiators worked to resolve the situation peacefully, according to a statement from police spokesperson Sally Selby.
Selby added that members of the Crisis Negotiation Team from the Bakersfield Police Department were in contact with the accused. The remaining hostages were “in good health,” Police Sgt. Eric Celedon previously said.
At around 11 PM (local time), a spokesperson for the police department said the FBI had assumed command of operations. The FBI’s local field office said, “The situation continues to be active, and we do not have additional information to provide at this time.”
While police identified the location as the “Chase Bank building,” a Chase spokesperson on Tuesday said the branch was empty and not involved in any standoff. The building houses unrelated offices, as well as a Chase Bank branch, which has prominent branding at the location.
A spokesperson for , Meghan Durant, in an emailed statement on Wednesday, noted that the branch is on the ground floor and that bank officials are working with authorities.
Police evacuate area around the building
Police evacuated the area around the building, and roads have been closed until further notice. In an Instagram video, a police official urged people to stay away.
“There’s a very active scene,” Celedon said. “If you’re in the area, please leave.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ San Francisco field office said resources were being sent to Bakersfield.
Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh said she was monitoring the situation and asked the community to keep those involved in their prayers.
“I appreciate the collaboration and coordinated efforts of our law enforcement partners and other responding agencies,” she said.
Bakersfield, a city of 422,000, is about 113 miles north of Los Angeles on the southern edge of California’s San Joaquin Valley, an agricultural hub.
