June 3 (UPI) — A 15-hour standoff at a California bank ended with the suspect shot dead and all hostages freed, police said Wednesday.
The man had barricaded himself inside the Chase Bank building on Chester Avenue and 17th Street in Bakersfield at about 1 p.m. PDT Tuesday. Police were sent to the downtown bank for a bomb threat, and when they arrived they found a man was inside the bank with several hostages, though some were able to escape.
Buildings in the area were evacuated, and police responded with SWAT teams, hostage negotiators and a bomb squad.
Twice on Tuesday evening, hostage negotiators convinced the suspect to release a hostage.
But around 4:20 a.m. Wednesday, the situation “concluded following an officer-involved shooting” by FBI personnel, the Bakersfield Police Department said in a press release. It also said the department was not involved in the use of force.
The FBI Sacramento office said earlier that it was sending help to the scene.
The number of people taken hostage wasn’t immediately clear, but those who remained in the building were unharmed.
“We are aware of the ongoing situation occurring at the building where our branch is located on the ground floor,” a Chase Bank spokesperson told CBS News in a statement. “The branch is currently empty, and we are working with authorities.”
The area around the building was still closed Wednesday morning. Police told the public to avoid the area and allow for extra travel time.
