Man barricades himself with hostages in Bakersfield bank standoff

A man barricaded himself inside a Chase Bank building in Bakersfield with multiple hostages Tuesday afternoon after an alleged bomb threat, with police negotiators securing the release of two captives by evening, authorities said.

The standoff unfolded in California's ninth-largest metropolitan area, roughly 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles, and stretched into early Wednesday with no injuries reported and no demands publicly disclosed, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

The suspect, described only as an adult male, called in the bomb threat at approximately 1 p.m. Tuesday, ABC7 Los Angeles reported. When officers arrived to investigate, he barricaded himself in a room with hostages and refused to leave. By Tuesday night, negotiations had yielded the release of two of the captives.

Bakersfield Police Sgt. Eric Celedon said authorities deployed every available unit. "Every single resource is at the site's disposal. SWAT team, bomb squad, gang team, gang unit, negotiators, drone team. Every single asset we have to bring this to a state of conclusion is out here right now," Celedon said Tuesday afternoon, according to the report.

Celedon described the man as "contained inside a room with a number of our community members and is refusing to let them out." Police did not publicly disclose the total number of remaining hostages.

The FBI Hostage Rescue Team was also deployed to the scene. Bakersfield City Hall and police headquarters were placed on precautionary lockdown during the standoff, and the surrounding area was cordoned off.

The Chase Bank branch on the building's ground floor was confirmed empty by a JPMorgan Chase spokesperson, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. The building also houses the Kern County superintendent of schools student services center. Dr. Jasmeet Bains, a candidate for California's 22nd Congressional District, canceled an election night event because of the incident.

Mayor Karen Goh urged Bakersfield residents to avoid the area. "The best way the public can help at this time is by avoiding the area and allowing law enforcement officers, negotiators, and other trained professionals the space and opportunity to safely carry out their duties," Goh told CNN affiliate KBAK.

As of early Wednesday, the standoff at the Bakersfield building remained ongoing with no injuries reported, ABC7 Los Angeles said. Police have not released a timeline for resolution.