Army Veteran with Violent History Identified as Hostage-Taker Shot Dead by FBI

The man who held 10 hostages overnight in a California Chase Bank building and threatened to detonate explosives — before he was shot dead by FBI agents — has been identified as an Army veteran with a violent history.

Authorities in Bakersfield, about 110 miles north of Los Angeles, say 41-year-old Anthony Scott Searle-Harris took 10 people hostage on the second floor of a Chase Bank building around 1 p.m. Tuesday while claiming to have explosives strapped to his body.

The hostages worked for a local school district, which has an office on the building’s second floor. Five of the hostages were tied up, but none of the 10 were injured.

Searle-Harris had a history of violence and is a registered sex offender. He was also discharged from the U.S. Army after going AWOL, said Sid Patel, of the FBI’s Sacramento field office.

Searle-Harris was shot and killed just after 4 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Witness to hostage situation describes chaos: 'You sort of see everything flash before you'

A witness to the horrifying hostage situation said the suspect entered Chase Bank and said: “It’s a bad day to be at the bank.”

Freddy Arredondo was at the bank Tuesday afternoon when Anthony Scott Searle-Harris entered the building with explosive devices strapped to his body and began to cause a scene.

“I was just fearing for my wife, she was outside, my kids, not being able to ever see them again. It was just a lot right there. You sort of feel everything flash before you,” he told KGET.

Arredondo said that as the suspect began a speech, he slowly started to back away.

“I just turned around and started running out and that’s when he started screaming. But when I did that everybody else ran out too so it sort of gave everybody a little more of a chance,” he said.

Searle-Harris took 10 people on the second floor of the building hostage before he was shot and killed by an FBI agent early Wednesday morning.

All of the hostages were released and are uninjured, authorities said.

Man who held 10 people hostage identified as sex offender with violent history

The man who held 10 people hostage in a California bank building while threatening to detonate explosives has been identified as Anthony Scott Searle-Harris.

Searle-Harris, 41, had a history of violence and is a registered sex offender, according to Sid Patel, who leads the FBI’s Sacramento field office.

He also served in the U.S. Army before he was discharged after going AWOL.

Searle-Harris was shot and killed around 4:20 a.m., 15 hours after the standoff with authorities began.

Ten hostages held during incident

Ten people were held hostage in the Chase Bank building after a suspect barricaded himself inside and said he had explosives on his body, authorities confirmed during a press conference Wednesday.

“We are incredibly relieved to report that all of the hostages involved have been safely recovered,” Bakersfield Assistant Chief of Police Jeremy Blakemore said.

Five of the hostages were tied up by the suspect, but all 10 were released without harm.

Bakersfield Police to hold press conference

The Bakersfield Police Department is set to hold a press conference starting at 10 a.m. local time.

Authorities said additional information would be released as it becomes available.

SWAT team swarmed building overnight, brought a man out

About 50 SWAT members swarmed the building where a suspect was holding people hostage overnight and brought a man outside, according to a report.

Witnesses told NBC LA that they saw SWAT members enter the building around 2:30 a.m. before bringing a man — possibly the suspect — outside.

Video seen by the outlet showed officers escorting a group of about seven people out of the building.

Details about the suspect remain unclear

Authorities said the suspect who held multiple people hostage in California overnight was killed — but have shared few other details about him.

The suspect reportedly entered a building that houses Chase Bank and a school district office around 1 p.m. Tuesday and claimed to have a bomb.

Bakersfield police then responded to the hostage situation and were able to negotiate the release of two people late Tuesday.

The suspect was reportedly barricaded inside the building with several hostages. Authorities have not said how many people were held hostage.

Authorities have not shared the name of the suspect or a potential motive.

Suspect was killed in 'officer-involved shooting' with FBI

The suspect holding people hostage in a California building that houses a bank was killed in an “officer-involved shooting,” police said.

The Bakersfield Police Department specified that the suspect was killed in the shooting by FBI personnel, not a local officer.

Road closures remain in effect as police warn of traffic delays

Several roads in Bakersfield will remain closed off on Wednesday, even as the hostage situation has concluded.

Police warned on social media that traffic closures are in effect between Truxtun Avenue and 18th Street, as well as between H Street and K Street.

“Motorists are encouraged to avoid the area for the next several hours and seek alternative routes. Delays are expected until sometime this afternoon,” police said.

Suspect dead and hostages released

The suspect holding people hostage inside a Chase Bank building in California has been killed, and all of the hostages have been released, authorities said Wednesday morning.

The hostage situation concluded at approximately 4:20 a.m. with an officer-involved shooting involving FBI personnel, the Bakersfield Police Department said in an update.

All of the hostages were found uninjured. They received medical evaluation and treatment at the scene, police said.

Authorities have not shared how many people were being held hostage or the identity of the suspect involved.

Additional information will be released at a 10 a.m. press conference, authorities said.

Road closures remain in place Wednesday

Several road closures in Bakersfield remained in place Wednesday morning.

Closures are currently in effect between Truxtun Avenue and 18th Street, and between H Street and K Street, police said.

“Please avoid the area if possible and allow extra travel time this morning,” police said.