BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A man who was holding hostages inside a California office building for approximately 12 hours was fatally shot by the FBI on Wednesday, authorities said.
Hostages released, suspect killed
Update 11:35 a.m. ET June 3: The suspect who had been involved in a standoff with police for approximately 12 hours in Bakersfield was fatally shot by FBI agents, police said. All of the remaining hostages were released and safe, the Bakersfield Police Department said in a statement.
The hostage situation occurred inside a building that houses a Chase Bank branch in Bakersfield.
The suspect was killed in “an officer-involved shooting” involving FBI personnel, the department said. No Bakersfield officers were involved in the shooting, the department said.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: pic.twitter.com/8XSJsJqyeI
— Bakersfield Police Department (@bakersfieldpd) June 3, 2026
Original report: The Bakersfield Police Department’s crisis negotiation team continued to negotiate with the suspect and free the remaining hostages, KGET reported.
Police said in a statement that it had received a call around 1 p.m. PT on Tuesday about a bomb threat at a Chase Bank in downtown Bakersfield, KBAK reported.
A man had barricaded himself in the building with several people inside, police said.
Before 5 p.m. PT, police said that, with the cooperation of the crisis negotiations team and the assistance of the FBI, they were able to negotiate the safe surrender of one of the hostages, according to the television station.
Community Update🚨 pic.twitter.com/ne6kxo84bi
— Bakersfield Police Department (@bakersfieldpd) June 3, 2026
“At this time, everybody else still remains inside the building, and everybody else still remains in good health,” Bakersfield police Sgt. Eric Celedon said at the time.
Community Update🚨
— Bakersfield Police Department (@bakersfieldpd) June 3, 2026
We remain on scene at the Chase Bank building and have negotiated the release of a second hostage. There are currently no injuries reported.
Avoid the area as this remains an active scene. We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available.
By 10 p.m. PT, police confirmed that a second hostage had been released, KGET reported.
BPD confirmed that two hostages were released after negotiations and that others still inside with the suspect were safe.
“We have every single resource at our disposal out here to bring this to the safest resolution possible,” Celedon told reporters.
The situation remained active early Wednesday, The New York Times reported, citing an emailed update from the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office.
Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh told residents to avoid the area.
“We continue to closely monitor the situation unfolding in our city and remain concerned for the safety and well-being of everyone involved,” Goh said in a statement.
Officials with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office said a search warrant was served at a home in Oildale in connection to the situation, KGET reported. They did not elaborate.
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