US NEWSCONVEY
THE GUARDIAN — US·JUNE 3, 2026

California: suspect in Bakersfield bank hostage standoff shot dead by police

VERIFIED FACTS
  • 01A man barricaded himself inside a Chase bank in downtown Bakersfield on Tuesday at approximately 1pm after police responded to a bomb threat call
  • 02The suspect had a bomb strapped to his body
  • 03Police said the suspect was shot and killed by FBI personnel in an officer-involved shooting at approximately 4:20am on Wednesday
  • 04All hostages were released and none were harmed, according to police
  • 05At least two hostages were released during the standoff—one on Tuesday afternoon and another on Tuesday evening
  • 06Bakersfield police sergeant Eric Celedon initially avoided calling it a hostage situation but later publicly acknowledged it was a hostage crisis
  • 07Officers maintained phone contact with the man inside the bank
  • 08Road closures and evacuation orders were issued in the downtown area, with several city buildings placed on lockdown
  • 09JPMorgan Chase spokesperson Peter Kelley said the bank was working with law enforcement and focused on the safety of everyone involved
  • 10Bakersfield is located approximately 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles and is the county seat of Kern County
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SUMMARY

An armed man with a bomb strapped to his body barricaded himself inside a Chase bank in Bakersfield, California on Tuesday, taking an unknown number of hostages in a standoff lasting roughly 12 hours. The FBI shot and killed the suspect early Wednesday morning after all hostages were released unharmed. Police maintained phone contact with the suspect throughout the standoff while evacuating the downtown area.

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