Bank Barricade
Police Say Man Barricaded Inside Bakersfield Bank with Others
A man barricaded himself inside a Chase Bank in downtown Bakersfield, California early Tuesday, holding an unknown number of people and triggering a bomb threat response from police. Officers arrived at the bank at 17th Street and Chester Avenue at around 1:30 a.m., according to WTOP and 12 News.
The Bakersfield Police Department placed several nearby city buildings on lockdown, including City Hall and police headquarters. Sgt. Eric Celedon of the BPD confirmed the standoff was active and urged residents to stay away from the downtown area, according to MDJ Online.
Suspect Claims Explosive Device in Bank Standoff
The suspect, an unidentified adult male, told authorities he had an explosive device strapped to his chest connected to a dead man's switch. A dead man's switch is a trigger that goes off if the person holding it lets go. Police deployed SWAT and negotiators to the scene, according to CBS 8.
The suspect reportedly demanded to speak directly with the FBI. Security experts say this kind of demand usually signals someone who wants a platform for a grievance rather than just money. No injuries were reported as of late afternoon, according to Fox 61.
Downtown Locked Down Across a Four-Block Zone
Police sealed off a roughly four-block area in central Bakersfield — from 18th Street to Truxtun Avenue and Chester to H Street. City Hall North, City Hall South, and Bakersfield Police Headquarters were all put on lockdown. Court proceedings and city services were delayed for hundreds of workers, according to KENS 5.
About 12 police vehicles and one SWAT vehicle were stationed near the bank. Sgt. Celedon told the public: "We are asking the community to avoid the area as our negotiators work toward a peaceful resolution," according to Lufkin Daily News.
Negotiators Work to End Standoff Peacefully
BPD crisis negotiators stayed in contact with the suspect throughout the day. The standoff remained active into the late afternoon with no resolution reported. Police did not release the suspect's name or say how many people were inside the bank, according to WWL TV.
Bakersfield has dealt with high-stakes standoffs before. In October 2020, the city's Special Operations Group resolved a 12-hour standoff with an armed and explosive-carrying suspect. Analysts note that bank takeover incidents — where suspects hold employees hostage — made up about 11.8% of all bank robberies in Southern California in the most recent reporting period, according to Beaumont Enterprise.
Downtown Business and City Services Take a Hit
The lockdown shut down dozens of businesses in the downtown financial district for hours. Chase Bank locations across the Central Valley moved to high alert, with some closing early as a precaution, according to Local Memphis and WLTX.
City officials said the lockdown of government buildings was a "precautionary necessity." The closure disrupted hundreds of municipal employees and delayed administrative work across Bakersfield for the duration of the standoff, according to MRT.
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