The FBI shot and killed a 41-year-old man early Wednesday morning, bringing a swift and violent end to a hostage crisis that had paralyzed downtown Bakersfield for most of a day.
Sid Patel, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Sacramento field office, identified the man as Anthony Scott Searles-Harris. Patel stated that Searles-Harris was shot and killed by FBI personnel at approximately 4:20 a.m. after authorities breached the building.
Bakersfield Assistant Police Chief Jeremy Blakemore reported that all 10 hostages, who worked for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, were rescued and physically unharmed. “Throughout the night, their families questioned whether or not they would be seen again but we are very grateful for the outcome,” Blakemore said at a news conference.
Authorities said Searles-Harris was an Army veteran who had received a dishonorable discharge. He had a documented criminal history and was a registered sex offender. According to Blakemore, the suspect had claimed to have explosive devices strapped to his own body and to some of the hostages. He also bound the hands and feet of half the hostages during the nearly 16-hour standoff.
The standoff began Tuesday morning inside an office building that houses administrative offices for the school district as well as a Chase bank branch. Police sealed off the surrounding blocks and evacuated nearby businesses as a precaution. The FBI’s hostage rescue team ultimately made the decision to enter the building and neutralize the threat.