Police and emergency responders swarmed a downtown bank in Bakersfield, California, after a man allegedly threatened to detonate explosives and barricaded himself inside with at least one hostage, prompting evacuations, street closures, and lockdowns at nearby government buildings.
The incident unfolded shortly after 1 p.m. at a JPMorgan Chase branch in downtown Bakersfield.
Officials initially responded to reports of a bomb threat before determining the suspect had barricaded himself inside the bank. Authorities said negotiations with the suspect were ongoing Tuesday afternoon. The FBI’s Sacramento field office said it sent resources to assist.