A suspect barricaded himself inside a California bank with an unknown number of hostages after police had received reports of a bomb threat.

Police in Bakersfield, California, said that “several community members” were inside the Chase Bank and that crisis negotiators were working to bring the situation to an end.

At least one person who had been held inside the bank was freed, police told reporters.

“With the cooperation of our Crisis Negotiation Team and the assistance of the FBI negotiations team, we were able to negotiate the safe surrender of one of the hostages,” Police Sgt. Eric Celedon said from the scene.

Celedon added that all of the remaining hostages inside the bank were “in good health.”

Scenes from bank hostage situation in Bakersfield, California

Graeme Massie3 June 2026 01:56