In California, the standoff that resulted in the death of the suspect and the release of the 10 hostages has ended.
Anthony Scott Searles-Harris, a 41-year-old Californian with a history of violent crimes and a registered sex offender, stormed the building located at the intersection of Chester Avenue and 17th Street shortly before 1 p.m. Searles-Harris barricaded himself on the second floor and took 10 Kern County Schools Superintendent’s Office employees hostage. Shortly afterward, calls began coming in about a man with explosives inside the building.
Police reported at a press conference on Wednesday that he was killed early Wednesday morning. The standoff prompted a large-scale police deployment that included crisis negotiators and the FBI.
Kern County Schools Superintendent John Mendiburu expressed his relief at the resolution of the incident, which ended without any physical injuries to any KCSOS staff members. “What happened was, without a doubt, a terrifying and unsettling experience, and the composure shown by our employees during the 16-hour incident was extraordinary,” he said in a statement. Two of the hostages were released on Tuesday after negotiations that included “discussions and exchanges related to food and water, among other things,” Blakemore explained.
“There was also an element related to his previous court case and the documents he wanted to see, so we were able to provide them to him in exchange for the hostages’ release,” he added.
After the release of the first two hostages, Blakemore indicated that negotiations stalled and he refused to release anyone else.
During the standoff, police reported that the suspect revealed he was wearing explosives strapped to his body, which were visible to authorities, according to Blakemore. The suspect also claimed that some of the hostages were carrying explosives, which law enforcement was able to confirm based on their own observations. Five of the hostages were bound, according to Sid Patel of the FBI’s Sacramento office. One of the hostages had her phone with her and remained in contact with law enforcement until the battery died, Patel said. He told reporters that the hostage was diabetic and that they were able to provide her with medication.
Patel said that, due to the circumstances and the suspect’s behavior, the decision was made to neutralize him using a hostage rescue team at approximately 4:30 a.m. local time. He was pronounced dead at the scene after a shootout involving FBI agents, Bakersfield police said in a statement.
Authorities said Searles-Harris was known to law enforcement. He served in the Army from 2006 to 2007 but was honorably discharged for desertion. His criminal record includes possession of firearms for the purpose of committing violent crimes, and in 2014 he was charged with sexual acts with a minor under 14 years old. According to police, he was a registered sex offender.
A spokesperson for Chase Bank, which has a branch inside the building, stated Tuesday night that the office was empty and not involved in the confrontation. Meghan Durant, a spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase, stated in an emailed statement Wednesday that the branch is located on the ground floor and that they were cooperating with authorities.
