A disgraced Army veteran and registered sex offender who sparked a 15-hour hostage crisis at a California bank has been shot dead by FBI agents. Anthony Scott Searles-Harris, 41, took 10 people hostage inside a Chase Bank building in Bakersfield on Tuesday afternoon, prompting a large-scale police response involving over 150 FBI agents.
Hostage Situation Unfolds
The incident began around 1 p.m. when Searles-Harris entered the bank, reportedly telling those inside, "It's a bad day to be at the bank." He had explosives strapped to his body and later attached devices to some of the hostages. Half of the hostages were tied up, with explosive devices attached to them.
Freddy Arrendondo, a witness who managed to escape, recounted his fear: "I was just fearing for my wife, she was outside, my kids, not being able to ever see them again. It was a lot right there. You sort of feel everything flash before you."
Crisis negotiators spoke with Searles-Harris via telephone and secured the release of two hostages on Tuesday night. Nearby buildings, including City Hall and police headquarters, were evacuated, and roads were closed.
Standoff Ends
The standoff ended around 4:20 a.m. Wednesday when FBI personnel fatally shot Searles-Harris. All 10 hostages were released unharmed. Authorities have not confirmed whether the explosive devices were functional or provided further details about the hostages.
Suspect's Criminal History
Searles-Harris had a lengthy violent history and was a registered sex offender. He was charged in 2014 with sex acts with a child under 14, convicted of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, and oral copulation with a minor under 14 with a more than 10-year age difference. Reports indicate he hosted underage girls at parties, providing alcohol and drugs and coercing them into sex acts.
Military Background
Searles-Harris served in the U.S. Army from 2006 to 2007 but was dishonorably discharged after going AWOL. Witness Arredondo noted that Searles-Harris spoke about his military service before taking hostages, saying, "He started just bringing up his marine career and he was just rambling on that."
The FBI continues to investigate the motive behind the hostage situation, though Searles-Harris reportedly expressed frustration with certain elements of his court case during negotiations.
