By Ayo Kehinde
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has fatally shot a man who had held multiple people hostage overnight inside a bank building in Bakersfield, California.
The Bakersfield Police Department confirmed that FBI personnel shot and killed the suspect on Wednesday, ending several hours of negotiations and an overnight hostage standoff inside the multistorey Chase Bank building.
Although, authorities have yet to release the identity of the suspect, further details surrounding the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting remain under investigation.
The incident began on Tuesday after police received reports of a bomb threat at the bank. Responding officers later discovered that the suspect had barricaded himself inside the building with several members of the community.
Authorities immediately established a security perimeter around the bank and surrounding businesses to protect residents and prevent public access to the area.
Police said several individuals managed to escape from the building during the early stages of the incident, while others reportedly remained hidden inside to avoid contact with the hostage-taker.
During negotiations, the suspect released two hostages on Tuesday. Law enforcement officials later disclosed that the remaining hostages were freed on Wednesday and were not physically harmed during the ordeal.
Police maintained communication with the suspect through telephone contact throughout the standoff as authorities worked toward what they described as a peaceful resolution.
Bakersfield Police spokesperson, Sergeant Eric Celedon, said in a video message that although the initial emergency call involved a bomb threat, investigators had not confirmed the existence of any explosive device.
Bakersfield Mayor, Karen Goh, also stated that she had been closely monitoring developments as the situation unfolded.
Police also confirmed that the FBI worked alongside local authorities throughout efforts to resolve the crisis.
