SF Chronicle | 2026-06-02T18:30 PT
A man was barricaded inside a downtown Bakersfield Chase Bank with an unknown number of people Tuesday afternoon after police responded to a reported bomb threat, authorities said. The standoff prompted a large law enforcement response near Chester Avenue and 17th Street, where police closed streets, locked down nearby city buildings and urged the public to avoid the area. Bakersfield police said officers were called to the bank shortly after 1 p.m. and found the man barricaded inside "with several community members." Some people were able to escape, and at least one person was released after negotiations. By 9 p.m., a second hostage was released. SWAT officers, bomb squad personnel, crisis negotiators, drone operators, K-9 units and federal law enforcement were among those responding. The Bakersfield Police Department described the incident as a potential bomb threat and told people to stay out of the downtown area while road closures remained in effect. City Hall North, City Hall South, the Development Services Building and Bakersfield Police Headquarters were closed or locked down during the response.
Impact: The incident caused significant disruption to downtown Bakersfield, with city buildings closed and streets closed. No injuries were reported.