Hostage taker in Bakersfield was a sex offender who claimed he was framed, officials say

A dramatic hostage scenario played out in Central California overnight Tuesday, when a convicted sex offender barricaded himself in a building, threatened to blow himself up and was killed by the FBI, authorities said.

Police and FBI officials said Anthony Scott Searles-Harris, 41, walked into a Chase Bank building in downtown Bakersfield on Tuesday afternoon claiming to have explosives “attached to his person,” tied up hostages on the second floor, and locked himself and everyone else inside.

Authorities later determined that the explosives were not real, according to a department spokesperson.

Searles-Harris was convicted of committing sex acts with underage girls, sentenced to prison and released in 2018, according to online records. He was most recently living in the 500 block of Oildale Drive in Bakersfield, the department spokesperson said.

In a video uploaded to YouTube in October titled “Labeled a Monster,” Searles-Harris accused law enforcement of planting evidence in his case. He also said that the media was complicit in his conviction by publicizing the “false allegations” against him.

His precise motive remains unclear. Police, however, are examining previous statements he shared on social media, according to Jeremy Blakemore, assistant chief of the Bakersfield Police Department.

“He had some concerns related to how his previous case had been handled, and what the aftermath of that was, the sentencing, and those types of things,” Blakemore said.

The hostage crisis began Tuesday around 1 p.m. when police officers responded to reports of a man with an explosive device who had entered the Chase Bank building on 17th Street, according to Blakemore.

Searles-Harris barricaded himself inside the second floor of the building and took 10 hostages, telling law enforcement that he had attached explosives to himself and some of the hostages, according to Blakemore. Five of the hostages had also been tied up.

“There were a total of 10 members of our community whose lives were changed yesterday unexpectedly,” he said. “Throughout the night, their families questioned whether or not they would be seen again, but we are very grateful for the outcome and the fact that we’ve been able to protect their lives.”

The hostages were confirmed to be employees of the Kern County superintendent of schools on the second floor of the building, officials said. Other employees fled the building while law enforcement evacuated the surrounding area.

Police don’t believe that the employees were targeted.

However, it’s possible he deliberately selected a building with a bank to increase the odds of a federal intervention, said Sid Patel, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Sacramento field office, at a Wednesday news conference. Searles-Harris told authorities early on that he wanted “the notoriety of having FBI involved,” Patel said.

A few hours into the standoff, law enforcement communicated with Searles-Harris over the phone and successfully negotiated the release of the first hostage at 3:59 p.m. Tuesday followed by a second at 8:24 p.m., Blakemore said. Negotiations then stalled and the suspect refused to release any more hostages.

Searles-Harris had asked for food and water, as well as materials related to his previous court case that he wanted to see, according to Blakemore. Law enforcement complied with his requests to facilitate the release of the two hostages.

Searles-Harris had told police that he was frustrated with “certain elements” of his previous court case, authorities said.

After negotiations stalled, the FBI assumed control over the incident just after 9 p.m., Patel said at the news conference.

During the crisis, officials said, one hostage managed to communicate with law enforcement before her phone died.

The hostage was diabetic and police were able to get medication to her but determined it was a “loss-of-life situation” if they didn’t act quickly, Blakemore said.

Around 4:20 a.m. Wednesday, an elite FBI Hostage Rescue Team moved in and fatally shot Searles-Harris, authorities said.

Searles-Harris served in the U.S. Army for a brief period before he was dishonorably discharged in 2007 for going AWOL, according to the FBI. He was involved in divorce proceedings that began in 2008 and was involved a fight for guardianship over a child years later.

In 2014, he was added to the state’s sex offender registry due to a conviction for lewd acts on a child under 14 years of age.

John Mendiburu, Kern County superintendent of schools, said in a statement that the district was relieved employees were physically unharmed during the crisis.

“What unfolded was undoubtedly a terribly frightening and unsettling experience, and the composure our employees demonstrated throughout the 16-hour ordeal was extraordinary,” Mendiburu said. “My deepest gratitude goes to our partners at the Bakersfield Police Department, the FBI, and all responding agencies for their professionalism, courage, and commitment to protecting lives.”

A spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase said in a statement that its branch is on the ground floor of the building and was empty. The building, which features large Chase Bank lettering on the exterior, also houses unrelated offices.

“We are grateful to law enforcement for their swift, professional response and we’re relieved that those who were being held are safe,” according to the statement. “The branch will remain closed until further notice; we are focused on supporting our employees during this difficult and stressful time, including providing access to resources and assistance.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.