The man who held 10 hostages for 15 hours inside a California bank before being shot dead by FBI agents has been identified as Anthony Scott Searles-Harris, a 41-year-old registered sex offender with a violent past. The standoff began around 1 p.m. on Tuesday at a Chase Bank building in Bakersfield, about 110 miles north of Los Angeles.
Searles-Harris, who had explosives strapped to his body, took the hostages to the second floor, which houses offices of the Kern County school superintendent's administration. Half of the hostages were tied up, and some had explosive devices attached to them. Crisis negotiation teams secured the safe release of two hostages on Tuesday night before the standoff ended early Wednesday morning.
Authorities confirmed that Searles-Harris was a registered sex offender, having been charged with sex acts with a child under 14 in 2014. He was convicted of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 and oral copulation with a minor under 14. Additionally, he served in the U.S. Army from 2006 to 2007 but was dishonorably discharged after going absent without leave.
During negotiations, Searles-Harris spoke about materials relating to his court case, as well as food and water. His motive remains unclear, though he expressed frustration with certain elements of his case. The standoff ended around 4:20 a.m. on Wednesday when FBI personnel fatally shot him. All 10 hostages were released unharmed.
