Downtown Bakersfield hostage situation press briefing: FBI, police provide update

A convicted child sex offender who was dishonorably discharged from the military strapped a bomb to himself, took ten hostages inside a Bakersfield, California Chase Bank, and was ultimately shot and killed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after a 15-hour standoff — and his vile history makes the entire episode even more disturbing.

Story Highlights

Anthony Scott Searles-Harris, 41, held ten people hostage at a downtown Bakersfield Chase Bank while strapped with explosives before being killed by the FBI after a 15-hour standoff.
Searles-Harris had previously been convicted of forcible oral copulation and lewd acts with children under 14 and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
He was dishonorably discharged from the military, adding to a deeply troubling personal history that preceded the hostage crisis.
All ten hostages were released safely before FBI agents neutralized the suspect.

A Dangerous Man With a Dangerous Past

Anthony Scott Searles-Harris was no stranger to law enforcement before he walked into a Chase Bank building in downtown Bakersfield armed and wearing an explosive device. Local Bakersfield reporting confirmed that Searles-Harris had previously hosted drinking and sex parties with underage girls at his Oildale home. He was convicted of forcible oral copulation in concert with a child under 14, lewd acts with a child under 14, and oral copulation with a child under 14, and was sentenced to 12 years in prison and required to register as a sex offender. ^[1]

Beyond his sex-offense convictions, Searles-Harris also carried the distinction of a dishonorable discharge from the United States military. ^[2] A dishonorable discharge is the most severe form of military separation, reserved for service members convicted of serious offenses under a general court-martial. It strips veterans of nearly all military benefits and is widely regarded as the equivalent of a felony conviction within the armed forces. This was not a man who stumbled into trouble — his record reflects a pattern of serious, predatory conduct spanning years.

The Bakersfield Hostage Standoff

The standoff unfolded over approximately 15 hours at a Chase Bank building in downtown Bakersfield, California. Searles-Harris entered the building, took ten people hostage, and made clear he was carrying explosive devices. Law enforcement, including the FBI and the Bakersfield Police Department, responded in force, working to secure the safety of the hostages throughout the lengthy crisis. ^[3] The situation drew widespread attention, with news crews and citizens tracking developments throughout the day and into the night.

All ten hostages were ultimately released safely — a result that reflects the professionalism and restraint of the responding law enforcement teams. After the hostages were freed, FBI agents moved to neutralize the threat. Searles-Harris was shot and killed, ending the standoff. ^[3] Authorities later provided a detailed timeline of events at a joint press briefing with the FBI and Bakersfield Police Department, walking the public through how the crisis was managed and resolved.

A System That Failed to Keep Him Away From the Public

The critical question that follows any incident like this is straightforward: how does a convicted child sex offender with a dishonorable military discharge end up in a position to terrorize ten innocent people inside a bank? Searles-Harris had already served time for among the most serious crimes imaginable against children. ^[1] His military record confirmed he could not meet the basic standards of conduct expected of those who serve this country. ^[2] Yet he was out, armed, and capable of constructing or obtaining an explosive device.

This case is a stark reminder of what happens when the justice system prioritizes release over public safety. Registered sex offenders convicted of crimes against children under 14 represent one of the highest-risk categories in the criminal population. When those individuals re-enter society and go on to commit violent crimes, the consequences fall on innocent victims — in this case, ten people who simply went to work or ran an errand at a bank. Conservatives have long argued that tougher sentencing, stricter supervision of sex offenders, and stronger enforcement of existing laws are not optional — they are a moral obligation to law-abiding citizens who deserve protection. ^[2]^[3]