The authorities in California were attempting early Wednesday to free people being held hostage at a bank branch in the city of Bakersfield by a man they believe could be armed with a bomb.
The Bakersfield Police Department said in a statement that it had received a call around 1 p.m. on Tuesday about a bomb threat at a Chase Bank in the city’s downtown. A man had barricaded himself in the building with several people inside, the police said.
The number of hostages was unclear. Two people were released after negotiators communicated with the hostage-taker by phone, the police said. No injuries had been reported, they added.
The F.B.I. “assumed SWAT operations” in the standoff late on Tuesday, according to Sally Selby, a spokeswoman for the Bakersfield police, who did not give further details. The situation was still active as of Wednesday morning, according to an emailed update from the F.B.I.’s Sacramento Field Office at around 2:30 am. The agency had said earlier on social media that it was supporting the response.
In an emailed statement, Mayor Karen Goh of Bakersfield asked people to avoid the area to allow police officers and negotiators “to safely carry out their duties.”
The episode unfolded as primary elections took place in California. State Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains, a Democratic candidate for Congress, canceled an election night watch party that had been scheduled for Tuesday in downtown Bakersfield.
Mark Walker and Isabella Kwai contributed reporting.
