Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleA hostage situation is ongoing at a Chase Bank in Bakersfield, California, where a man has barricaded himself inside and is threatening to detonate a bomb. The incident began around 1 p.m. on Tuesday and has continued for over 12 hours, with police, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security on scene. Two hostages have been released so far, and authorities report that the remaining "several community members" inside the bank are in good health. Crisis negotiators are in contact with the suspect, whose demands have not been publicly revealed, as efforts continue to resolve the situation peacefully. The area around the bank, including city hall and police headquarters, has been locked down and evacuated, with officials urging the public to avoid the scene. In fullBakersfield bomb threat latest: Second hostage freed as Chase Bank standoff continuesThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Police say a man barricaded himself inside a bank in the Southern California city of Bakersfield with an unknown number of people. Sgt.

A man is held up inside Chase Bank in Downtown Bakersfield, California with what appears to be a bomb strapped to his chest - police negotiators are already at the scene